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'The Duke' lays down the law
05/10/2007 13:08 - (SA)
Tumo Mokone
This week the strongman of South African soccer, Irvin Khoza, showed why both friend and foe revere him as the "Iron Duke".
On Tuesday Khoza held the dragon by its neck, and told a huge media conference that he was in soccer not to run an NGO, but a business. The PSL chairperson was speaking after his organisation had just held an emergency meeting to seek a way forward after he and four other personalities were criticised over the pending R50m the five were to pocket after they clinched a new title sponsorship for the Premier Soccer League.
Khoza, fellow PSL executives Kaizer Motaung, Ms Mato Madlala, Trevor Phillips, and consultant Peter Mancer, successfully negotiated for the R500m deal with Absa. The five are meant to share a R50m bonus for their efforts, as prescribed by the league's standing rule to award 10% commission to members who negotiate deals.
Though there were murmurs of discontent both within and outside of the PSL about the R50m bonus, it was, however, Minister of Finance Trevor Manuel who stoked the reluctant fires with a letter of protest to Absa.
In the letter, which was leaked to the media, Manuel criticised the awarding of the bonus to the PSL executives, calling it "corrupt and tantamount to bribery".
Warning
The "Iron Duke" responded with typical venom, describing Manuel's views as "defamatory". He also got a couple of nods of approval when he questioned why he, as PSL chairperson, had to learn about the letter through the media.
He concluded by warning his detractors to mind their words and "spare us (PSL) our sanity and integrity until we have made the necessary announcement."
Khoza also took the opportunity to demonstrate the extent of his power as the el supremo of SA football by taking a swipe at Butana Komphela, the chairperson of the parliamentary sports portfolio.
As was expected, Butana wasn't going to be a small player in a big story like this. But his call for Khoza to appear before his committee as a matter of urgency was jeered by Khoza, who rubbed it in by saying he is answerable to the Sports Minister, and not Butana.
As if to underline his stance, Khoza revealed that he had already written to Minister Makhekensi Stofile, to ask him to intervene in Manuel's position and conduct.
Lost an ally
After the events of Tuesday, Jomo Sono is now the only voice of dissent within the PSL on the bonus issue. Sono, who is not a PSL executive, but a member of the organisation's board of governors by virtue of his position as chairperson of Jomo Cosmos, is demanding wholesale changes to the sponsorship committee and the bonus structure.
Sono appears to have lost an ally in John Comitis, owner of Ajax Cape Town. Comitis, who is also a PSL executive, listened attentively as Khoza delivered his speech on Tuesday, but none of his previous criticism was forthcoming.
The shrewd Khoza reserved some praise for him, saying Comitis was one man who understood the values of democracy! Khoza emphasised his point adding: "It is normal in situations like this to get different views. This is a democratic society; the members (PSL executives) cannot always agree."
Comitis in turn mumbled something about the good Khoza has done for the game.
His relentless pursuit of power aside, Khoza has proved his pedigree as the "boss" of soccer in South Africa. The acquisition of hosting rights for 2010 and the recent R1.6bn television deal with SuperSport International have left a legacy for him.
Lot on his plate
The PSL at present has more competitions than it can accommodate in its programme. This means more money for the clubs, and the game, which for years had come third-best to rugby and cricket in attracting sponsorship.
Many observers are beginning to wonder what will become of South African soccer once he is gone, which is expected to be after the 2010 Soccer World Cup. He has a lot on his plate at the moment and many wonder where he gets the time to get down to the business of every unit he heads or is part of, in and outside soccer.
Apart from being a family man, Khoza is the chairperson and CEO of Orlando Pirates, chairperson of the 2010 World Cup Local Organising Committee and vice-president of the SA Football Association.
He may appear to play second fiddle at Safa, as one of the two vice-presidents, but he is actually the power behind the throne.
Khoza has taken strong exception to the allusion that he is holding too much power; something his chief critic Sono says he uses to put himself in the money. But Khoza's stance is that people believe in him and put him into all these positions.
Soccer bosses all over the world are big personalities with lots of power, which means Khoza is no exception.
Tumo writes exclusively for News24 and Sport24.
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