What the Siya crew has been told…

Stan Matthews, SuperSport United CEO, had made it clear to the Siya crew that the club is still paying Buhle Mkhwanazi’s salary at the end of each month, though the player refusing to get vaccinated could have an effect on whether or not they extend the player’s contract which expires at the end of June.

With little game-time and the uncertainty of whether or not he will get vaccinated, suggestions are that the former Bidvest Wits player will be on the lookout for a new club next season.

SuperSport have been trying to encourage the player to vaccinate and hope that he can change his mind.

With the club having a policy that everyone should be vaccinated, the Siya crew understands that this could have an impact if they were to go into the market and pursue a player who does not want to get the jab.

The club’s policy requires players, including those who joined in January, to be vaccinated and it remains to be seen how this could affect them in the future, should there be players who are against it.

According to information received by this publication, the PSL has not imposed any rules for clubs in terms of players being vaccinated but are strict on having players tested for COVID-19 on a regular basis.

On the continental front, however, it differs.

Due to their participation in the CAF Champions League and Confederation Cup, players of Mamelodi Sundowns, AmaZulu FC and Orlando Pirates are all vaccinated. While the clubs had not forced players to vaccinate, they are aware that they cannot travel internationally without producing vaccination certificates.

An insider at Sundowns explained, “At some point, they sent an email that we should get vaccinated before resumption in January. But I can’t say whether or not it’s part of the club policy.”

This also applies to players who are selected for either Bafana Bafana or Banyana Banyana. SAFA have made it compulsory for everyone who gets selected to play for the national teams to be vaccinated. Recently, Banyana Banyana defender Noko Matlou was unable to travel to Algeria because she was not fully vaccinated.

It’s been revealed to the Siya crew that

SAFA checks that players are vaccinated before the final selection is made for the national teams.

“For our national team, it’s compulsory when you travel to some countries to have a vaccination certificate. For instance, Bafana Bafana is going to France and being vaccinated is compulsory. We check this before the coach makes the final call-up. Everyone who is in the current Bafana Bafana squad is fully vaccinated and I had to check that personally,” head of medical Thulani Ngwenya revealed to the crew.

He went on, “Banyana Banyana played Algeria here and away. Noko was not fully vaccinated, and she could not go to Algeria for the second leg, so that’s why we have made it compulsory because it affects the technical preparation. Here in South Africa, there is no regulation which states that it’s a must to be vaccinated, but we encourage them to vaccinate based on the reasons I have stated just now, because it becomes a requirement when going to other countries. For example, you can’t go to Morocco without being vaccinated.”

SAFA also requires employees to be vaccinated.

“The national executive committee in August last year took a decision to say every person under SAFA should be fully vaccinated by the end of September, which was last year. That was the resolution of the national executive committee. Everyone has to comply within SAFA,” Ngwenya said.

On the domestic club front, Soccer Laduma has been informed that “10 to 15 percent” of players and a few of the staff members are not vaccinated, but the club does not force them to take it.

Soweto giants Kaizer Chiefs, according to information received, have not forced their players to vaccinate and it’s understood that there are a few individuals in the team who have decided not to get jabbed. There was a major COVID-19 outbreak at Naturena in December, with the club requesting the PSL to postpone their matches. Despite the outbreak, Amakhosi have not forced players to get vaccinated.

Meanwhile, according to the information made available, management at Pirates has not made it compulsory for players to get jabbed, but their participation in the Confederation Cup all but forces everyone to get vaccinated, due to the fact that most countries these days want individuals to produce certificates when they travel.

Two members of the technical team, according to information received, have also not vaccinated at TS Galaxy. The club had, in fact, partnered with the Department of Health to get their vaccinations done.

Further investigations revealed that Galaxy striker Augustine Kwem was turned back at the SuperSport studios in Randburg when he was meant to be interviewed on the Home Ground show because he was not able to present a downloaded vaccination certificate. Kwem, according to what the crew has been told, is vaccinated and showed security guards pictures of the day he was vaccinated.

“This thing has got some elements of controversy which I can’t explain. The long and short of it is that players were given that autonomy to decide,” Galaxy chairman Tim Sukazi said.

Baroka FC chairman Khurishi Mphahlele has also revealed that they do not force players to vaccinate.

“There is no rule. We just asked the players to vaccinate. If there is someone who does not vaccinate, we cannot force them because it’s against the law to force someone to vaccinate. The players have vaccinated, but I am not sure about the office-bound staff.”

Cape Town City chairman John Comitis is another one who has confirmed to the Siya crew that they do not force players to vaccinate.

Comitis explained, “We follow the government here. We can’t compel anyone to do anything. If individuals don’t want to be vaccinated, we have to respect that. People must do things willingly. We respect all medical protocols, and we respect people’s privacy and people’s desire to discuss it or not.”

Meanwhile, Swallows FC team doctor Amo Manganyi revealed that there were players who were hesitant to get jabbed.

“There were players who were unwell, like Thabo Mosadi. He could not vaccinate, but once his symptoms resolved, he was more than happy to vaccinate. Our chairman (David Mogashoa) instructed that all players have to get vaccinated, but it was not an imposition,” Manganyi said.