AmaZulu boss clears the air after pending Khoza mutiny claims
AmaZulu general manager Lunga Sokhela has defended his statement that Irvin Khoza is the only person in South Africa capable of leading the Premier Soccer League (PSL).
Sokhela also explained his reasoning for tweeting on Monday‚ in response to a newspaper report that six clubs were plotting to overthrow Khoza‚ that AmaZulu fully supported the PSL chairman.
Sokhela tweeted: “Apparently there’s an article about six clubs wanting to topple Dr Irvin Khoza.
“We would never support that. Dr Khoza is the only individual in SA that can lead the PSL and has our full support.”
Sokhela said he had made some outspoken comments criticising the PSL recently.
These were over the arbitration over the eligibility of Tendai Ndoro that had seen points deducted from Ajax Cape Town‚ resulting in their relegation‚ but also the awarding of points to clubs‚ meaning AmaZulu dropped out of the top eight.
“The reason for my tweet was that we know that once you mention six clubs and you don’t say which clubs there is space for people to fill it with their own information‚” said Sokhela.
“But obviously‚ with the climate as it is now‚ people must not for one second assume that it’s one of the two – AmaZulu and Ajax – who would be obvious‚ because of this whole relegation and top eight saga.
“We wanted to clarify it upfront because we didn’t want people to start filling in that vacuum with any information‚ that we were not involved in any plot or any thinking to topple Dr Khoza.”
The part of Sokhela’s tweet that had drawn a torrent of criticism‚ though‚ was his statement that only one person‚ Khoza‚ was capable of leading the PSL.
Asked if perhaps the context of his statement had been taken wrong‚ Sokhela said: “I mean‚ people can take it the way they want to.
“The reality is that where we are‚ if you look at the information that sits inside his [Khoza’s] head‚ you’d realise that he’s very important to the league right now.
“In terms of not just the sponsorships and all those things‚ and what he’s managed to do‚ even through tough economic times.”
The Ajax arbitration decision was subsequently overturned in the Johannesburg High Court‚ a decision that is being appealed by the PSL in an ongoing legal saga.