Shakes spat almost shut down Safa
‘SPONSORS WERE AT RISK’
SA Football Association bosses were so worried about the public spat between former Bafana Bafana coach Shakes Mashaba and the media that they thought it would shut Safa down.
Safa’s head of communications Dominic Chimhavi yesterday testified in Mashaba’s unfair dismissal case at the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) in Johannesburg.
Chimhavi said Safa chief executive Dennis Mumble had warned if the public spat continued, the association would have to close shop.
“It was hampering our relationship with stakeholders and sponsors,” Chimhavi claimed.
He added Safa received 80% of its revenue from sponsors.
He said the public spat was not sitting well with the Safa hierarchy and described it as the “media versus the coach”.
Mumble, Chimhavi and other Safa general managers agreed to take action.
Chimhavi then set up a meeting with sports editors to discuss the strained relationship between Mashaba and the media.
He said after the “cordial meeting”, Mashaba shook hands with and hugged journalists who were present having apparently seen the error of his ways.
“We continued to give advice but the advice was ignored,” he said.
Chimhavi said he had told Mashaba to avoid sideshows and not fall into a trap.
However, Mashaba would respond by attacking journalists who described him as a cheap coach, arrogant and old-fashioned.
“Don’t fight with the media, you cannot win that war,” Chimhavi had warned Mashaba.
He said he even went as far as telling Mashaba to stop buying newspapers and listening to radio.
“We would not be here if the coach had heeded our advice.”
Mashaba believes a written warning instead of dismissal for gross misconduct should have been the correct sanction. He wants to be reinstated but Safa has already started the process of replacing him.
Safa will today announce a first Bafana squad since his axing.