The arrogant and self-serving Sokhela told Metro FM sport show host Robert Marawa on Monday, that club will not pay any cent, following deadline of September 16 to settle the amount of R1 086m the club ignored, as a result they were docked six points last Friday.
The club was found guilty of unlawfully terminating Phineas Nambandi’s contract.
The Namibian player still had a three-year remaining on his professional contract with Usuthu when the club decided to let him go in 2014.
Nambandi then took the Durban-based outfit to Fifa with the help of the South Africa Football Players Union.
The Namibian together with the South African Football Player’s Union (Thulaganyo Gaoshubelwe) proceeded with the matter to Fifa and Usuthu were found guilty last year.
Usuthu appealed the decision in the Court of Arbitration for Sport but the decision was upheld.
AmaZulu were set the deadline of September 16 to settle the amount of R1 086m and the club ignored the deadline and as the result they were docked six points on Friday by PSL.
An academic Sokhela, whom many labeled as arrogant was quoted in August for having said “Fifa are “heartless people and the biggest bullies who think they are the supreme law of the world.”
His argument was that the player was employed by AmaZulu Football Club Pty Ltd‚ which no longer has an interest in football.
He said the company that currently owns AmaZulu FC as a football club that is playing in the Absa Premiership is Lyrastar Investments‚ which has no association with AmaZulu Football Club Pty Ltd.
“We’ve never had any dealings with Nambandi as Lyrastar. The guy [Nambandi] had dealings with AmaZulu Football Club Pty Ltd‚ which is a company that is no longer in sport‚” said Sokhela.
Legally, if what Sokhela is true and had not adhered to FIFA’s ruling, then more investigations would follow on what is the difference between AmaZulu that is playing in the PSL status and the one that was in NFD; and what is the difference between AmaZulu Football Club Pty Ltd and Lyrastar Investments?
Financially, this would drain the club.
Usuthu are now placed in position 16 on the log with a single point after six league matches.
Last season, the KZN outfit were kicked out of the top 8 after Ajax Cape Town were docked points.
That benefited SuperSport United who replaced AmaZulu in the top 8. Usuthu came back strong this season despite that setback.
Tonight they face Maritzburg United at King Zwelithini Stadium in Umlazi in the KwaZulu-Natal derby at 7.30pm in the battle of the maximum points.
This should be a lesson to other teams- be it professional or amateur, to get their legal practitioners to study the rules and regulations of the governing football body, finish & klaar!
Meanwhile, congratulations to Cape City for winning its first major silverware in the PSL.
They beat SuperSport United on penalties to lift the MTN8 cup and pocketed a whooping R8m.
