EP Rugby boss robbed of cash, documents
NEWLY elected EP Rugby Union (EPRU) president Andre Rademan was robbed yesterday of cash and all the rugby union’s administration documents.
The documents were recovered later inside and outside his stolen bakkie.
The gang of about six made off with R40 000 in the robbery, which happened only two days after the Port Elizabeth businessman was elected.
According to Rademan, all of the EPRU documents were recovered.
Rademan, 57, was ambushed at his business, George Motors, on the corner of Struanway and Libertas Road in Struandale shortly before 7am.
Rugby union documents – handed over to Rademan on Saturday when he was announced as the new president – were inside his bakkie.
CCTV footage shows a group of about six men – some armed with pistols – forcing Rademan and his manager into the office at gunpoint.
Rademan – a former Crusaders president – said two of the robbers had been buying potato crisps at the counter when he entered the shop.
As he opened the security gate the two men forced him into the back office at gunpoint. “He [a robber] put a gun in my face. They both threatened to kill me about three times,” Rademan said.
“I told them there was no need for violence and that they could take everything.
“One hit me over the head with [the butt of] a pistol. I handed them the money.
“While the two were robbing us inside, four others were standing [guard] outside.”
After taking the money, the men fled in Rademan’s bakkie.
CCTV footage shows at least four of the men on the back of the bakkie as it sped off towards Straunway.
Police at the scene confirmed that about R40 000 had been stolen.
Asked about the documents in the bakkie, Rademan said he pleaded with the robbers to leave them behind, but “they just looked at me and drove off”.
The EPRU administrative documents had been handed to him on Saturday.
“I am just glad no one was hurt,” Rademan said.
Rademan’s bakkie was found abandoned in Sompontsha Street, Kwazakhele, about 1km from the robbery scene, several hours later.
EP Rugby administrator Monde Tabata said some of the paperwork in the bakkie had been important.
“There were a lot of important documents in there and a number of them contain correspondence between various people as well as regular reports I had to submit to Saru [SA Rugby Union],” he said.
THERE was a seismic shift in the landscape of the troubled EP Rugby Union when Andre Rademan was named president after a tense election battle.
Rademan is clearly a man with the stomach for a fight and all eyes will be on him when he starts one of the toughest jobs in South African sport.
Apart from helping to uplift rugby at grassroots level, Rademan has vowed to fight any bid to axe the Southern Kings from Super Rugby.
With the union torn apart by warring factions in recent times, the new president has been given a clear mandate by EP clubs to put the troubled union back on its feet.
There were no signs of division among delegates when the popular Rademan ousted George Malgas, Tony McKeever and Stag Mitchell in the race for the presidency.
Two of the most outspoken critics of previous president Cheeky Watson also won key positions in the revamped EP executive.
The new deputy president of the union is Bantwini Matika and Chico February will fill the role of vice-president as the EP union looks to repair its tarnished image.
The first thing Rademan did was promise East Cape rugby supporters that he would bring the game back to the people and make them proud of the union.
When Rademan was declared the winner, there was a loud cheer from a hall packed with clubs who clearly approved of the new man at the helm.
Among his many challenges, Rademan will have to find a solution to the financial crisis which brought EP Rugby to its knees.
There is hope that the change in leadership will encourage potential sponsors to get behind the union and help it once again to become a force in the South African game.
Rademan says one of the first things he will do is address the liquidation problem and he then plans to engage role players like Nelson Mandela Bay mayor Athol Trollip and SA Rugby bosses.
The new man says he will need the help of the community if he is to be successful in his quest to fix rugby in the region.
If Rademan is to be successful in his quest to turn EP around, he will need the support of all rugby lovers and the local business community.