Shakes saga drags on

POSTPONEMENT: MUMBLE, JORDAAN OFF TO US, SO MASHABA STILL IN LIMBO

New dates set for May 22-25, but there are no guarantees.

It is now approaching six months since Shakes Mashaba was dismissed by Safa from his position as Bafana Bafana coach while becoming embroiled in a legal battle with the national body.

So it is hardly surprising that the latest postponement for at least a month of the CCMA’s arbitration hearing that is handling Mashaba’s complaint for either reinstatement or a sizeable R6 million compensation has left the former Bafana coach fuming.

“You can understand Shakes’ plight,” said his legal representative Claudio Bollo yesterday. “For six months he has been hanging on in limbo not knowing what direction his future will take.”

Bollo explained that the latest postponement of the arbitration hearing was a result of the trip undertaken by Safa president Danny Jordaan and CEO Dennis Mumble to the United States for what is believed to provide information on the continuing investigation into a $10 million payment that ended up in the hands of disgraced former Fifa vice-president and Concacaf president Jack Warner.

It has been alleged in some quarters that this substantial amount, which was part of funds allocated by Fifa to Safa to stage the World Cup, was a payment to secure Concacaf votes to stage the 2010 tournament in South Africa.

Safa, however, have steadfastly maintained the money was simply a grant to Concacaf to further the football advancement of the African diaspora in the Central and North American territories.

Bollo says the trip to the United States meant that Mumble was unavailable to provide evidence to the arbitration hearing – or face cross-examination from Mashaba’s legal counsel.

“The next best date the CCMA had available for a continuation of Mashaba’s case,” added his attorney, “was from May 22 to 25 – and then there is no certainty that the matter will be concluded at this point.

“Little wonder then that Shakes is twiddling his thumbs not knowing where his future will be heading.”