An air of resignation: The son goes down as Kaizer Chiefs stars finally join the Bafana squad

Family business: Kaizer and Bobby

In the real world when a junior official publicly contradicts his well-loved Chief Executive Officer, the axe falls with alarming speed.

At Kaizer Chiefs, when Football Manager Bobby Motaung attempts to tear up the agreement set by his father Kaizer – the club’s owner – a stony silence falls.

We know Bobby well. In theory. I’ve spoken to his brother Junior and his sisters Jessica and Kemiso. But somehow I’ve never got through to the oldest surviving brother in the Motaung clan.

We know that he refused to resign a couple of years ago, saying he didn’t need to a CV to get the job under his father: “This is a family business,” he told us "I will be here as long as this company exists."

Then there were the TWO arrests over the Mbombela Stadium scandal. I spoke to Paul Ramaloko, the Hawks captain, after the bizarre episode at Nelspruit Magistrates Court when he arrested Bobby for the second time as he left court following a preliminary hearing.

At the time, and I remember it well, I asked Paul if there was anything he could add to the story, recognising how difficult prosecuting the son of the nation’s most popular footballer would be. Captain Ramaloko’s reply remains etched in my mind: “Neal, do you really think I would do this without a watertight case against him?”

But of course, when the charges of fraud, corruption and forgery came to court, magistrate Roelf Smith removed the case from the roll as "he could see no progress being made". The case - and two deaths linked to the Mbombela Stadium debacle - remain undealt with, hanging like a sword of Damocles over South Africa’s national game.

This is what I wrote at the time: http://neal-collins.blogspot.com/2013/06/charges-dropped-sorry-bobby-motaung.html.

Throughout all that, Bobby remained in place. Acting not just as Football Manager or Kaizer Chiefs but as a makeshift spokesman for the club, an enforcer, the man who made all the transfers. There was the bizarre severing of ties with the popular former captain Jimmy Tau too.

After long-term injury, Jimmy had been told by double-winning coach Stuart Baxter that he would get a new contract at the club as he fought his way back to fitness and played a couple of reserve games at the end of last season.

But almost as soon as Baxter’s flight had departed for an off-season break in Britain, Bobby summoned Jimmy and told him his services were no longer required. That story is documented HERE http://neal-collins.blogspot.com/2013/06/discarded-by-kaizer-chiefs-jimmy-tau.html.

But all this pales into insignificance in the light of the events of the past fortnight. After his father Kaizer, along with Sundowns supremo Patrice Motsepe, had agreed to release his players to Bafana Bafana for the CHAN tournament in January, Bobby immediately came out and said Chiefs would do no such thing.

Earlier this week he released a further statement through the club’s website insisting no AmaKhosi stars would be release until AFTER the top-of-the-table clash against Mamelodi Sundowns on January 23. With the tournament starting in Cape Town on January 11, that would have left South Africa's squad five short throughout the group stages.

With dangerous neighbours Mozambique, Mali and reigning African champions Nigeria to play in Group A, that would have been simply unacceptable.

And with Gordon Igesund’s squad of 23 already officially submitted, SAFA president Danny Jordaan had no choice but to insist the five Chiefs players should be there from the start. On the telephone to me on Thursday night, he said he had written to FIFA, he insisted it was possible to get the five Chiefs players banned for the Sundowns game.

And of course, with Sundowns doing the honourable thing and releasing their players for CHAN, Chiefs – and the grand old man Kaizer – were forced in to a corner. Chincha Guluva, as always, did the honourable thing and promised to release his players as he had agreed in a tele-conference with SAFA three weeks ago.

Jordaan’s Saturday statement – including the line “Our gratitude goes out to Mr Kaizer Motaung and Kaizer Chiefs for their long-standing and unstinting support of the national team” – is clearly placatory, in the interests of the nation.

The social networks will debate the rights and wrongs of the situation until the cows come home, but the fact is Bobby publicly contradicted – even embarrassed – his father with his outspoken rebuttal of the CHAN policy agreed with SAFA, the game’s ruling body.

It’s fair to say Bidvest Wits only released their players late too. And that Orlando Pirates have somehow escaped the entire debacle while their chairman, also in charge of the PSL, was never asked to explain how Chiefs v Sundowns found its way on to the fixture list in mid-CHAN.

But those are side issues. In the real world, Bobby would be forced to resign. In our little world, the son of the boss will no doubt carry on without a CV or an apology. And that simply can’t be right.

BOLLOCKZ! my own football show on www.ballz.co.za, restarts after the Christmas break on Thursday from 9am. See the Ballz channel on www.YouTube.com for our growing collection of interviews with the big names in South African football.

You can also follow me on www.twitter.com/nealcol for all the latest sports news… and read my “Neal and Pray” column every Tuesday in www.thenewage.co.za.

BOLLOCKZ! is backed by www.topodds.com - have a look at their site for my latest sports betting advice and how we are doing in using @thumperpigeon's R5,000 to make money for the Ballz charity WINGZ OF CHANGE.

Gordon Igesund on Bafana's Cosafa Cup semi-final tonight - and Shakes Kungwane on South African football in general

Numbibia: disappointed Namibia fans on Sunday

GORDON IGESUND faces hosts Zambia in the semi-final of the unloved CONSAFA Cup in Ndola at 8pm tonight (live on DSTV 204) insisting: “We can only give it our best.”

After fielding a team of little known international faces in the 2-1 quarter-final win over Namibia on Sunday, Igesund remains upbeat as rival Chipolopolo boss Herve Renard insists: “This is a game we must win, as hosts we have to get to the final.”

Igesund, talking from Ndola yesterday, told me: “Remember these boys have never played together before, we’ve put a team together out of nothing. We only trained together twice before our first match, it’s not been ideal.

“And Zambia will have SIX of their World Cup qualifying squad available. I have one. It’s been an interesting situation but the players have responded well.”

Igesund was forced to re-select his original squad when Kaizer Chiefs general manager Bobby Motaung pulled his double-winning players out of the team. Orlando Pirates also withdrew their stars and SuperSport United chose to put their friendly against Manchester City ahead of the nation’s COSAFA crusade.

In a final blow on Monday after SuperSport’s surprise 2-0 win over English Premier League runners-up City on Sunday, Matsatsantsa centre-back Bevan Fransman, who was supposed to fly to Zambia on Sunday night, failed to board his flight.

But Igesund remains upbeat despite the turmoil, saying: “I’ve got no complaints. These young players showed against Namibia we have depth in South Africa. We’ll give it all we have.”

ISAAC “SHAKES” KUNGWANE is not a bad man to turn to for the BIG opinions on the beautiful game as it exists in South Africa – especially when inside Knowledge is the name of the game.

The bubbling former Kaizer Chiefs star, perhaps the most animated of the PSL analysts on SuperSport (not to mention one of the better dancers), believes the much-talked about Knowledge Musona will be under huge pressure as he returns to the AmaKhosi this year.

The Zimbabwean striker, on loan from Bundesliga club Hoffenheim for a year, must slot in to a double-winning squad and reproduce the form he produced as a hungry, young goal-getter in Soweto three years ago.

Shakes points out: “Knowledge Musona was a hungry young player when he first joined Kaizer Chiefs. He worked very hard, every game. He made his name. Now here’s the Catch 22 situation. All the Euros he got from Germany, what happened there honestly speaking? He spent two years at Hoffenheim and Augsburg and didn’t do that well. That’s a fact.

“It’s not going to be easy for him back in South Africa to a league he was used to . A lot of pressure’s going to be put on him like when Bernard Parker came back from Holland.

“Hopefully he’ll score goals but the pressure will be on Knowledge.”

But surely Orlando Pirates’ own striking signing – Lennox Bacela from Bloemfontein Celtic – will find things tough too?

Shakes laughs: “He doesn’t have the same scoring record as Knowledge but he will THRIVE on the service he gets from people like Dane Klaite, Oupa Manyisa and Andile Jali in Orlando.

“Bacela is an out-and-out striker who gets in the box, he should get goals. But when coaches play away from home, will he get the chance?”

Pirates fans know Collins Mbesuma has been struggling, Takesure Chinyama and Benni McCarthy are gone and Shakes says: “I think it depends on the system Roger de Sa plays. When he plays away, Pirates will probably only use one striker in the Champions League. But in the PSL, Mbesuma is a good holder of the ball, I think I will work with Bacela.

“With a lot of planning – and I understand they will sign some more players soon – I believe Pirates can go all the way in Africa. They’re looking at the second star!

And our new champions Kaizer Chiefs next year? “I mean with Stuart Baxter at the helm, with the kind of football they played in the middle of last season, I have a lot of hope they can do well in the Champions League too.”

But Shakes also offers a serious critique of South African football: “We are a confused nation in terms of our style of play. Our physique doesn’t allow us to play the German style of football. We have to be a bit of Spanish, a little bit of Brazilian

“But we’ll never have that in South Africa. Coaches don’t trust eachother. They don’t sit down and discuss Bafana Bafana’s Under 20s with Gordon Igesund. We shouldn’t be picking the likes of Shabba and YeYe for the COSAFA Cup. It’s for youngsters.

“To show that there is something wrong with our football, you cannot go and watch Wits and Platinum Stars… how many players are going to turn up and watch there? That’s the state of our football. People get bussed in to watch the PSL!

“We also have to address the problem of age cheating in our academies. We should have great development in this country – like Ghana, who reached the Under 20 World Cup semi-finals in Turkey last week.

“The egos of coaches and people in football in this country, you talk about SAFA and the elections in September – everybody is looking to get their own feet in an office in SAFA House. Development takes a back seat.”

Bafana fan guide to the COSAFA Cup: the who, what, where and when in Zambia next week. Featuring: the player with no name

Willie or won't he? Surprise Bafana squad member William Twala

SOUTH AFRICA’S once-hopeful 2013 COSAFA CUP campaign has not got off to the best of starts. Gordon Igesund’s carefully laid plans were zapped even before he’d named his original squad for a revived tournament Bafana Bafana are determined to win for the first time since 2008.

A new low was reached when SAFA announced a player with the wrong name AND club as a member of the re-selected squad – a lad called William Twala who is the ONLY Orlando Pirates player in the team, has yet to start pre-season training and knew NOTHING of his elevation.

Best we don’t actually go into the erm… animated debate between Igesund and Kaizer Chiefs general manager Bobby Motaung, except to say that accusations of distorting the truth soon became proclamations of patriotism once last every one of the “exhausted” AmaKhosi players had been eased out of the 20-man squad.

Is it worth mentioning SuperSport United decided to withdraw two players because they’ve got a friendly with Manchester City at Loftus?

Ultimately, having already left out goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune and the overseas contingent, Igesund was forced to release NINE more in his second attempt with only Twala featuring from the Buccaneers and AmaKhosi.

Out went our number-one-in-waiting Ronwen Williams and SuperSport team-mate Kermit Erasmus, young defenders Thabo Nthethe, Tefu Mashamaite and Mulomowandau “Tower” Mathoho and Tebogo Langerman and those old hands, Reneilwe “YeYe” Letsholonyane, Siphiwe “Shabba” Tshabalala and the elusive Bernard “Scores Where He Wants” Parker.

In their place? A host of lesser known players: Siyabonga Mpontshane, Buhle Mkhwanazi, Sibusiso Khumalo, Musa Bilankulu, Lehlohonolo Nonyane, Lance Davids, Sibusiso Msomi, Lerato Chabangu, and a certain William Twala.

COSAFA SENIOR CUP FASCINATING FACTS:

Hosts ZAMBIA are the highest rated Council of Southern Africa Football Associations member at 49 on the latest FIFA rankings. SOUTH AFRICA are second best at 60.

Losing quarter-finalists will enter a PLATE competition, more akin to sevens rugby than FIFA football tournaments.

The 14 member countries of COSAFA are Angola, Botswana, Comores, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Associate Member Reunion.

Zimbabwe was the COSAFA Cup FOUR times, while South Africa, Angola and Zambia have won three each (see table below).

New COSAFA offices in Parkhurst, Johannesburg were offically opened by CAF President Dr Isa Hayatou on February this year.

The competiton was launched in 1997 – when Zambia won it – and was staged in various forms every year until 2009. This year marks the return of the event after it was cancelled when hosts Angola withdrew in 2010. Last year’s attempted revival – scheduled for Malawi  – was cancelled.

Wins	Nation	Year(s)
4 times	Zimbabwe	2000, 2003, 2005, 2009
3 times	Zambia	1997, 1998, 2006
3 times	Angola	1999, 2001, 2004
3 times	South Africa	2002, 2007, 2008

Though he was announced as “Siyabonga Thwala of Chippa United”, a quick check on the man of that name at Amazulu revealed a slight glitch.

Instead, it appears South Africa had indeed turned to William Twala in their hour of need – a 23-year-old who played for doomed Chippa United on loan from Pirates after moving to Orlando from National First Division club FC AK in January 2012.

Turns out he hasn’t even begun training with the rest of Roger de Sa’s squad who returned to pre-season last week as he was NOT amongst those named for the Champions League campaign starting against Congo’s AC Leopards on July 20 at Orlando.

Twala – listed by Bafana as a striker but by other sources as a midfielder - appeared as bewildered as anybody by his selection. With no junior squad squads apparent for a while, that has become the nature of South African international football selection. Find a promising player, hope you’ve got his about name right, shout it out at a press conference and hope he gets to hear.

In the end it was a lad called Christopher Maqashu at kickoff.comwho found (as far as we know) the right Twala – though he knew nothing of his elevation to international football from the obscure depths of a troubled loan spell at Chippa which ended on the play-off trapdoor.

The first call to Twala elicited a "Really? I’ll call my manager quickly." While the second (presumably after confirmation) went like this: “I don’t know what to say, it's like I’m dreaming… but I’m very happy. My father just confirmed the news to me now.

“At the moment I’ve just arrived in Johannesburg from Cape Town, I’m going back to Pirates, and it’s up to them if they are going to let me go and join the national team.”

I guess Igesund will hold his breath until then. I hear he’s already blue in the face.

The great irony of course, is that South Africa will be one of the privileged sides when the tournament gets underway in Zambia on Saturday with Namibia – under new management with Ricardo Mannetti – taking on politically-powerful islanders Mauritius.

But at the last minute we lost oil-rich Equatorial Guinea – currently under FIFA investigation after yet another attempt to field a side comprised purely of foreigners (mostly Brazilians). They claimed a fortnight ago they didn't have the funds to get to Zambia (this from one of the richest nations in Africa) so they won't be playing against the islanders of the Seychelles, not to be confused with recent Confederations Cup whipping boys Tahiti.

South Africa need hardly bother about all this. Given their seeded status, Bafana only get underway a week later in the second of the quarter-finals on July 13.

For the less privileged (though they may know the proper names of their entire squad), a tough group stage first has to be endured. South Africa will play the winners of Group A in the last eight – probably western neighbours Namibia, thought Seychelles and Mauritius will attempt to stop the Africans with a German flavour.

Seeded Angola will take on the winners of  Group B, which includes Bafana’s last World Cup qualifying rivals Botswana, world No123 Kenya plus our neighbours Swaziland and Lesotho.

Assuming South Africa come through their quarter-final, they then play either 2012 AFCON champions Zambia or Sundowner Elias Pelembe’s Mozambique.

That will take place at the 44,000-capacity Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola on July 17, with the final and third-place play-off both on July 20 at the same venue in Ndola.

Quarter-final failure doesn’t mean Bafana go home though – Igesund will have to endure a rate plate semi-final and final according to the tournament schedule.

Igesund’s take? “I'm quite happy with the changes we had to make. We've got a masterplan. That's to develop kids that will come through and this is an opportunity for players to play in a tournament that is important."

HOW THE TOURNAMENT WORKS:

GROUP A:

A1: Namibia

A3: Mauritius

A4: Seychelles

GROUP B:

B1: Kenya

B2: Botswana

B3: Lesotho

B4: Swaziland

06/07/13 Day 1:

Namibia v Mauritius 14h30 (Nkoloma)

EG vs Seychelles 17h00 (Lusaka)

07/07/13 Day 2:

Kenya vs Lesotho 15h00 (Arthur Davies)

Botswana vs Swaziland 17h00 (Kitwe)

08/07/13 Day 3:

Mauritius vs EG 14h30 (Nkoloma)

Namibia vs Seychelles 17h00 (Lusaka)

09/07/13 Day 4:

Lesotho vs Botswana 15h00 (Arthur Davies)

Kenya vs Swaziland 17h00 (Kitwe)

10/07/13 Day 5:

Namibia vs EG 15h00 Nkoloma

Mauritius vs Seychelles 15h00 Nkana (Kitwe)

11/07/13 Day 6:

Kenya vs Botswana 15h00 Nkana (Kitwe)

Lesotho vs Swaziland 15h00 Nkoloma

QUARTER FINALS

13/07/13 Day 9:

QF1: Zimbabwe vs Malawi 13h00 (Nkoloma)

QF2: South Africa vs Winner Group A 15h30 (Lusaka)

14/07/13 Day 10:

QF3: Angola vs Winner Group B 13h00 (Nkana)     

QF4: Zambia vs Mozambique 15h30 (Kitwe)

16/07/13 DAY 12:

PLATE SEMI-FINALS

LOSER QF1 VS LOSER QF3 15h00 (ARTHUR DAVIES)

DAY 12: LOSER QF2 VS LOSER QF4 17h00 (KITWE)

17/06/13 DAY 13:

SEMI-FINALS

WINNER QF1 VS WINNER QF3 17h00 (LEVY)

WINNER QF2 VS WINNER QF4 20h00 (MWANAWASA)

18/06/13 DAY 14:

PLATE FINAL:

WINNER PLATE SF1 VS WINNER PLATE SF2 15h00 (KITWE)

19/06/13 DAY 15: REST DAY

20/06/13 DAY 16:

THIRD-PLACE PLAY-OFF:

LOSER SF1 VS LOSER SF2 @ 13:00 (MWANAWASA)

FINAL:

WINNER SF1 VS WINNER SF2 @ 15:00 (NDOLA)

FINALISED BAFANA SQUAD *pending Bobby’s proclamations

Goalkeepers:Wayne Sandilands (Mamelodi Sundowns), Siyabonga Mpontshane (Platinum Stars)

Defenders:Sibusiso Khumalo, Bevan Fransman (SuperSport United), Buhle Mkhwanazi (University of Pretoria), Musa Bilankulu (Bidvest Wits), Thulani Hlatshwayo (Ajax Cape Town), Lehlohonolo Nonyane (Jomo Cosmos), Tshepo Gumede (Platinum Stars)

Midfielders:Sibusiso Msomi (Platinum Stars), Lerato Chabangu (Moroka Swallows), Jabulani Shongwe, Hlompho Kekana (both Mamelodi Sundowns), Luyolo Nomandela (Free State Stars), Ruzaigh Gamildien (Bloemfontein Celtic), Lance Davids, Lebogang Manyana (both Ajax Cape Town)

Forwards: Katlego Mashego (Moroka Swallows), William Twala (Chippa United) and Thabani Mthembu (Platinum Stars)

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.”

Discarded by Kaizer Chiefs, Jimmy Tau tells Robert Marawa: I'm hurt but not bitter. But why did Bobby Motaung ditch him?

Hurt, not bitter: Jimmy Tau fought back from an
horrific ankle injury only to be ditched by Kaizer
Chiefs after eight years at the club

JIMMY TAU has finally broken his silence on Kaizer Chiefs’ shocking decision to ditch their former captain.

In a moving interview on Robert Marawa’s Metro FM radio show, the 32-year-old footballing diamond from Kimberley gave us an intriguing insight into the backroom politics at South Africa’s biggest club.

Tau, articulate but emotional, said he was “hurt but not bitter” about the AmaKhosi’s decision to let him go. He explained in detail how he had attended extra training sessions and worked in the gym with physiotherapists to make a “full recovery” from the horrific ankle injury he suffered in the final game of 2012 against AmaZulu.

The man whose surname means "lion" explained: “I worked very hard, I played for the reserves towards the end of the season. The second last league game, against SuperSport, I was writing an exam but the last game, against AmaTuks, I was on the bench, I joined the camp on the Friday.

“I was ready to play. The coach supported me. The only reason I didn’t get back in to the side was because they were doing so well, winning the PSL for the first time in eight years and then taking the Nedbank Cup.

“But the coach saw it all. He saw how hard I worked. Stuart Baxter told me he wanted me to stay. He said he had recommended a new contract for me. I thought I had another season. But they called me in on a Thursday, my agent and Bobby Motaung, the football manager.

“Bobby told me I wasn’t in the coach’s plans. That there was no place for me at the club.  I have to respect that decision but I must say I was hurt. Not bitter, but hurt.

“I couldn’t understand it. The coach had left on holiday a week before. And Bobby told me I wasn’t in his plans. It was very confusing.”

Marawa asked Jimmy if he had any proof of Baxter recommending a new contract. There is none. Tau was reluctant to criticize the club, he repeated the word “respect” several times: “I must respect their decision. They gave me a great opportunity. They allowed me to complete my studies. I will always be grateful to Kaizer Chiefs.

“No South African footballer has become a major businessman since Kaizer Motaung and Jomo Cosmos in the 1970s. That was my challenge. Not to be an assistant coach or something like that. It’s in God’s hands. What has happened is an opportunity for me.

“I know I will get through everything - not because I am tough but because it’s God’s will. This is a lesson to young footballers living in the comfort zone. You cannot rely on the longevity of a professional football career.

“What they have done to my career – not my life – hurt me. But I will survive it. This is a new chance for me. Bobby said the coach didn’t want me, but I have said there are non-football reasons involved.

“Is there another club that wants me for next season? I don’t know about that! Let’s see what God decides!”

Marawa asked the question I was begging for on twitter: Did Bobby Motaung, currently on bail for corruption charges after his dealings in Mbombela, feel threatened by a popular leader who left arch-rivals Orlando Pirates to join the Amakhosi in 2005? A man who played 170 games for the club and eight for his nation?

Jimmy shrugged. He said: “I have given this club respect. I have given Chiefs everything. I played there for eight years. I was captain for three years (before Vladimir Vermezovic’s harsh decision to remove the armband in 2011), I captained in four cup finals, we won three of them.”

Marawa’s probing continued. At the end of the interview he asked: “Jimmy, I wanted to ask you about the Chiefs celebrations. The pictures. Was there one person who was left out, isolated? You’re smiling, you agree with me.”

With that, twitter exploded. Everyone wanted to know who Marawa meant. They wanted to know if Baxter really DID want Tau to stay… and whether “Bobsteak” really was threatened. Many suggested Jimmy was “seeing” Bobby’s sister Jessica, the club’s elegant and effective commercial manager.

It’s hard to respond to those questions in 140 characters on twitter. But I think the answers are obvious. Of course Bobby Motaung WAS threatened by Jimmy Tau, a man I have long tipped for a political future in a nation crying out for charismatic leadership. Crikey, I’d have the man as president tomorrow and so would the estimated 15 million AmaKhosi, I’m sure.

And then there’s Bobby. I spoke to the Hawks captain in charge of the investigation in to the Kaizer Chiefs Football Manager three months ago. Motaung stands accused of corruption during the building of the magnificent giraffe-supported Mbombela Stadium in Mpumalanga before the World Cup.

Further trouble erupted when Chiefs played home games at the stadium, which struggles to find lucrative post-World Cup matches given the city of Mpumalanga has no professional football club. The speaker of the local council was shot dead after revealing details of alleged corruption.

When I got hold of the Hawks captain I said “you probably can’t say much about the case” but he snapped back: “You think I’d arrest Bobby twice without good evidence? We have a water-tight case against him. He is going to jail.”

I have heard nothing since. It's a year since the first court appearance. Nobody wants to talk. But I do know this. Bobby is in a difficult position, though he has never been suspended over the allegations. Mbombela municipal speaker Jimmy Mohlala is dead. The corruption hasn’t gone away. Neither have the questions.

But there has been no explanation from Chiefs about Bobby, the tough guy who once sneered: “I didn’t need a CV to get this job, this is a family business.”

When a charismatic bloke like Jimmy Tau comes along and gets on well with Jessica and Kaizer Junior – both of whom enjoyed a vastly superior education to older sibling Bobby – he is automatically a threat given the circumstances, not to mention the advancing age of the legendary Kaizer, the club's founder.

My theory is this - and it’s backed by what was said on Robert’s show tonight: Jimmy Tau WAS recommended for a new contract by Stuart Baxter. But once Baxter had gone on holiday Bobby was able to wield the axe for “non-footballing reasons” as he remains a fearsome presence within the club, the man who decides on contracts and transfers.

The last thing Bobby wanted was a heroic player approaching retirement at Naturena. Jimmy himself said: “I did not want to leave the club at the end of my playing career. I was hoping for a role after I finished.”

And what role would that have been? Jimmy would make a perfect Football Manager, interacting with the modern business plans put in place by the popular Jessica. Tau talks well, thinks ahead, has a good relationship with Kaizer Junior, who will also take a backroom role soon. 

And where would that have left Bobby Motaung? Sure, he’ll deny. He’ll threaten. He’ll blame Baxter. We’ll have a look at the double celebrations. Try to find Marawa's mysterious "isolated one".

Some will say Bobby is the man, untouchable. Others feel sympathy for Jimmy. I know where I stand. The only other answer is that Baxter or Tau are lying. I choose not to believe that. But hey, it’s only a theory.

Hawks swoop on Bobby Motaung: the son of Kaizer must fight for his rights

Under pressure: Bobby Motaung

BOBBY MOTAUNG was arrested by the Hawks today. Kaizer Chiefs haven’t had much to say about it, the police refuse to confirm it… but the word is he’s going to be charged with corruption, fraud and possibly more.

For those who live in peculiar Pofadder and no nothing about the world out there, Bobby is a major player in South African football. He is the son of Kaizer Motaung, who founded South Africa’s most popular club in 1972 after a glittering career in the NPSL.

While Kaizer happily played with and against the greats of the world game – Pele, Franz Beckenbauer and George Best – and earned a reputation as a great South African long before Apartheid was assigned to the dustbin, his son Bobby was gifted the job of a lifetime by his father.

Last season, when he was under-fire for the way he does the general manager’s job at Naturena, Bobby famously told us: “I didn’t need a CV for this career. Kaizer Chiefs is a family business. Nothing you can say will worry me. I wasn’t appointed by the ANC.”

I said at the time that attitude stinks – and his father backed me up, apologising for his son’s behaviour. I suggested Bobby’s youngest brother Kaizer Junior would be a better figurehead, or his sister Jessica, currently the club’s marketing manager.

But Bobby carried on serenely, signing players, doing deals, insisting Tower Mathoho should go from Bloemfontein Celtic to the Amakhosi, even though they were offering half of what Mamelodi Sundowns were prepared to pay.

There was that difficult time pre-season, when the Motaungs were in mourning for a family member and Bobby left Jessica to present his new signings. In a hurried affair timed to coincide with the arrival of new coach Stuart Baxter, they presented seven new players including Kingston Nkatha, who was still under contract at Leopards and, famously, the No3 shirt which they hoped Tower would one day wear. It was a farce.

And in their opening competitive game of the season, both Bobby and Baxter – who lied on his CV and was clearly the cheap, malleable choice – were holding their heads in their hands as Chiefs went 4-0 down against Sundowns in just 37 minutes on the way to a drubbing.

Of course, they went on to record a rousing 6-0 win over AmaZulu in their opening PSL clash last Saturday but it’s possible to see that result as a simple papering over of the cracks at the AmaKhosi.

The Hawks are refusing tonight to confirm the identities of the “two prominent people” arrested on theft and forgery charges “related to the construction of the R1 billion Mbombela stadium in Nelspruit in Mpumalanga.

Ironically, I’m about half-an-hour from the giraffe-adorned stadium at Mjejane River Lodge enjoying the wild life. I didn’t expect the big game to be hunted down quite so close to here. Understandably, Hawks Spokesperson McIntosh Polela “can neither confirm nor deny” that Bobby Motaung was picked up this morning.

But I can confirm Bobby is due to appear in court, one of THREE men who, according to Polela, are due to appear in court tomorrow.

Polela told the SABC: "It's regarding the alleged fraud forging of a South African Revenue Services (SARS) document to apply for a tender contract to work in relation to the Mbombela stadium. What happened is that the Hawks as well as SARS have arrested a person in Naturena as well as Cape Town and we are currently looking for a third person."

The fabulous Mbombela Stadium, built in the footballing wilderness just south of the Kruger Park on the road to Mocambinque, might have been better of had it been designed with white elephants rather than giraffes as a support structure.

And few need reminding that the Mbombela Local Municipality's speaker, Jimmy Mohlala, was gunned down at his home in Kanyamazane in 2009, after threatening to blow the whistle on the alleged corruption related to the tender and construction of the stadium.

I know nothing of such goings-on. Only that Bobby was warned he wasn’t above the rules of ordinary men. He may be the son of Kaizer, but from where I stand, he was never fit to lace the great man’s boots.

DON'T PANIC: Bobby's message to the AmaKhosi as the PSL kick-off looms

Sorry performance: Itumeleng Khune apologised to AmaKhosi

THE BIG PSL kick-off looms, and nowhere will pre-season nerves be jangling more than in the big, shiny dressing room for the away team at the fabulous Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban.

That’s where Kaizer Chiefs and their bruised egos will be sat, their pre-match preparation dominated by memories of last Sunday at a packed Loftus Versfeld, where Mamelodi Sundowns – four goals to the good after just 37 minutes - crushed the mighty AmaKhosi 4-1 in the most one-sided of the MTN8 quarter-finals last weekend.

With DON’T PANIC signs plastered on every furrowed forehead, who will be most worried? Stuart Baxter, the new coach, who is under pressure before the league has even started? Captain Itumeleng Khune, whose amazing on-field rant featured so prominently on our television screens? Zimbabwean defender Lincoln Zvasiya, so clearly out of his depth at right-back last Sunday?

Nope. I reckon it’s Bobby Motaung who will be on the verge of a nervous breakdown come 6pm on Saturday. The son of club founder Kaizer, general manager Bobby has grown up with black-and-gold teddy bears, Chiefs replica shirts and AmaKhosi adulation all his life.

Now, the man who said just last season he would never need to worry about his future employment with “the family business” finds the side he assembled for Baxter is being roundly lambasted by football pundits, rivals – and even the estimated 15 million AmaKhosi.

On Monday, as the shock waves of that Sundowns defeat were still reverberating around the nation, Bobby told SuperSport: "It’s understandable our army of supporters are feeling some pain. Losing is one thing. But conceding four goals in little more than the opening 30 minutes is something else.

“It was hard to believe - we thought we had all the bases covered. But we're all only human and capable of having an off-day. I don't think there is any cause to panic.

"But remember, we would have beaten Orlando Pirates the week before had we not conceded a careless injury-time goal. I believe the hiccups will be eliminated.”

Hiccups? With a back-four now featuring newly-signed international defenders Sibonso Gaxa, Tower Mathoho and Morgan Gould, Khune was forced to deliver a grovelling apology to fans on the official Kaizer Chiefs website which included the immortal line: “The players are as humiliated as the fans by this result.”

And of course, the smooth-talking, CV-massaging Englishman Baxter issued the standard: “The players will bounce back. I know it is a big task, but they will.”

Beset by some nasty pre-season injuries – talismanic Siphiwe Tshabalala was forced to watch last week’s debacle from the packed stands – neither Baxter, Bobby nor Khune have explained exactly how they plan to turn things around with re-signed Siyabonga Nkosi looking erm... resigned to allowing Teko Modise to walk all over him last week.

Still, it’s only AmaZulu. They were crushed 2-0 by Moroka Swallows in the MTN8 and offer Chiefs the perfect chance for immediate redemption.

At Chloorkop, the issues are reversed. Sundowns now have a problem keeping great expectations in check as they prepare to play newly-promoted Chippa United in Atteridgeville.

But their boss Johan Neeskens is happy to put everything on the line, insisting: "I always put myself under pressure, I want to win something this year, if not, if I don't win anything or do well maybe I must step down because I think it is time that we win something."

Now there’s a man who puts his future where his mouth is. With double-treble winners Orlando Pirates looking formidable and Wits signing a host of top names, we’re in for a fascinating championship.

My predictions for week one of the PSL:

Friday (8pm):

Orlando Stadium: Orlando Pirates 3, Golden Arrows 1

Cape Town Stadium: Ajax Cape Town 1, SuperSport United 1

Saturday (3pm):

Peter Mokabe Stadium: Black Leopards 0, Bloemfontein Celtic 0

Goble Park: Free State Stars 0, Bidvest Wits 2

Moses Mabhida Stadium (6pm):  AmaZulu 0, Kaizer Chiefs 1

Lucas Moripe Stadium: (8.15pm): Mamelodi Sundowns 3, Chippa United     0

Sunday (3pm):

Tuks Stadium: AmaTuks 1, Maritzburg Utd 1

Royal Bafokeng Palace: Platinum Stars 0, Moroka Swallows 1

New-look Chiefs in action on July 21: that could mean EIGHT new faces

Threedom: Jessica and the No3 shirt last week

KAIZER CHIEFS will roll out their newly-acquired masterpieces – and their colourful new coach – for the first time in a competitive match at the Lucas Moripe Stadium in Atteridgeville on July 21 - against Moroka Swallows in an experimental one-day, four-team tournament.

The Amakhosi’s vast array of new signings – presumably including the elusive Mulomowandau “Tower” Mathoho – have been drawn to play against Moroka Swallows in the Gauteng Sports Challenge, a multi-sports event set up by the provincial department of Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation.

Chiefs today announced they are NOT chasing talented midfielder Erwin Isaacs or top scorer Eleazar Rodgers from relegated Santos but they should be able to show off Morgan Gould, Mathoho, Siboniso Gaxa, Kgotso Moleko, Brilliant Khuzwayo, Sakhile Hlongwa, Kingston Nkatha and Siyabonga Nkosi with new boss Stuart Baxter at the helm.

That means they could field as many as EIGHT new signings against Swallows if Nkatha is fit and goalkeeper Khuzwayo gets the No1 jersey ahead of Bafana’s Itumeleng Khune. Their new-look defence, featuring Gould, Mathoho and Belgium-honed Gaxa has to be among the best in the country right now.

It promises to be an eventful day at the stadium named after the legendary Masterpieces Moripe – PSL rivals SuperSport United and Bidvest Wits open proceedings at 10am before Chiefs take on Soweto rivals Swallows – also under new management following Gordon Igesund’s appointment as the new Bafana Bafana coach - at high noon. The two winners will play in the final at 5.15pm. Chiefs will face arch-rivals and champions Orlando Pirates in the Carlin Cup a week later.

Former Bafana boss Baxter, who has much to prove after controversy over his CV since his time in South Africa ten years ago, said: “I don't think there's anyone at Naturena who says we don't want to win.

"And we want very, very badly, very passionately to go on and lift the PSL title. That is something everyone associated with Kaizer Chiefs will tell you with all of their heart. No one can promise we will win the league. What we can promise is that the boys and the technical staff and supporters will give their back teeth to win the league.

"So, we will do everything that we can.  We CAN promise every drop of blood in our body and every drop of sweat we can muster will go towards winning every game.

"And I'm not telling anybody they have to wait. There's no time like the present."

With general manager Bobby Motaung still mourning the loss of brother Thabo – he was buried last Saturday – it was sister Jessica who fronted the latest Chiefs press conference once more, just as she did last week when she famously unveiled six new signings and Tower’s No3 shirt.

Since then, two of the new signings – goalkeeper Khuzwayo and midfielder Nkatha – have turned out competitively for other teams and Tower himself remains unveiled.

Jessica failed to address injury concerns over Nkatha – he went off injured during Black Leopard’s CAF Confederations Cup clash in Sudan last Saturday – and exactly why we haven’t seen Tower in his No3 shirt yet.

But the glamorous Marketing Director, flanked by her new communications manager Vina Maphosa, said: “We are very excited to be participating in the Gauteng Sports Challenge in 2012. We are also happy to be supporting Gauteng. The tournament gives us an opportunity to prepare for the upcoming season.

“We are also happy to be meeting Moroka Swallows, one of the in-form teams last season. Games between the two sides have always been thrilling affairs and this upcoming one is not going to be any different.”

Speaking for the first time since his brother Thabo’s death, Bobby confirmed the Amakhosi will NOT be splashing out on Isaacs or Rodgers saying from Naturena today: "The coach wanted 28 players and he has 28 players. If we buy more players it means we must then move others.”

Treble-winning Pirates are now first in the queue for Rodgers, who scored 15 goals last season for lowly Santos.

New Swallows boss Zeca Marques, who steps up from No2 following Igesund’s call-up to national service, said: “People think a coach can just come in and wave a magic wand and “voila”, things happen. I know that is not the case.         

 “I was schooled in Portugal, so for me it’s all about creativity, flair and playing to win. That is the philosophy I will bring to the job.

“I know there will be great expectations, but the players realise that too and their ambition is the same as mine, to go out there and win trophies.

“Gordon had a very similar outlook last season and we shared ideas about how the team should play, that was brought out in the type of players we signed, guys like David Mathebula and Joseph Makhanya.

“We were always bouncing ideas between us and I had quite a bit of input. We shared the same vision and my vision for the team now has not changed much.”

Tickets for the Gauteng Challenge will go on sale at R50. 00 for adults and R20.00 for children under 12 years, from Monday at Computicket nationwide.

And finally, it's done: Tower Mathoho joins Kaizer Chiefs

Born to be a Chief: Tower Mathoho

Kaizer Chiefs have won the battle for the Tower. Yes, they have secured the services of Mulomuwandau Mathoho, the Bloemfontein Celtic centre-back who impressed but just missed out on signing for Holland’s Ere Divisie club FC Twente in Enschede last year.

Though there were groans all round from the estimated 15 million Amakhosi fans yesterday when Free State Stars top-scorer Edward Manqele was sold for a staggering R7m to Mamelodi Sundowns, the towering inferno on Twitter yesterday was the chase for Mathoho.

Over a week ago, Patrick Baloyi, my lively colleague on The New Age, told us Mothoho would become  Chief. But when Sundowns offered to double Manqele’s R500,000 signing on fee and wages of R70,000 a month last month, it looked like Bobby Motaung had been caught short on both players.

But no. Today I can reveal that Tim Sukazi, Mathoho’s agent, was never going to let that happen. While Manqele’s future was determined by his club, Mathoho’s determination to join South Africa’s biggest brand won the day.

Sukazi said: “It as a bit of a shock when we discovered two Sundowns officials camping outside the Mathoho household in Venda. But Erik’s dad chased them away from Tshiondo. The move was always Kaizer Chiefs.”

And I can reveal, with little help from the Star’s Nkareng Matshe, how Chiefs managed see off Trott Moloto as he came to the foot of the 22-year-old Tower, determined to persuade yet another top young star join the Sundowns hordes by waving Patrice Mtsepe’s chunky cheque book.

When Bobby and Chiefs made their approach to Celtic for Tower’s services in May, Sundowns stepped in and offered the thrice-capped Bafana defender better personal terms – Manqela is reported to be on a three-year R90,000-a-month deal at Chloorkop – whilst also offering two players to Bloemfontein.

The Sundowns deal was supposed to R3million in cash plus Ramahlwe Mphahlele and Buhle Mkhwanazi but when one of the players revealed they hadn’t been consulted, the deal fell through.

On Facebook, I received two messages telling me Tower had turned up at Naturena yesterday “with avocados for the lads” to sign his contract as the Manqele deal was echoing around South Africa’s footballing corridors of power.

Then this from Celtic CEO Khuymbulani Konco: “We have received letter from Mathoho saying he wants to go to Chiefs even though we have reached an agreement through Phunya Sele Sele for a move to Sundowns with two players we wanted. But we are under no pressure, Tower has two years left on his contract.”

And finally, after weeks of wrangling, Konco was able to confirm: “Yes, we had been talking to both clubs but we spoke to Bobby Motaung and we made progress.”

Chiefs and Celtic are expected to release a joint statement on the move – with a stated transfer fee of R5m – over the weekend before Tower can begin forging a pre-season central partnership with fellow Bafana defender Morgan Gould, who moved from SupersSport United to Chiefs a month ago.

 Gould and Mathoho join Siyabonga Nkosi as part of Stuart Baxter’s new-look squad for the 2012-2013 season, though Mthokozisi Yende is the latest Chief headed for the exit door to make way for Bobby’s new boys.


These quotes from Khuymbulani Konco have just dropped on kick-off.com:
"I keep on saying that until we announce that the boy has been sold, he still belongs to Celtic. I keep on repeating the same story … you can quote me on that and say 'Khumbulani says; there is no deal that has been signed.' Nothing.
 
"Sundowns are also still in the picture, so don't rule out Sundowns … look, the only reason there is a delay is that Celtic are still looking for a replacement for Mathoho. If we get someone that we are comfortable enough that he is a suitable replacement for Mathoho, then the boy will go but before that, no. 
 
"If we get a replacement today, we will sell the boy today but if we get a replacement in a year's time then we will sign the agreement to sell Mathoho in a year."

As Pirates and Sundowns swoop, returning Nkosi talks to Amakhosi

Danke Siyabonga: Nkosi during his German playing days

ON the day that Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns secured expensive reinforcements from the north, Kaizer Chiefs fans are welcoming back a talent from a little closer to home.

The Buccaneers announced the arrival of Zimbabwe striker Takesure Chinyama from Dynamos on a salary of R100,000-a-month – significantly more than the R70,000 Chiefs general manager Bobby Motaung offered Free States Stars for their top-scorer Edward Manqele last week – and Mamelodi Sundowns are believed to be paying nearly twice that to lure Ghana’s Under 20 captain Mumuni Abubaker to Chloorkop after he failed a trial at Liverpool.

But while the anxious Amakhosi await the outcome of a board meeting at Free State Stars to find out Manqele’s future – Sundowns apparently doubled Bobby’s offer - it is the return of Siyabonga Nkosi which has the goal-and-black all a-twitter with excitement.

Newcastle-born Nkosi, who started his footballing life at Bloemfontein Celtic, before first moving to Chiefs in 2006 and on to Germany and Israel before a return to SuperSport United, plied his trade for Golden Arrows with some success last season.

But when new coach Stuart Baxter, who gave Nkosi his Bafana debut in 2005, expressed an interest, busy Bobby did the business and brought the 30-year-old back to Naturena.

On the Chiefs official website, Nkosi says, what you’d expect; Siyabonga: “Thanks. I am excited to be back here at Naturena. It really feels great because for me Chiefs is home.

“I thought the feeling would be different this time around having been here couple of seasons back. But I am still as excited as I was the first time I joined.

“My contract with Golden Arrows was coming to an end in June so my representative, Josiah Mpono told me that there are few clubs that have shown interest on my services. He also mentioned that Chiefs had also enquired; I told him on the spot; ‘focus on Chiefs’. Re-joining Chiefs was my first preference.

“I always felt that I have unfinished business here. I wanted to walk that journey again as I only spent a season the last time. There was a strong feeling to complete the journey I had started. As a fan I have always wanted to see Chiefs winning the league and I am glad now that I have been given an opportunity to contribute to that.

“I didn’t know so many people wanted to see me back at Chiefs. I am really surprised. Amakhosi fans have reacted to the news, it’s been exciting to meet fans on the street, wishing me and the team well in the new season.

“I am looking forward to the challenge of pulling on that gold and black again. I strive on challenges and I will be competing with the best players in the country. Joining Chiefs has re-ignited that competitive spirit in me and I am looking forward grabbing this opportunity with both hands.

“I will be going back to Durban to sort out few things and I can’t wait to meet my teammates when pre-season starts in the next couple of days.”

Chiefs fans, having already seen Morgan Gould arrive from SuperSport, will now be waiting to see what happens to Bloemfontein Celtic’s unsettled Mulomowandau “Tower” Mathoho, who partnered Gould in central defence in the 3-0 win over Gabon in Mbombela last week. Motaung made it clear last week that he expected Mathoho to be in a Chiefs shirt next season – but no official confirmation has yet emerged. Mathoho is coming under huge pressure to put Chiefs ahead of Sundowns despite the financial rewards – particularly on his Facebook page, where dozens of Amakhosi are leaving their pleas.

Unlike Gould and Nkosi – as well as recent acquisitions Sibuniso Gaxa and Bernard Parker – Tower and Manqele might require a substantial transfer fee and with Chiefs reluctant to deal at anything over R3.5m, Sundowns continue to lurk.

But there is another name on the agenda. Katlego Mphela – the alleged Killer who struggled to impress Johan Neeskens at Sundowns last season – has a known admirer in Baxter, who set up his trial at Glasgow Celtic last year. Busy Bobby and Chiefs may yet lure another major star to Naturena. Watch this space.

NKOSI’S CAREER IN A NUTSHELL:

2003–2006          Bloemfontein Celtic         52           (12)

2006–2007          Kaizer Chiefs       26           (4)

2007–2008          Arminia Bielefeld              9             (0)

2009      Maccabi Netanya             15           (1)

2009–2010          Supersport United            15           (1)

2010–    Golden Arrows   44           (8)

International:

2005–2009          South Africa        25           (2)

Kaizer Chiefs: Is the sun going down on Bobby Motaung's grand plan?

Worth a few Bob: Motaung

BOBBY Motaung’s endless struggle to make Kaizer Chiefs the biggest club in South Africa struck a major obstacle as the sun went down last night.

General manager Motaung, son of the club’s creator, brother of the once striking Junior (and the very striking Jessica, Chief’s marketing guru) claims to have signed Erik Molomowandau “Tower” Mathoho from Bloemfontein Celtic. Great move. Born on the same day (March 1) as me and a certain Robert Marawa, the 22-year-old is  one of the better centre-backs in Africa and would form a dynamic duo with Morgan Gould, picked up from SuperSport United last month.

The two will probably play next to each other for Bafana Bafana as they seek a long-awaited win over Gabon in an international friendly in Mbombela on Friday night.

Just how Bobby, apparently working “closely” with new boss Stuart Baxter despite the distance separating Soweto and Wolverhampton, persuaded Celtic supremo Jimmy Augousti to part company with the Tower on the cheap remains a bit of a mystery.

Word was that Chiefs would pay no more than R3.5m “for any player” as they attempt to close the gap on arch-rivals Orlando Pirates, who have on six trophies in the past two seasons. The Sowetan newspaper is talking about an R5m fee, claiming deal is not done, but the excellent Patrick Baloyi records the sum as R3m for a done deal.

Tower’s market value was probably three times that. Yet according to my esteemed colleague Baloyi at The New Age, it appears, after an unsuccessful trial with Holland’s FC Twente last season, Mathoho has decamped to Naturena despite the haggling.

Tower’s agent, Tim Sukazi, explains it thus: “The constitution of this country ensures we do not deal in the slave trade in football. Gone are the days when players could be coerced into joining clubs against their own choices."

Strange that. In Europe, a contracted player goes to the highest bidder when personal terms are settled. And there is little question Sundowns would have bid more than Chiefs for Tower, and just about anybody else they fancy.

Next up after Gould (transfer fee not disclosed) and Mathoho? That would be the Free State Stars striker Edward Jabu Manqele who will turn 25 on June 16.

Today we are told that Manqele, who burst on to the scene with 10 goals for the little stars of Bethlehem last season, is also available for a remarkably modest fee. And, according to kick-off.com’s “source close to”, he has been offered a R75 000-a-month salary plus a R600 000 signing-on fee.

Now normally, signing-on fees are only offered to players who are out of contract and available on a free transfer. I find it hard to believe Manqele was made available on that basis by Stars, but details of the young striker’s contract are sketchy.

Problem is, Bobby may not have offered enough. According to a third club interested in Manqele, Patrice Motsepe’s billions have come in to play. The Sundowns supremo offered to double the Chiefs offer last night.

Kick-off.com quotes their source as saying: "Chiefs have offered Edward a very, very good contract, but the boy is now confused because Sundowns keep upping their offer as well.”

Manqele, plucked from Vodacom League Trabzon FC by Bafana interim boss Steve Komphela last year, is quoted as saying: "I am still in the dark. I will know my future with Free State Stars next week Monday, and for now I would rather not comment on which team I prefer to join."

That’s wise. Because, of course, Chiefs – the richest club in South Africa with a huge Vodacom sponsorship, huge sponsors and an estimated 15 million Amakhosi behind them – are not quite playing the game.

Bobby, who told us last year he didn’t need a CV to work for the family business, insists: “Manqele is one of our targets, but as negotiations are challenging, I cannot confirm when we will reach an agreement with his club.”

That’s when, not if. Yet Bobby’s refusal to pay more than R3.5m is patently ridiculous. That amount – around 320,000 pounds in British terms – would barely buy you a Conference (fifth division) journeyman in England. And if you think R70,000 a month is a reasonable offer for one of the best young strikers in the country, consider this: Yaya Toure is on 250,000 (R2.7m) a WEEK at Manchester City – where mere squad players earn a minimum of R3m a month.

Chiefs, with all their resources, should be competing at a far higher monetary level to satisfy the non-rising Amakhosi, frustrated as they watch the Buccaneers plunder silverware with alacrity. Instead, Bobby is trading on the Chiefs brand to bend young stars to his bargain-basement desires.

We all know Sundowns pay over the odds. Even if Manqele went to Chloorkop for the rumoured R140,000 a month, Elias Palemba and Teko Modise are reported to be on nearly three times that after their moves from Supersport and Pirates.

We also know that many top young stars go to Mamelodi purely for the money… and disappear amid the dozens of expensive young things competing for Johan Neeskens’ attention.

It’s financial madness of course. But ask any Arsenal fans if money matters – and they’ll tell you all about England’s 2012 champions Manchester City. Just as Bobby is trying to operate within daddy’s budget, Arsene Wenger attempts to keep within upcoming UEFA constraints in Europe. And the Gunners, like the Amakhosi, went trophyless again last season, missing out on the big signings as they attempt to deal within a tight structure.

For City’s Sheik Mansour, read Sundowns’ Motsepe. Pay the money and you win the titles.

Motaung, who has also spotted Leopards' Zimbabwean striker Kingston Nkatha despite the fact he is “not for sale”, is unfazed. He tells Baloyi: “We have been working hard in ensuring that we sign players that fill Chiefs’ standards and we all know what Mathoho can offer. His jersey is waiting at Naturena.”

We’ll see, Bobby, we’ll see.