GOLDEN Arrows boss Mato Madlala has reacted with laughter to accusations that Abafana Bes’thende are refusing to let their players join the controversial SA Football Players Union (Safpu).
Safpu released a statement last week accusing Arrows of warning their players to sidestep the union, also alleging that those who are already members are being victimised.
Madlala, who doubles as acting PSL chief executive, said Safpu did not need her permission to recruit members.
“Why (does) Safpu want my permission to recruit my players to be their members?” said Madlala.
“Take agents as an example. Almost 80% of my players have agents and none of those agents came to me to seek permission.”
She denied that they are preventing players from exercising their democratic rights.
“How does one victimise a player who is a member of the union?” Madlala asked.
“Do we bench him or fire him from the club? If we were capable of doing that, the team would never get anywhere or have any players. We are not coaches, they are the only ones who can say they do or do not want a player in the team.”
Safpu’s Vusi Mtimani refused to name the said victimised players, however.
“The players tell us Arrows warned them they would no longer be part of the club if they joined the union. They target them in contract negotiations,” he said.
Madlala added that she couldn’t say more on the allegations that the club forced Kenyan defender Clifford Miheso to sign contract termination papers at gunpoint.
She said Miheso knew the truth: “I’ve said too much about the matter. Miheso sent us a letter clearing this up and even said he was fine with the terms of his contract termination.”
