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Concern over R1-m bonus promise

Concern over R1-m bonus promise

Posted: 2010-03-10 14:27

Reports that Limpopo Province Premier, Cassel Mathale, has promised Black Leopards players R1-million if they qualify for the PSL next season are likely to make waves ahead of next week's Promotion Play-offs.

According to Lidoda Duvha PRO, Fulufhelo Thidiela, Mathale has promised to give the players R1 million to share among themselves if they manage to bring top flight football to the province again next season.

Leopards are playing against African Warriors in the Promotion Play-off semi-final in Venda next week.

Speaking to KickOff.com, team captain Robert Ng'ambi says the incentives put up by the Premier had come at a good time as they wanted to ensuresure that the province had representation in the PSL next season.

"We were disappointed about losing to Vasco Da Gama last weekend as we could have made our job easier instead of now having to play more games to win promotion.

"We are grateful for the big incentive that has been put up by the Premier because now we will owe everything to the people of Limpopo should we manage to play in PSL next season."

Thidiela confirms that the match against Warriors will be played at Tshifulanani Stadium. Initially there were fears that the game would be moved to another venue due to the poor lighting at the stadium.

"Yes, it is true the lights at the stadium are not in good condition but the game will be played on Wednesday, during the day."

While KickOff.com has not been able to get confirmation from Limpopo Provincial authorities, all three other teams involved in the Play-offs are bound to question how is it possible that a private company like Leopards can get promises of assistance through the use of tax-payers money, even though it is from the Premier's Discretionary Fund.

With the high-stakes involved in winning promotion, they are likely to suggest that the R1-m bonus could be a temptation for it to be abused in terms of influencing the outcome of the matches.

Apart from satisfying Limpopo Province fans, Leopards representation in the Premier League will also go a long way in solving a potential financial headache that the use of the new World Cup venue, the Peter Mokaba Stadium, will pose in the years ahead after the June 2010 showpiece.

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strikerathome: 2010-03-10 15:03

I understand and think that it is a good idea that the premier is trying to motivate leopards players. However, I believe that our taxes should be used to fast track service delivery especially in a province like limpopo.

Couldnt the primier use his "descretionary fund" to assist all those people suffering from poverty and lack of housing.

The premier has no reason whatsoever to be involved in issue of sports cause there is an MEC of sports in the province. finish and klaar..

Wandile : 2010-03-10 15:58

Our people, and those in Limpopo in particular are steeped in poverty and dont receive basic services yet the Premier decides to offer 1 million to over-rated players for doing what is expected of them. I am not in the business of whinging mara this does not make sense to me.

Even if this money come from his discretonary it is TAX PAYERS MONEY!!!
Will the premier give Dynamos 1 million if they reach play-offs next season? What about tax payers who dont support Leopards or soccer for that matter?

Ya, they are correct to hail Limpopo as one the most corrupt provisions in Mzansi.

By the way what happened to Tshifiwa Thidiela now that Fulufhelo Thidiela is the PRO. SA and its mickey-mouse family clubs run like SPAZA SHOPS!!!

Sipho: 2010-03-10 15:58

You have a point strikerathome, he is doing what they are alleged to be doing with juju in that province this time public. It is always when you have clueless or political deployees that are uneducated and not willing to know or learn.

Negry: 2010-03-10 16:07

I THINK SOME PEOPLE NEED TO UNDERSTAND HOW HAVING A PREMIERSHIP TEAM IN THE PROVINCE CAN HAVE A VERY POSITIVE LINK TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROVINCE IN GENERAL,I THINK ITS A GOOD THINKING THAT PREMIER CAN HAVE SUCH BONUSES TO MOTIVATE THESE PLAYERS.LEAPARDS SUCCESS IKU HUMELELA KA LIMPOPO HIKU ANGARHELA.

Mpangi: 2010-03-10 16:08

I am writing to you after cries from NFD coaches about the promotional play-offs. I am of the opinion since there are 2 divisions in the NFD (Inland and Coastal), the winners of each stream should get automatic promotion. Here are my reasons
The two winners of the respective streams deserve to go to top flight football.
Since the inception of this play-offs no position 15 finishers from the PSL have ever made it back through play-offs (subject to correction)
I was to suggest that if we still have 2 streams next season top finishers get promoted to the PSL automatically. The runners up from both streams get a chance to fight in the play-offs with PSL 13 and PSL 14 finishers. If it is one league winners and runners up get automatic promotion and positions 3 and 4 to get play-off chance. My reasons
the 2 runners up deserve a chance to ply their trade in the top league.
Teams that finished 10 - 14 namely Wits, Maritzburg United, Golden Arrows, Free State Stars and Platinum Stars, After realising they avoided the relegation and could not be in the top eight they could afford to relax and not play to the full.
If 13 and 14 were to be involved in playoffs, then teams will fight harder to get in the top eight and thus make a league to have an interesting finish.

BrokeFan: 2010-03-11 09:08

Wandile : 2010-03-10 15:58

I agree with u on the point "Premier decides to offer 1 million to...players for doing what is expected of them?". It's players' duty to win promotion. However I also don't blame the Premier for offering such amount. Yes that R1m is tax-payers' money much as it's same tax-payers money that paid for the new R1b stadium. Basically what I am saying is the premier is trying to save or recover the stadium costs by having a Limpopo team in PSL. We need not to undermine the money generated by soccer games. Remember if Leopards makes it to PSL, when they host matches not only will money be made in from ticket sales but hotels, BnBs, restaurants, pubs, hawkers, etc... will get money from visitors and locals. It makes business sense to spend R1m to bring more than R1b.

Mbi: 2010-03-11 09:57

BrokeFan: 2010-03-11 09:08

Brokefan you are a business minded fan. A lot of people dont see what this promotion can do to the people of Limpopo because they are short sighted. It is not like the Premier is just splaship out money to please the Leopards team, insted he is investing this R1M on the province. he is also giving kids of the province something to look up to.