A referee fingered by the 1998 Motimele commission of inquiry into allegations of bribery, corruption and match-fixing in soccer continued to officiate for another six years before being arrested three weeks ago during a new crackdown.
This has emerged from scrutiny of the Motimele report, which has never been released; a copy is in the possession of the Mail & Guardian. The report, commissioned by the Premier Soccer League (PSL) board of governors, was snubbed by the South African Football Association (Safa), which now claims to have blown the whistle on corruption. Both organisations are now being accused of a cover-up by the soccer-watching public.
Petrus Mathabela, a PSL referee named in the Motimele report, was rounded up by police during last month’s “Operation Dribble” and charged with corruption. He is currently out on R1 000 bail.
He told the M&G this week he had been advised by his lawyer not to make any press statements.
The report makes specific reference to two games in 1998 — Orlando Pirates versus African Wanderers and Bush Bucks versus Manning Rangers in which Mathabela was the referee. It concludes that the Pirates-Wanderers game was rigged. In relation to the second game, the commission accepted Mathabela’s explanation that he merely concurred with the assistant referee who had flagged for off-side.
No mention is made of the size of the bribe paid to Mathabela, but the report recommends he be “censured by the relevant Referees’s Association/Committee and appropriate steps be taken to prevent the recurrence of this undesirable conduct which damages the image of the sport”.
The Motimele commission —chaired by advocate McCaps Motimele — was initially convened to conduct investigations into corruption in both the first division and the premier league in matches played during the 1997/98 season. However, its terms of reference were extended to include allegations of corruption in the PSL security department.
The report has constantly been on the lips of the soccer fraternity since the commission finished its work at the end of 1998. Its findings have taken on additional significance in the light of a current crackdown on match-fixing
“The state of affairs regarding referees in the country is appalling to say the least,” the report says, calling for the disbanding of Safa’s national referees’ committee.
It is also scathing about the PSL for allegedly contravening the Aliens Control Act by importing foreign players who had not proved themselves in their own countries and without acquiring work permits for them. It recommends that clubs sign only players who have represented their respective countries at senior level and continue to play at that level.
“The essence of the regulation would be to protect the soccer industry from being flooded by average or mediocre foreign nationals who are presently imported and employed by some clubs, because their transfer fees and salaries are not financially competitive.”
An ombudsman should be appointed to “serve as a watchdog and custodian-general of the Constitution, rules and regulation of the National Soccer League (NSL) and soccer in general”.
The structure of both the PSL and Safa comes in for criticism: the overlapping of office-bearers between the two organisations is not good for corporate image, the report says. The report argues that this centralises power and serves as a catalyst for corruption. “The concomitant result is potential corruption and maladministration in both bodies without any checks and balances,” notes the report, adding its recommendation that “this undesirable state of affairs be constitutionally attended to by both bodies as a matter of urgency in the interest of soccer and the country”.
The report is also critical of the representation between the premier league clubs and it first and second divisions. It argues that the balance of power is tilted in favour of the premier league clubs.
“Representation by first division clubs is insufficient and makes a mockery [of] the principle of representation. The concept of the NSL consisting of three divisions is a myth. There is only one organisation in terms of this structure and that is the PSL.”
The report criticises the structure of the board of governors, calling it “untenable”. “Membership of the chairmen is undesirable to say the least. Furthermore, it is accountable to no one but itself.” The report said the structure of the board should be reviewed to tally with the King Report on corporate governance — which recommended, inter alia, one executive chairpersonship per person. The PSL’s board of governors comprises chairpersons of all member clubs.
In circumstances that are not clear from the report Mathabela was suspended from officiating by then PSL CEO Trevor Phillips, but later reinstated, after Safa claimed it had conducted its own inquiry into the matter.
However, then-chairperson of the league, Leepile Taunyane, and Petrus Mathabela told the Motimele commission that Mathabela had never been called to testify. “The commission accepts that this purported [Safa] inquiry did not take place. The honourable members of the inquiry never met and are guilty of dishonest and corrupt conduct,” says the report. It concludes that “these are very senior soccer administrators. It is submitted that they are not fit and proper to retain their positions. Swift and decisive measures should be taken against them.”
Those named are Phillip Masemola, then an ordinary National Referees Committee (NRC) member, now chairperson of its technical committee; Steve Goddard, then an assessor, now chairperson of the review committee; and Phil Nkosi, NRC administrator. Russell Paul, then Safa national executive committee member and chairperson of the NRC, is also named in the report; he has since vacated both positions. His role as NRC chairperson has been taken over by Professor Lesole Gadinabokao.
Three of the four men named in the report were outraged, and one was puzzled. Said Nkosi: “When I go to meetings I go as a scribe; I only take minutes. I don’t take part in deliberations. I take [the report] as an insult.”
Goddard was also angry. “Mathebela was not present at the initial hearing, but the commission never spoke to either of us,” he said. “How can he make a comment like that?
If I have a copy of that report I will sue him.”
Paul said: “I reject the allegation that there was no such inquiry.” As for Masemola, “We were never called by the commission to put our case,” he said. “The clubs were there. I can’t recall if Mathabela was there.”
The report warns that the benefits to be gained from improving the image of soccer could be hamstrung by the unwillingness to “cross the Rubicon”. It is particularly clear on what the administrators should do. “Unless dealt with decisively, allegations of corruption, bribery and other forms of impropriety not only affect the integrity of the sport, but that of its administrators as well,” it continues.