On the night of the 27th of December 1944, squadrons of Allied B24 bombers pounded Hamburg into dust — which coincidentaly also happens to be the date that Makhenkesi Arnold Stofile, South Africa’s Minister of Sport and Recreation, was born. Left unchecked he and his brother Mike could well do to rugby and soccer what those planes did to that German city.
Who will ever forget the message that Makhenkesi sent to the Springbok rugby team prior to the World Cup. In essence it was that the squad does not represent South Africa as a new country. In that he meant that there weren’t enough black players in the squad.
This is ironic because he was one of the most outspoken voices during apartheid against racism in sport. Insisting players be chosen based upon their race is of course known as racism. (I checked to see if he was a doctor, but alas, no. The oath he took was the hypocritic oath).
Stofile’s criticism of the Springboks was at odds with his support for the Proteas cricket team. There he allowed and indeed supported a team without a single black player. Consistency thy middle name is certainly not (Benedict) Arnold.
But all of that pales into insignificance if you look at his current suggestion — nationalising Bafana Bafana.
Needless to say, the players have already lambasted the idea — which is nothing compared to what the bosses of the PSL clubs must be thinking about now. I’m sure Dr Khoza (of the magnificent Bucs), Kaizer and Jomo must be wondering what they did in a previous life to deserve this genius.
They have spent millions developing their clubs, bringing in players and building up squads in order for a politician to step in and handpick those players most valuable to them because he can’t get the national team right. So not only aren’t we getting development right, now we have to decimate the clubs who are starting to attract incredible financial backing and television income.
Minister, a small suggestion. Try explaining why our grassroots are not receiving anywhere near the support they should be and how the national broadcaster lost the rights to every sport instead of interfering with the running of our top sides.
Like Stofile I am not a doctor but I can spot a case of Foot and Mouth disease when I see one — the only time our minister opens his mouth is to change feet.
Returning to rugby, the minister can do the game a major service by simply asking his brother to pull out of the race for the presidency of Saru.
As I stated previously, Mike Stofile would be a very bad idea for South African rugby.
This was even before he slated Peter De Villiers for selecting John Smit as his first captain.
Left to Mike Stofile, in my humble opinion, SA rugby will be lost in a wilderness so dense that not even Moses will be able to lead them out. It will be all about the president and nothing to do with the players.
I have been contacted by many players and ex-players, who can’t put their names forward as it will damage their careers, who are in no doubt that if Stofile comes in then rugby is in serious trouble.
Most predict that the game will be damaged so badly that the Springboks will no longer be a force in world rugby. This is incredible if you consider we are world champions.
The time has come for the Stofiles to do what is in the best interest of South African sport — moving into business or politics — away from soccer, rugby or cricket.
Perhaps we can set up a fund to send them to Australia or England … or anywhere.
Mampara of the week : Makhenekesi Stofile
http://www.thetimes.co.za/PrintEdition/Article.aspx?id=727867
Seems the Sunday Times and us are singing from the same hymn book.
Dear Traps,
Sports unifies us, especially accross the race lines when South Africa wins. The ANC don’t want unity of the races – the whites must remain the enemy. So why don’t we stop complaining and use their own tactics – boycott!! NO-ONE goes to the games. NO gate takings. I would say no TV – but I don’t want to be inhumane. We all meet our friends at home or in the pubs to watch and BOYCOTT THE GATE. Anyone seen at the games on TV is a scab and ostracised !
Let’s DO something, not just complain.
Dear Michael,
It would be best that instead of listening to players and ex players that are outside of the machinations of the rugby administration, which under Hoskins is under the most diabolical financial peril ever in 100 years.
I would be delighted to inform you of facts and figures and the maladministration not so much of SA Rugby but of individuals at SA Rugby operating under the guise and camouflage of the name SA Rugby, who are plundering the reserves and assets of the company, while we sit here and talk about whether Mike Stofile is good for SA Rugby.
Mike Stofile stands for reform and revenue of the game.
Consider for a moment the following:
Cash crisis at Saru
13 March 2008, 08:37
By Peter Bills
South African rugby is in deep financial trouble.
Morale is also rock bottom and a number of senior people have resigned from SA Rugby, the company which runs the game.
The resignations have caused deep concern in a number of rugby’s big sponsors, including Vodacom and Sasol.
Accounts currently being finalised suggest that SA Rugby will this year record a loss of around
R10-million on a turnover of between
R400 and 500-million.
The only way that loss will be turned into a profit is if account auditors PriceWaterhouseCoopers include the R30-million front payment made by SuperSport for their controversial deal with the union – for exclusive TV rights for the years 2011-2015 – in this year’s figures.
The SABC has challenged that deal as “not transparent” and two of the SA Unions, Eastern Province and Western Province, have raised concerns about the deal.
Expenses within the SA Rugby are said to have ballooned from around R40-million two years ago to a current figure of around R80-million, not including Springbok salaries.
SA Rugby’s finances appear to have declined dramatically in recent years. For the previous year, 2006, they declared financial reserves of R18-million.
Back in 2003, the union had reserves of
R43-million. Then, on a turnover of R230-million a year, the 14 provinces were paid about R7-million each.
Today, on turnover figures of between R400 and R500-million, the provinces’ share has been reduced to R4,5 million each.
The news could not have come at a worse time for SA Rugby president Oregan Hoskins as he seeks re-election to the post.
Despite the money woes, Hoskins is advocating an Argentine team participate in the Currie Cup from next year and that SA Rugby pays for it, a commitment that could cost about R10-million a year.
Meanwhile, Managing Director Jonathan Stones has confirmed he is receiving a bonus of R500 000 despite the company’s unimpressive figures.
Stones said: “I inherited a budgeted loss for this year of R20-million. That has been reduced to around R10 million. I have brought value to the organisation.”
But the most recent financial worry for SA Rugby is that the new airline sponsorship deal with SAA, which replaced the one with British Airways, remains unsigned.
BA spent around R8,5-million on its sponsorship deal with SA Rugby over the last three years but were blown away at the negotiating table when SAA offered R75-million for a new three-year deal, against BA’s offer of R2,8-million a year.
BA insists their rivals will never recoup such a vast investment, a point that may be shared by the heads of SAA’s parent company Transnet, who are said to be studying the deal. It may explain why it remains unsigned but SA Rugby are said to be “sweating” over the unsigned contract.
SA Rugby senior personnel who have gone are:
Commercial manager Kyle Nel, who had been with SA Rugby for more than six years and was a fairly senior member of the management team, is leaving this week. It is alleged he offered his resignation because of the SuperSport TV deal.
Sponsors Sasol are said to be hugely disappointed, for Nel was the main link between the company and the sponsors. Sasol has written a letter to SA Rugby, declaring its disappointment at Nel’s imminent departure and SA Rugby’s alleged failure to attend to their needs. There is currently no Springbok brand manager and no Super 14 brand manager.
Former management committee member Cliffie Booysen has quit to join the International Rugby Board.
Highly regarded finance manager Vanessa Bell left, allegedly because she was disenchanted at the state of the organisation.
Marketing manager Khutso Mathekgana has resigned.
Four members of the marketing department’s 6-strong team have quit. The two left are believed to have few qualifications and little experience.
Other key staff in the ticketing and finance departments have left and media manager Vusi Kama is said to be discussing his future but has said he does not want to be involved on a full time basis anymore.
The union’s leading financial backers, companies like major sponsors Vodacom and Sasol, are said to be “furious” at the chaotic situation they have encountered at the union.
A senior sponsorship figure in South Africa said: “It’s true, their whole marketing department has left the building.
“But many people wouldn’t notice whether they were there or not. With respect, what did they achieve when they were there?”
Mike Stofile, who is challenging Hoskins for the presidency later this month, said: “We need to know why these people are leaving.”
If Stofile is as thick as a brick, what does that make make the party leader who appointed him to be minister? But, worse still, what does that make all the voters who elected this party to power?
Dear Tony
Thank you for taking the time and trouble to set out the above.
Traps
I would be interested in hearing from other parties regarding the allegations made by Tony.
I trust that they will keep their response factual and afford Mr McKeever the same courtesy as he is affording those he opposes.
Try to avoid waffling and name calling – let us know where (if this is the case)his open letter falls short.
Corne Krige slams SARU over treatment of Peter De Villiers :
http://www.mg.co.za/articlepage.aspx?area=/breaking_news/breaking_news__sport/&articleid=334802&referrer=RSS
..What’s with our “New Masters”. In all sincerity…are they just incapable of comprehending what they are doing. ??
Makhenkesi Stofile was “helping” the poor Eastern Cape folk out of debt by opening Micro-loan lenders all over the region. To help him avoid embarassment Thabo moved him to Sport, hoping that he’d do a better job than Ngconde Balfour. He started off well, in the light that he had no stupid comments to splurge on the media.
But now i’m starting to see the same patterns emerging in the Stofile family. “To serve and protect”…Stofile interests that is.
I still don’t understand why we have so much politics in South African sport. Thats what we wanted to be freed from during them dark ages pre-94. But now these geniuses are doing exactly the same thing.
Makes you wonder…Maybe we should have Kortbroek as our Sports Minister.
Why don’t you listen to Tutu?
Tutu said there can be no neutral, only good or evil.
Tutu said the only way to fight racism is sanctions and boycotts.
Boycott the gate!
Mandrake if Kortbroek is the answer what is the question?
Who is the biggest d…. never mind my brother.
IOL put 10 questions to Mike Stofile and Oregan Hoskins ahead of today’s vote for SARU president :
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=6&click_id=4&art_id=vn20080328070323366C283446