COSATU+call+for+a+Soccer+Indaba,+COSATU+media+statement

COSATU media statement, 7 September 2006
=COSATU’s call for a Soccer Indaba=

COSATU’s Central Executive Committee (CEC) was the first to call for a Soccer Indaba earlier this year and we are pleased that others have now taken up this call.

But as yet nothing has materialised and COSATU therefore wishes to re-state its view that workers should not be left as spectators at a corporate feast in 2010. As the press release following COSATU’s February, 2006 CEC meeting said: “Soccer is a national sport, in which workers invest their money and emotion. COSATU cannot fold its arms when those elected to manage it have a track record of making our country the laughing stock of Africa and the world.

“The decline in our standards has been going on for a long time. There is a real danger that we may only be hosts and spectators in the 2010 World Cup instead of competing against the giants of the world who will assemble on our shores.

“Action is needed now. We demand that SAFA publish a development plan to address the weaknesses and stop the decline in quality. To achieve this we call for immediate setting up of technical committees on aspects of soccer, including administration. The technical committees must be constituted by representatives of current and previous players, coaches and technical teams and administrators of all the soccer fraternity. These teams must report to a real Soccer Indaba convened in the next three to four months.

“If no serious development plan is forthcoming, COSATU will mobilise its members and the entire working class to attend all meetings of SAFA.

“We fully support SAFPU's demand that the current quotas for foreign players must be drastically reduced so that the clubs are forced to work with SAFA to develop and nurture local talent.”

On August 4th, in COSATU Weekly, General Secretary Zwelinzima Vavi (who is a member of the 2010 World Cup Co-ordinating Committee) repeated the call, saying:

“COSATU reiterates its demands that SAFA take urgent steps to address the weaknesses and stop the decline in quality. The first step must be to convene a soccer indaba, in line with COSATU's long-standing demands.”

On August 30th the Sowetan reported, under the headline “Gurus call for an indaba” that “the chaotic state of our football, which is characterised by public spats, has prompted key figures Kaizer Motaung and Jomo Sono to call for an urgent meeting.”

Motaung’s and Sono’s reported arguments were very similar to those of the COSATU CEC.

On the same day the South African Communist Party backed up Motaung and Sono with a statement including the following:

“We call on SAFA to urgently convene a people driven and country wide consultative indaba to chart the way forward as we all prepare for the hosting of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Equally, whilst we respect the FIFA Rules and Regulations, we believe that government, through the Sports Ministry and the Portfolio Committee on Sports and Recreation should decisively intervene to save the sport most loved by the working class and the poor.”

COSATU is clearly not alone in its call for a national Soccer Indaba, and therefore intends to insist that SAFA bring forward definite proposals urgently. Patrick Craven (National Spokesperson)** P.O.Box 1019** Tel: +27 11 339-4911/24**
 * Congress of South African Trade Unions**
 * 1-5 Leyds Cnr Biccard Streets**
 * Braamfontein, 2017**
 * Johannesburg, 2000**
 * SOUTH AFRICA**
 * Fax: +27 11 339-5080/6940/ 086 603 9667**
 * Cell: 0828217456**
 * E-Mail: patrick@cosatu.org.za**

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