Referees implicated in soccer’s match-fixing scandal are trying to turn state witness to escape prosecution. And new evidence suggests that the South African Football Association (Safa) did not thoroughly investigate allegations of match-fixing dating back to 1999.
Senior Safa officials told the Mail & Guardian the number of individuals implicated in the scandal is between eight and 10, and some of them are trying to volunteer evidence of their involvement in influencing the outcome of games in a bid to win immunity from prosecution.
Sally de Beer, head of communications in the office of National Commissioner of Police Jackie Selebi, would not tell the M&G how many referees have been fingered in the corruption scandal. She also declined to confirm whether some referees have approached the commissioner’s office to turn state witness.
“We are not going to give out that information until such time that arrests have been made. It is safe to say that a number of individuals are implicated,” said De Beer.
Safa president Molefi Oliphant also declined to comment, saying, “I am not in a position to disclose that [whether referees are seeking to turn state witness].”
Allegations of referees colluding with club officials to influence the outcomes of games are not new. But the M&G has seen copies of letters to and from Safa suggesting that the association failed to pursue these allegations in depth. Five years ago then first division referee Moses Soko wrote to Dennis Mumble, the general secretary, Phil Nkosi of the referees committee, and Olifant.
The letter detailed how Soko and other referees and referees’ assistants influenced the outcome of matches to assist certain clubs to gain promotion from the then sponsorship-stricken first division to the multimillion-rand Premier Soccer League (PSL).
But Soko told the M&G this week that, despite Safa describing his evidence as “credible” and “reliable”, the association was merely “advised” not to continue refereeing.
“They advised me not to participate in refereeing. They treated me badly so it is difficult for others to come through. Since 2001 I have never been to a stadium because I know that I will be wasting my money to watch a fixed match,” said Soko.
Safa CEO Danny Jordaan responded to Soko’s appeals to be indemnified for his indiscretions in a letter dated
February 2001, a copy of which the M&G has seen. Jordaan wrote: “With regard to your application for indemnity against prosecution relating to the matters about which you gave evidence to the Committee, the decision of the Committee is that you be granted indemnity from prosecution. However, you are advised not to engage in any matters relating to referees’ affairs.”
Some of the officials Soko implicated received temporary bans, but most returned to the game after their appeals, Soko says. Instead it is he who has not been allowed to come back.
“Each and every game, whether it’s win or lose, owners come to referees and give them money for cold drinks, and they would say ‘look after my team next time’.”
Jordaan’s cellphone was off during the two days this week that the M&G tried to contact him; and Olifant refused to comment on the letters.
Meanwhile, it is uncertain whether Enoch Radebe, the PSL referee who was reported this week to have resigned as the match-fixing controversy grew, has actually done so.
Chairperson of referees Lesole Gadinabokao said: “Referees cannot resign. They do not apply to become referees in the national association. What they do is that they avail themselves and write tests and then get licences, which are valid for a year. Now that the season has finished their licences have also expired. They will avail themselves next season again.”
Radebe made headlines late last year when he failed to penalise Kaizer Chiefs player Arthur Zwane for illegally using his hand to block a goal-bound shot in a Coca-Cola Cup semifinal match against Santos in Cape Town. Chiefs not only won that match but went on to win the lucrative competition.