South African soccer is not dissimilar to the country itself. After apartheid, both showed the potential to become examples of African greatness. But, in the following years each failed to live up to that standard.

In the country itself, the evidence lies in the dystopian conditions that have become commonplace. There is also that “slight inconvenience” of the country’s leadership not being able to provide consistent electricity to its citizens – code name “load shedding”.

On the country’s soccer scene, the decline of the senior men’s side has unfolded since they won the 1996 Africa Cup of Nations, then proceeded to qualify for two successive Fifa World Cups.

According to some former footballers who have played in the Premier Soccer League (PSL), the domestic club circuit is also fraught with problems.

A recent incident involving a South African soccer side, Marumo Gallants, did little to help rebut those claims. Though it happened off the field, the debacle cast doubt on South Africa’s competence across the board.

If you are at a restaurant and you eat then don’t pay, they will tell you to clean the dishes. This is a normal situation.

Two Marumo Gallants staff members, Rufus Matsena (media liaison) and Tebogo Dhlomo (physiotherapist), were detained in Libya following the team’s CAF Confederation Cup match against Libyan side Al Akhdar on 19 March.

The duo was not able to leave the North African country with the rest of the team after a defeat to the home side. In effect, they served as collateral.

This was because of the money that the club owed the owner of the hotel they stayed in during their visit to Libya for their CAF Confederation Cup group game. It was reported to be just over R500,000.

This included money that the owner of the hotel, Ali Elzargha, had forked out for the club’s plane tickets after they were stranded in Turkey on the way to Libya for the clash with Al Akhdar.

Before the match that the team lost 4-1 (though they still finished at the summit of their group to reach the last eight), they had to buy a new makeshift kit after some of their luggage was allegedly denied entry into Libya.  

Happy to be home

Matsena and Dhlomo finally returned home on Monday. On Tuesday, during a press conference attended by the Department of Sport and the South African Football Association, the Gallants officials shared their Libyan experience.

“We made a sacrifice and made things a little bit bearable so that our boys could come and play in South Africa. We stayed behind so that we can come up with a system of paying the hotel people in Libya,” Matsena told journalists.

Since the ordeal, the relegation-threatened side have managed to avoid defeat in three matches in all competitions.

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In spite of reports that the two South Africans were essentially held hostage, hotel owner Elzargha denied the claim leading up to the duo’s return home.  

“If you are at a restaurant and you eat then don’t pay, they will tell you to clean the dishes. This is a normal situation. Pay my money, and the guys will go. I am not a mafia or a terrorist. It’s a simple thing, I need my money, and they are out,” Elzargha was quoted as saying by FARPost.

“If anyone is saying Ali is increasing the amount [to be paid], they should then bring the lawyers so that we can see the proof. When [Gallants owner Abram Sello] and his team were stuck in Istanbul, he was agreeing with everything, but he is starting to play games now.”

The hotel owner said he had treated the Gallants employees fairly. However, according to Matsena, this was not the reality.

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“We had to play along. The problem was that if you wouldn’t… the guy is very temperamental,” the Gallants official told journalists. 

“So, sometimes he would come to you and ask: ‘Did the chairman say anything about the payment?’ Immediately you say no, then you know the day is not going to be nice.” 

Their trauma is over after the intervention of various stakeholders. The club — who are currently second from bottom in the Premiership — can now focus on their bid to escape relegation. DM