Mpho Makola made his bed, now he must lie in it, period.
● When you ask a criminal the reason they are in prison, you never get a proper answer.
“They say I robbed a lady.” “They say I hijacked a car.” There, right there, they say. You are left wondering, what do you say, my guy?
In the case of a certain Mpho Makola, at least no-one is curious about his crime.
With blood rushing to his head, a raging Makola committed a football crime in full view of the crowd and those watching the match on television.
The Incredible Hulk of Alexandra accosted referee Abongile Tom in October when his Cape Town City hosted Kaizer Chiefs at the Cape Town Stadium.
With his two hands, a fuming Makola shoved Tom on his chest, causing the whistleman to lose balance.
The ref must have lost a bit of his brain because his next move was more bizarre than some of the dubious decisions which have been the talk of town and set tongues wagging in this 11-match young 2019-20 season.
Appearing agitated, a timid Tom bizarrely flashed a yellow card instead of sending the bearded raging bull for an early shower.
If dereliction of duty were a person, Tom would be it, residing in the same WhatsApp group as the cops who can’t find Senzo Meyiwa’s killers.
It tickles the bone that some among us are screaming at the top of our voices shocked by the sentence Makola received for his indiscretion.
Yes, what he did is not as dastardly as the disgusting act of spitting at an assistant
Yes some referees have been terrible but defending Makola’s indefensible act is gibberish
referee as done by Mabhuti Khenyeza, who extracted saliva on assistant referee Zakhele Siwela.
Yes some referees have been terrible but defending Makola’s indefensible act is gibberish.
For those with tea-bag memories, join me on this short trip down memory lane.
In 2001 a trio of Orlando Pirates players were suspended for assaulting Paulos Marquez, a referee who was in charge of their clash against Ajax Cape Town.
The thuggery of speed man Joseph Ngake, Rastaman Thabo Mngomeni and hard man Gerald Raphahlele were the culprits and were duly handed six month bans.
The absurdity of the accusation that the sentence does not fit the crime committed by Makola would be funny if it were not tragic.
Rule 57.2.1.2 stipulates that “at least six (6) months for assaulting a Match
Official”. Which is exactly what Makola did. The angry birds are saying the six month ban given to Makola by the Premier Soccer League is a stiff sanction.
But rules are rules.
Even though smooth as silk songstress Anita Baker sings otherwise, rules were not made to be broken.
Makola made his bed, now he must lie in it. I know him to be a doting dad and bet my collection of poor boy caps that images of him losing his marbles are not the example he wants to set for his offspring.
The anomaly we should be addressing is that there is no strict adherence to the rules. It is this lax application of law that opens up gaps for mindless howling about harsh sentences
In 2013 Khenyeza morphed into a spitting cobra and a PSL disciplinary committee handed him a 12-month ban. That’s what rule 57.2.1.3 clearly states that “at least twelve (12) months for spitting at a Match Official”.
A South African Football Association arbitrator reduced it to a six-match ban with a R100,000 fine wholly suspended for 12 months.
In 2017 Gabadinho Mhango, then on the books of Bidvest Wits, spat at AmaZulu’s Michael Morton.
Again, instead of sticking to the rule book, Mhango was suspended for 10 matches of which four were suspended and his club fined R50,000.
When Thandani Ntshumayelo lined up white powder and snorted it up his nose, he did so knowing that he was committing a cardinal sin against his own career. Twitter: @bbkunplugged99