‘Waar moet ons kinders speel?’

Football has always held a special place in the hearts of many Eldorado Park residents. It is the one sport in the country beloved by many and accessible to all aspiring footballers and fanatics.

Many of us remember the hastily arranged five- to seven-a-side games arranged between friends and different streets.

The goalposts were two bricks on each end, separated by a player measuring four or five steps and many a friendly argument ensued over whether one side measured four while the opposite end measured five making it easier for the ball to be slipped through and giving the opponents an unfair advantage.

With its rich footballing history, the expectation is that Eldorado Park would have a Local Football Association (LFA) which is inclusive, transparent and one which makes provision for the development and promotion of footballing talent within the community.

Many prominent community stakeholders say that this has not been the case for a long time and one need only scour the Premier Soccer League (PSL) for any mention of Eldos born and bred players who have made national headlines in the sport.

The absence of Eldorado Park players in the PSL is an indication that all is not well at a local level.

The Eldorado Local Football Association (ELFA), according to reports from various members and former members, is in a shambles and fingers are pointed at the chairman, Colin Jones and his leadership style.

Some of the allegations levelled against Jones by club owners range from the summary ‘banning’ of owners from the soccer grounds in Extension Six to threatening physical violence against members who disagree publicly with his methods.

Zayd Fredericks from Midas Football Academy was denied membership to the ELFA after being summoned to a meeting on May 2 which was chaired by Jones.

According to Fredericks, he has, to date, not received any correspondence providing reasons for his application being declined. Fredericks pointed out that Jones wears two hats, one as the Johannesburg Region chief executive officer and ELFA chairperson.

He said, “I am of the opinion that it is unlikely that we will attain membership in the jurisdiction of Eldorado as the Johannesburg Region CEO and Eldorado chairperson is the same person. The council of ELFA will react accordingly for us bringing it again to the attention of the REC where the propensity to circumvent the constitution has been realised.”

According to a petition brought against Jones, “ELFA chairperson Colin Jones is the general secretary and chief executive officer of the South African Football Association (SAFA), Johannesburg region, as per SAFA statutes approved by SAFA at a general meeting held on September 10, 2011; 65.6 The General Secretary/Chief Executive Officer shall not be a Congress delegate or a member of any body of SAFA.”

The list of transgressions under Jones’ leadership ranges from banning Chelsea FC chairperson, Lena Collins in 2014 for allegedly accusing him of mismanaging funds from the National Lottery.

Collins was summarily banned and not afforded the opportunity to defend herself.

She said, “I understood that my banning from football was for life as this was how Colin Jones said it to me. I was not given an opportunity to defend myself and felt unequal in council meetings as a woman. I have not received any letter from ELFA confirming my banning.”

Sharon Herbst, manager of FC Lama suffered the same fate with the consequence that the team was disbanded in 2013 and, according to Herbst Jones refused to enter into any discussions about reinstating them.

Manats FC, another team whose membership was cancelled is one of many teams expelled from ELFA and e-mail communication between the team manager, Natalie Williams and ELFA Secretary Oscar Johnson, the dispute arose from Manats FC utilising the field as a training ground.

Williams went to great pains to explain that the team faced financial difficulties and need a training grounds.

The e-mail response from Johnson was, “Please note that the executive committee views your attitude towards ELFA and the directive issued to your team as a clear sign of defiance and disrespect towards ELFA.”

It further said, “In the meantime, you are hereby again advised not to use the Eldorado Park Stadium as a training ground.”

Ewood Stars, another team at loggerheads with the chairperson and the executive council, faced expulsion from the league following accusations of fielding over-aged players in the U15 category in May 2015.

Following the resolution of the cheating allegations, a meeting was held on March 16 last year where the team manager was accused of bringing ELFA into disrepute and a resolution passed that the club not be allowed to participate in the 2016 season.

Club manager Ewert Gierke and his wife Rosalind were flummoxed at the decision as the club was cleared of any wrongdoing by ELFA following investigations into the matter which lasted until August 2015, according to them.

Rosalind recalled being summoned to a hearing at ELFA on April 4 to face charges of parking in the wrong place and the manner in which her team celebrated after saving a penalty during a tournament held on the weekend of April 2 earlier this year.

She said, “The deputy chairperson told Ewert he was not supposed to be on the field to coach on April 2 and could not celebrate in the way he did. We once again requested clarity on what and how Ewert should behave and act according to ELFA standards and asked that they respond in writing, which they haven’t done.”

The local chapter of the Democratic Alliance (DA) has also been roped into the fray with DA councillor Peter Rafferty saying, “As the DA we have had enough of this (sic) mafia tactics and will be standing 100 per cent behind the community to have Mr Colin Jones removed as the chairman of the Eldorado Park Football association.”

In a meeting with the Eldorado Urban News reporter on July 17 at 6.15 pm, the chairperson of ELFA and the executive, Jones refuted the allegations, citing his many years served in both footballing bodies (ELFA and SAFA).

When asked whether it was constitutional that he occupy seats on both bodies, he said,”Irvin Khoza is the chairman of Pirates, the chairman of Orlando Pirates Football Club, chairman of the South African Premier Soccer League and the vice-president of the South African Football Association, so why am I being questioned about wearing two hats?”

Following the meeting, Rosalind Gierke received a letter from ELFA informing her that she and her team would be suspended from all footballing activities subsequent to a charge sheet with all the charges brought against her. Gierke has taken the matter to SAFA and has, to date, not received a response.

With so many being denied access to what is ostensibly a community facility, Ewert Gierke asked, “Waar moet ons kinders speel?”

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News site 1: Westside-Eldos Urban News, News site 2: Soweto Urban News