UNFORGIVABLE: the Nelson Mandela tweet I should NEVER have sent

Fighting on: Nelson Mandela

THIS is a tough blog to write. I’ve blundered. Got it wrong. Disrespected a great statesman. Messed-up unforgivably. For the nearly 10,000 followers on twitter and 2,000 friends on Facebook, utter apologies. To everyone I offended, including the great man and his family, I have no words other than SORRY.

On Thursday at 1pm I tweeted: “Nelson Mandela’s passing will be announced at a press conference just after 7pm tonight. Good source. #madiba #rip.” IT WAS RUBBISH. UTTER BOLLOCKS.

Within minutes, over 50 retweets. Dozens of replies. Then the phone started ringing. Then President Jacob Zuma emerged from the hospital in Pretoria to tell us Madiba was “critical but stable” and was showing signs of improvement. And his family had a go at the foreign media. I started to fidget.

I tried to get in to my tweets on the blackberry. eNCAnews demanded I remove any mention of their station from my site. I did. Then they called to say I would never appear on their station again. I made a couple of calls. Panic. And as soon as I bloody well could, I deleted the offending tweet.

Unforgivable. I couldn’t go near my twitter account. I felt nauseous. Sickened by my own actions. I didn’t emerge from the pits all day on Friday. The madness circled in my head. No sleep, mental self-flagellation. I still haven’t read the avalanche of condemnation which, rightly, came down on my stupid head.

This morning, I will try to explain my actions, but this in no way explains THAT tweet. I don’t expect a tweet like that to be forgiven, or forgotten.

But for what it’s worth, here’s how it happened.

It was just after I went live with the second edition of my new show “BOLLOCKZ” on www.ballz.co.za, my phone had been ringing during the show. I was on a high. Good show. The phone rang again, about 1pm. It was a producer from a global 24-hour news station who had asked me to go on air on Saturday morning to talk my usual bollockz about sport.

He referred to the email below, which I quote, mistakes and all, word-for-word:

“I am a producer with Arise TV and is producing the show you have been invited to as a guest on Saturday.

“I need to get in contact with you to talk through some questions. At this point we believe that most of the discussion will be around Nelson Mandela and the impact he has had on the sporting scene in South Africa.

“There is a news conference later this evening and we are expecting that it will be an briefing on the passing away of Mr. Mandela. It that is the case, our Saturday interview will be a look back and a reflection and the sport interview will be very important.

“I tried calling earlier. If you get this message, please call back or answer in an e-mail and I will call you back.”

The producer almost glossed over the actual press conference. We talked through how to deal with the situation on the Saturday morning, how I would talk about Madiba’s extraordinary actions – portrayed in the Hollywood film “Invictus” – during the 1995 World Cup. We agreed I would take the story on, talk about Nelson Mandela’s belief in the unifying power of sport and how, perhaps, current president Zuma could use a bit of the same.

And as I came off the phone. Another email from… let’s just say a foreign journalist. Saying the same thing. Press conference 7pm. And another call soon after. “We’ve got all the programming ready, we’ll push the button as soon as the announcement is made.”

Of course, that morning, there was a sombre feel to the day. President Obama’s visit was called into question, rumours were flying. I sent the tweet. There was no way to check it's veracity. I don't blame the people mentioned above, they were just keeping me informed. I don't know how I could have gone public with it.

Within an hour, President Zuma was telling us Madiba was improving and the family were having a go at people JUST like me.

In a matter of seconds, I had turned in to a vulture. One of those unfortunate news reporters assigned to hospital watch. Only I went a step further. After largely staying away from the saga outside the hospital in Pretoria, I was knee deep. And I’d twisted a knife I really should have stayed well away from. I'm a sports journalist not a bloody newsman. Unforgivable.

As we all know, deleting tweets is no good when twitter.com offers a retweet button. There is no escape. I hold my hands up. Idiot. Unfollow by all means. Never read my stuff again. I understand. I know I would.

I am deeply, deeply sorry.

CHARGES DROPPED? Sorry Bobby Motaung, you're not off the hook. The TRUTH about the Mbombela Stadium will be told.

Charge: Bobby and Mbombela Stadium

IT was a shocking phone-call. Thursday afternoon. All charges against Bobby Motaung have been dropped. Be careful what you write now.

What? After SIX attempts to get his corruption case dropped, the son of Kaizer and general manager of South Africa’s biggest football franchise, was going to get clean away with his part in the huge fraud surrounding the building of the Mbombela Stadium for the 2010 World Cup?

Remember this was a case which has cost lives. Former Mbombela speaker, Jimmy Mohlala, and Mpumalanga sport and culture spokesperson Sammy Mpatlanyane are both dead after questions were asked over the R1.2bn cost of the giraffe-strewn Mbombela World Cup venue.

Mohlala was shot dead in January 2009. Mpatlanyane was killed in January 2010. So far, Motaung and his co-accused, Herbert Theledi and Chris Gribb, have not been officially linked with those deaths. They were originally charged with a R143m fraud.

But I can reassure South Africans. The NPA is not done yet. And the Hawks still have their claws in to Bobby, the man who boasted that he needed no CV for his lucrative role in “the family business.”

Motaung was released on R15,000 bail, reduced from the original R200,000. When it was suggested Motaung should be suspended from his job as Kaizer Chiefs general manager – where he oversees transfers and, just this month, decided NOT to renew Jimmy Tau’s contract amid a storm of protest – Bobby insisted the case had nothing to do with the AmaKhosi.

Three months ago, I spoke to the investigating officer who arrested “Bobsteak” twice. There was a particular storm when he collared Motaung for a second time IN COURT on March 1.

My source assured me then: “We have a watertight case against Mr Motaung. I would not have arrested him in those circumstances unless I had all the evidence I need.”

And last night, I tracked down the same gentleman again, though his telephone number has been changed. After an initial hesitation, he recognised my voice and told me: “Yes, I stand by what I said then. I am confident in the case I have against Mr Motaung and his two co-accused.”

Tomorrow I will try to persuade my source to go public and talk on “Bollockz” my show on Thursday morning on www.ballz.co.uk. We go live on the internet between 10am and noon.

My source will speak to the NPA in the meantime. Incredibly he was not consulted last week. Those charges of fraud, corruption and forgery may have been dropped by Magistrate Roelf Smith, but no certificate of “Nolle prosequi” (indicating, finally, the case will not be pursued) has been issued.

Motaung was first arrested in August 2012 and then again earlier this year in a case described as “high-profile” by the Neslpruit Regional Court. Much like the Oscar Pistorius case, delays and prevarication from Motaung’s lawyer Zola Majavu and confusion in the NPA have seen the case drag on. And on.

Magistrate Smith used two letters from the NPA, showing a conflict over where the case would be heard, to justify the dropping of charges. Majavu claimed: “The NPA is at war with itself,” and the case was duly removed from the roll.

But that does not mean an end to the matter. And remember, there is a second, bigger charge pending after that second arrest – a R920m case involving Motaung, Gribb, his former lawyer Michael Romanos, Mbombela’s former municipal manager Jacob Dladla, and former Ehlanzeni district municipality technical services manager, Tebogo Kubeka.

That charge suggests Bobby was part of the “gang” who corruptly collaborated to appoint construction giant Basil Reed to build the stadium.

My source says: “I will talk to the NPA. This case is not over. Not by a long way. This is just the first part of a bigger fish we want to fry. The public must know about the Mbombela Stadium.”

Gavin Hunt on Bollockz: I can't promise Wits will finished ahead of SuperSport but I have got a Sunderland star coming over

GAVIN HUNT, three-time winner of the PSL title with SuperSport United, has no doubt he can achieve success with Bidvest Wits as he prepares for his first season in charge with the SuperBoys.

In a wide-ranging interview to launch my new show “BOLLOCKZ” on Ballz visual radio, Hunt revealed the link between his new club and Sunderland – and said a centre-back is on his way from the north-east of England to reinforce his squad at Wits next season.

On his long-awaited departure from SuperSport, Hunt said: “It was tough hey, this thing came about. I’ve got ideas of what they want to do and how they want to do it. But I was very comfortable at SuperSport, I had great support there, a good set-up.

 “I can’t promise we’ll finish above SuperSport… Obviously, the owners of Wits want me to do better!

“There’s a tie up, a link with Sunderland, I’m going to be going over there and have a look around. Their manager Paulo di Canio might give me a hard time!

“Listen, I’m a West Ham supporter, I saw him play for them a couple of times. He’s passionate about it, I’m sure he’ll do well with them.

“I’ve got a centre-back coming, a Sunderland centre-back. We’ll see how he does at Wits. 

 “I had a goalkeeper from England at SuperSport, it was a bloody disaster! He was at the end of his career. He did well but it turned out bad.

 “But there’s a lot of players who go from academy football and can’t make it in England. They’re very good players.

“In the 60s and 70s, we had a lot of English players in South Africa. I just feel there’s a huge gap for academy players from England to come here and earn a great living and enjoy a good lifestyle playing out here.

“At Hellenic when I was in the juniors, Gordon Banks, Martin Peters, Geoff Hurst and Alan Ball, England internationals, all played under Budgie Byrne my father-in-law!

“But you have to be careful. We’ve got a link with Sunderland, but what does it really mean? I was involved with the Ajax Amsterdam think at Seven Stars when I first started.

“It’s very difficult for players to switch countries. You’ve got be special. Poor Bongani Khumalo hasn’t made it has he?”

BOLLOCKZ! My new show on www.ballz.co.uk. Tune in by live stream or app, from anywhere in the world, 10am-noon every Thursday. Follow me on www.twitter.com/nealcol and see our backers www.topodds.com for the latest sports betting!

VIDEO AND HIGHLIGHTS: My interview with Bafana Bafana coach Gordon Igesund on "Bollockz" today, the new football show on Ballz radio

BAFANA BAFANA coach Gordon Igesund is roaring again. Less than a week after seeing his side beaten 2-1 by a sensational own-goal in Ethiopia, he says: “Our final game against Botswana means something again. We’ve got to hope and pray. And win.”

Speaking on “Bollockz”, my brand new football show on Ballz Radio, Igesund was back to his usual optimistic self after the defeat in Addis Ababa which appeared to have left South Africa’s World Cup qualification dream shattered.

The full interview is on video above, but here are some of the highlights: “The Ethiopia defeat? You know it was one of those situations, unfortunately for us like we’ve had since I started in this job, where we have to win every game. This was no different.

“In the World Cup qualifiers I’ve been playing catch-up every game. It was an absolute freak own goal that Benard Park scored against a highly-motivated Ethiopia.

“We played with a lot of passion and more importantly, we’re starting to get an identity, playing a brand of football which is effective for us.”

Gordon and I spoke on the phone hours after the game – when the FIFA website announced Ethiopia were to be investigated for using an ineligible player in their away win over Botswana a week before.

Gordon, who won the PSL title with a record FOUR different clubs, admits: “It came as a shock to me, before every single game, the match commissioner will tell the opposition who is ineligible to play. That was done and they chose to play the player.

“I’m not going to get over-excited about it, but we’re still in with a bit of a shout. I’ve also heard about Ethiopia losing six points, but I don’t want to talk too much about that.

“The player still hadn’t served his suspension when he played against us. Like I said, I’m more worried about Botswana. All we can do is win that last game.

“We don’t want to jump ahead of ourselves. The way it is right now, this Beyene will have to serve his ban against the Central African Republic. This is what we’re hearing. From our point of view, from SAFA point of view, we’ll just wait and see.”

As for where Ethiopia’s final game will be played, Gordon said: “We didn’t play CAR in Bangui because our soldiers lost their lives there. It wasn’t a very good situation for football. That’s why the game was moved to Cameroon, we had lost our loved ones. The country wasn’t stable either.

“Now Ethiopia, if CAR is back to normal, have to play there. Bangui is one stadium nobody likes going to. CAR haven’t lost there for two years, including Nigeria and Egypt.

“We are building something here with the national team. We had seven or eight injuries but we’ll see what’s available on September 6. We’ve got the COSAFA Cup coming up to try new names. I don’t like chopping and changing too much.

“At the moment, we’re doing things right. We’ve had some tough times. Huge strides have been made with the players, the attitude… they’re proud to play for their country.

“We’ve got another bite of the cherry. The nice things is the Botswana game is going to mean something again. Now we’ve got to hope and pray.”

BOLLOCKZ! My new show on www.ballz.co.uk. Tune in by live stream or app, from anywhere in the world, 10am-noon every Thursday. Follow me on www.twitter.com/nealcol and see our backers www.topodds.com for the latest sports betting!

Not a blog, a diary: eNCAnews video, "Bollockz" launches on Ballz, Bidvest on the Sunderland shirt and Umlazi Bush Bucks revisited!

HERE'S the eNCAnews interview about the Ethiopia situation we recorded on July 17... before Danny Jordaan comments about the situation yesterday. It offers a brief explanation of how the story broke.We await the FIFA verdict with several options now open.

Will it be THREE points or SIX the Walya Antelopes lose? Gordon Igesund, the Bafana coach, told me on my brand new Ballz radio show this morning that "at least three points" will be docked from Group A leaders Ethiopia for playing ineligible Minyahile Teshome Beyene.

The Ethiopian Football Federation admitted to the "grave blunder" when they used twice-booked Beyene against Botswana a fortnight ago - as my blog http://neal-collins.blogspot.com/2013/06/ethiopia-full-sorry-truth-about-blunder.html reveals.

But SAFA vice-president Jordaan told me over lunch yesterday - http://neal-collins.blogspot.com/2013/06/dannys-double-jeopardy-why-ethiopia.html?showComment=1371658298569 - that he believes they could be docked further points for using Beyene for the first 70 minutes in their dramatic 2-1 win over Bafana last Sunday.

Jordaan, who knows a thing or two about the workings of FIFA after running a highly-successful World Cup in South Africa three years ago, reckons: "A played is suspended until he has served his ban," but EFF sources are now claiming they had "permission from FIFA" to play Beyene against South Africa.

Sunderland's new kit:
Phetolo Patleswana (@jibu_za)
sent this via twitter

Three videos from today's launch of my new show "BOLLOCKZ" on Ballz radio this morning will be coming soon. With station founder Darren Scott holding my hand through my first day, I talked to new Bidvest Wits coach GAVIN HUNT - who revealed he is signing a "young Sunderland centre-half" to replace the departed Bafana and Portsmouth legend Aaron Mokoena. This follows the Clever Boys' link with the English Premier League club - see their new Black Cats shirt with the Bidvest logo (right).

Hunt has several more big names to unveil before the season starts - I'm privy to one or two major signings but let's leave that for a few weeks.

I also got hold of SuperSport United's new coach CAVIN JOHNSON just before he boarded a flight to Durban with his new club officials. As you may have read here http://neal-collins.blogspot.com/2013/06/miracle-worker-cavin-johnson-leaves.html, Cavin finally made the appointment official yesterday. He confirmed the arrival of Thuso Phala from his old club Platinum Stars plus AmaTuks impressive Senegalese striker Mame Niang. And when I asked him if he was hopeful of finishing in a top four place, Cavin laughed: "Very confident!"

Bafana Bafana boss GORDON IGESUND came out of a meeting to close the show - he talked about the ups and downs of a week which started on Sunday with shattered World Cup dreams but may end with qualification assured if FIFA decide to dock Ethiopia the full six points.

Gordon said: "I won't be making major changes for the final Group A game against Botswana here on September 6. I've got the COSAFA Cup to try out some new faces."

I'll be posting videos of those interviews later. As for ROGER DE SA my opening no-show, I've only got an SMS: "Sorry, training!" We'll have a go at getting the under-pressure Orlando Pirates coach on air next week.

Thanks to the support from my followers on Facebook and Twitter - now a combined army of over 11,000 - and if you missed it this morning, listen to the show every Thursday 10am-noon on www.ballz.co.za or download their app! Oh, and this from @mycousin1975 (Chris, a Geordie with African roots) on twitter after mention was made of my old club Umlazi Bush Bucks. I've identified a few of the characters:

Blast from the past: the Umlazi Bush Bucks title winning outfit from
circa 1985, featuring coach Clive Barker, owner Lawrence "Big Bear"
Ngubane (right), I think the goalkeeper was called Dave Watterson,
big signing from Wits at the time, Mark Tovey front right, and I reckon
the bloke next to big, beardie Brummie de Leur is Chilean Raul Gonzalez,
whose son Mark Dennis Gonzalez (named after Tovey and Dennis Wickes
(front) went on to play for Liverpool and Chile at 2010 World Cup!

Danny's Double Jeopardy: Why Ethiopia could lose SIX POINTS in the World Cup race (inludes all THREE possible tables)

MAKING A MEAL OF IT: lunch with Danny Jordaan

DANNY JORDAAN had no hesitation. When I put it to him that Ethiopia couldn’t be docked six points for failing to honour a ONE MATCH ban, he came straight out with it: “You’re completely wrong.”

Ever the cool football administrator, Jordaan explained: “That player is under suspension until he has served his sentence. He should not have played against Botswana and he should not have played against South Africa. Especially when the Ethiopia Federation already knew they had made a mistake.”

To there it is. SAFA’s president-elect Danny Jordaan, the man who engineered a massively successful 2010 World Cup, has spoken. I thought the fact that Minyahel Teshome Beyene had ignored a one-match ban to play against Botswana could only mean a maximum three-point deduction for the side currently top of CAF World Cup qualifying Group A.

But let’s face it. Jordaan, steeped in football politics for forty years, is the authority on these things.

And if he’s right, and FIFA decide to act against Ethiopia for fielding Beyene illegally in TWO successive World Cup qualifiers, South Africa are home and hosed as Group A winners.

As you can see from the three tables below, the task would then be complete for under-fire Gordon Igesund, who thought he was OUT of the World Cup in our distraught Sunday night phone call.

Under the “Danny Double Jeopardy” (table number 3) South Africa would have a four-point cushion if FIFA give them a 3-0 win rather than the 1-2 defeat they actually suffered on Sunday.

FIFA are refusing to comment on the case “while it is under scrutiny” but the admissions of guilt from EFF president Sahilu Gebremariam and vice-president Berhanu Kebede seem to suggest the case is proven. They can hardly claim “mistaken identity” now, which is the only defence left to them according to Jordaan.

All that remains is for FIFA to make the pronouncement. They will also be asked to scrutinise two further allegations – that Dean Furman was spat at in the face and that the Ethiopian No5 was booked twice in the match but not sent off.

However this turns out, September 6 will be an interesting day. Ethiopia go to the Central African Republic knowing only off-field blunders might have denied them a place in the play-offs for Brazil 2014. South Africa play Botswana knowing many feel they don’t deserve to top the group.

But whoever ends in that coveted spot will know that a final significant hurdle remains. To reach the World Cup, African group leaders, uniquely, have to play off against each other. And with teams like Egypt, Algeria and the Ivory Coast lurking, Brazil remains a hope rather than a certainty.

CAF World Cup qualifying Group A as it stands:

Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts  Ethiopia 5 4 1 0 8 3 +5 13  South Africa 5 2 2 1 8 4 +4 8  Botswana 5 1 1 3 5 8 −3 4  Central African Republic 5 1 0 4 4 10 −6 3

How the table will look if FIFA act on Botswana game:

Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts  Ethiopia 5 3 1 1 6 5 +1 10  South Africa 5 2 2 1 8 4 +4 8  Botswana 5 2 1 2 7 6 +1 7  Central African Republic 5 1 0 4 4 10 −6 3 How the table will look if FIFA act on BOTH games:

Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
South Africa	5	3	2	0	10	2	+8	11
Ethiopia	5	2	1	2	4	7	-3	7
Botswana	5	2	1	2	7	6	+1	7
Central African Republic	5	1	0	4	4	10	−6	3