This week’s arrest and court appearance of Samson Madonsela marks the climax of the police operation to purge football of corruption and match-fixing.
The police allege Madonsela, a member of the South African Football Association’s (Safa) referees’ technical committee, was the ”conduit” through which club officials reached referees. In short, he is seen as the kingpin of the alleged match-fixing racket.
”As a man responsible for the appointment of referees in the Premier Soccer League (PSL) and the first division, Madonsela was Mr Football. He could determine who won the cup or not,” said an official close to the police investigation.
Safa’s referees’ technical committee is responsible for compiling the list of referees who officiate at matches in the premier league and the national first division. It is also responsible for keeping abreast of changes in the rules of the game and transmitting the information to referees.
Theoretically, the committee has power only at the beginning of the football season, when referees are appointed. But football officials, who have asked to remain anonymous, privately complain that certain committee members use their influence to intimidate referees to ”do as they are told” — rule in favour of a team that has paid a bribe — or risk not being on the panel the following season.
Referees in the lower league were also allegedly ”guaranteed” promotion to top-flight football if they followed the whims of influential members of the committee.
Madonsela’s appearance in the East London Magistrate’s Court is linked to his alleged role in helping fix a first division match featuring Umtata Bush Bucks and Kimberley-based Basotho Tigers. He was released on R3 000 bail and will appear in court again on August 20.
Madonsela’s lawyer, Steve Dlwathi, denied that his client had been on the run. However, police were adamant that the arrest was the result of intelligence about his whereabouts after he had eluded them for weeks. Madonsela was arrested on the R21 highway between Johannesburg and Pretoria almost four weeks after a warrant for his arrest was issued.
He is also expected to appear in the Polokwane Magistrate’s Court on Monday in connection with the alleged rigging of a match featuring PSL clubs Silver Stars and Manning Rangers. Three PSL referees — Amos Mlambo, Bernard Ditshego and David Sadiki — have already appeared in the Polokwane court in connection with their handling of the same match.
Silver Stars general manager Thai Mogopa was also charged with corruption in connection with the same match. He has since been re-arrested in relation to another alleged match-fixing offence.
As a member of the Safa referees’ technical committee Madonsela regularly attended the three-member review committee that appraises referees’ performances in matches played the previous weekend. Referees are demoted, promoted or suspended on the committee’s recommendation.
”If clubs do not know who will be handling their matches, they obviously [can’t] go to a referee on a match day and offer a bribe.
”They had to get information from someone involved in the appointment of referees about who would be handling their match beforehand,” said an official close to the match-fixing inquiry.
”Another thing is that club officials could not always go to the referee and offer a bribe. Someone close to the referees had to do this,” he added.
No claims
Meanwhile, it has emerged that Madonsela never asked for a cent from Safa.
Though the Soweto-based Madonsela was seen at matches as far afield as Cape Town and East London, Safa CEO Albert Mokoena confirmed that Madonsela had not once put in a claim for expenses incurred in the line of duty.
This is in contrast with Bafana Bafana members, often branded mercenaries because they twist Safa’s arm for more money than the association is willing to give.
A judicial inquiry into match-fixing appointed by Nelson Mandela recommended that Safa’s national executive committee members should not be paid because the positions were honorary. However, this has left the door open for officials to claim expenses incurred on Safa business.
Dlwathi said that his client would not comment on this issue, as it could affect the legal strategy when his case came to trial.