Bafana’s best interest

OUR earlier calls for the SA Football Association and Shakes Mashaba to act in the best interest of Bafana Bafana have not been heeded.

When we broke the story last month that Mashaba – fired by Safa in December for misconduct – would be hauling it to the CCMA in a bid to reclaim his job, and halt the appointment of a successor, we urged the parties to find a speedy solution for the sake of our national team.

This week, however, the two were deadlocked in the Labour Court, in a sign that this matter is far from being resolved.

We reported on Wednesday that Bafana could well have two head coaches – if the CCMA rules next month that Mashaba’s dismissal was unfair and that he has to be reinstated.

On the other hand, Safa told us after an executive meeting last weekend that it plans to install a successor before the end of this month.

Mashaba returns to the Labour Court next week to hear if his interdict, which intends to prohibit Safa from naming a new coach while his matter is still pending, succeeds.

If it does, it would throw even more chaos around a side who have been coach-less since December 22. This is something we cannot afford. Bafana need a coach immediately.

This will be a tough year for our national side as the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers kick off in June, while we also have to complete the 2018 World Cup qualifiers. But more pressing is the Fifa dates for international friendlies in a little over a month from now.

Mashaba’s lawyers have argued that his assistants Thabo Senong and Owen Da Gama take charge of those.

Whatever the case, we again urge the parties to find a solution. Unfortunately, by digging in, it doesn’t look like either is willing to compromise.

This is to the detriment of the nation. We are hopeful that as they go the legal route, both parties abide by the ruling.

The last thing we need is a long legal process of appeals and counter-appeals, when all Bafana requires is a head coach.