Mystery surrounds a township “football academy” where children as young as 11 have been kicking their heels since the beginning of the year – but have yet to kick a ball.
The Daily Dispatch can reveal today that Lindile Mfazwe of Arah Football Academy, in Mdantsane, Buffalo City Metro has taken in at least six teenagers aged between 11 and 17, and an additional two Ghanaian nationals.
The boys have yet to run on to a field since their arrival in January, even though their parents were made to believe that Mfazwe would fine tune their football skills.
Instead they are now housed in a bed and breakfast, KwaManala, in Mdantsane’s NU1. They are being given bread, eggs and polony, but sometimes the B&B has to feed them as Mfazwe does not provide the meals. The owner is now threatening to evict them because the former Ria Stars player has failed to pay for their accommodation.
The children are traumatised, and one of them was diagnosed with depression last Thursday.
Three parents have confirmed to the Dispatch that they had paid money into Mfazwe’s account.
One deposited R1500, another forked out more than R2000, “including a deposit”, and another R1800.
The two Ghanaians – Augustine Agyemang, 22, and Elliot Adjorlolo, 20 – said they came to South Africa in January after Mfazwe promised to hook them up with Premier Soccer League clubs during the January transfer window. Their families raised money for their flights.
They signed papers that refer to Mfazwe as the duo’s manager in South Africa. Their agent in Ghana, Alex Asamoah, introduced them to Mfazwe.
The papers, seen by the Dispatch, state that Asamoah “shall pay to Mfazwe a once-off registration fee of R2500 and management fee of R35000 for all his players that are going to be marketed and promoted in South Africa”. The two did not know whether any of the R37500 had been paid over. They have not been in contact with Asamoah since they left home.
The plight of the children has been brought to the attention of the police.
Mdantsane police spokeswoman Hazel Mqala said yesterday no case had been opened with them, but they had summoned all parents of the teenagers, Mfazwe, the South African Football Association (Safa) and social development officials to a meeting tomorrow, to try and get a clearer picture of what was happening.
This is a follow-up to at least two other meetings with Mfazwe but nothing has changed.
“But after tomorrow’s meeting, the possibility is that he may be charged because there will be more clarity on the matter,” Mqala said.
An associate of Mfazwe, known as Yolanda, who is general secretary of the “academy”, may also be in trouble for being complicit with Mfazwe.
Contacted for comment, Mfazwe dismissed the accusations.
“My academy is the best in the country and is recommended by Safa; you can go and check on their website.”
The Safa website does not have a single academy listed on its website.
Mdantsane Safa president Mnyamezeli Bomeni said they would get to the bottom of it.
“We will summon those involved to answer all allegations because this drags in the mud the name of the beautiful game,” Bomeni said. “We advise people to verify these things with relevant regulatory bodies before forking out their money,” he added.
Realising an article on the mystery was to be published, Mfazwe, 34, begged the Dispatch not to publish the report saying “it will destroy me”.
He promised to tell his “version of the story” after tomorrow’s meeting.