What the Siya crew has been told…

Ntokozo Sikhakhane is being accused of fraud by an individual who believes he is using his academy to take money from people who want to get their children into professional football.

Billy Noxaka from the Eastern Cape read in the noticeboard section of Soccer Laduma that the former Dynamos, Kaizer Chiefs, Bloemfontein Celtic and AmaZulu FC man was running an academy in KwaZulu-Natal and that he was looking for players. He has informed the Siya crew that he got in touch with the 40-year-old as he had players he wanted to take to the coastal province to join the academy, known as Umbumbulu Academy.

According to Noxaka, Sikhakhane requested that he fill out a form which was sent to him, as well as deposit money which would serve as transport and accommodation for the players. Noxaka indicated to this publication that an amount of R4 500 was sent to the former midfield man after they reached an agreement. But Noxaka soon developed an inkling that he may have been led up the garden path by the former player.

“At the time, he said he was running a youth academy to assist the community. Because I was also starting a project in 2021, I read in Soccer Laduma that Ntokozo had a project and I was interested. I had some very good players, so I contacted him for us to make a deal so that I could take these boys to him. These boys want to go to professional level, so I made an arrangement with Ntokozo Sikhakhane and he said he was running an academy and that he was looking for players. This was in 2021,” Noxaka revealed.

“We made the deal, and I contacted the parents of the players. He provided me with the details for his FNB account. I contacted one of the grandmothers of the players and she deposited R1 500 for her grandson. I paid R3 000 for both my son and grandson. I did that, and Ntokozo confirmed that he got the money. We were communicating either via WhatsApp or email. In total, the money that was sent to him was R4 500. In December 2021, he sent me an Umbumbulu Academy form where he instructed me to fill it in and email back to him. He promised us Golden Arrows, Maritzburg United and AmaZulu FC. He said he supplies players to these clubs, so I thought that things would go much better,” he added.

After sending the money, Noxaka says things changed and he started to notice that something was amiss.

“I called him and asked when he was going to take the boys. It was around December and Ntokozo then kept on telling me to wait and that I should have patience because things won’t happen quickly. He said the leagues were on a break, and he was giving other stories. So, he said we should wait. He was sending me from pillar to post. I started putting pressure on him because we wanted him to pay our money back and I even had to pay back the grandmother who paid for her grandson, using my own money. I told him that I was no longer trusting him. Whenever I was trying to contact him telephonically, his number was no long working and his email was not active, whatsoever.”

Noxaka is still seeking the R4 500 which was paid to the KwaMashu-born man, but said he has not been able to get hold of him for a period of over a year.

“It’s not good that something like this has happened and I need to find a way to get the matter resolved because it has gone on for a long time.”