A contentious dispute is brewing in the Eastern Cape football community, involving allegations of biased officiating and arbitration. This follows a formal complaint lodged by Sinenkani FC with the South African Football Association (SAFA), regarding the conduct of the match commissioner in their encounter against Ravens on January 25, 2025. Sinenkani FC claims to have written a series of letters to SAFA, appealing the alleged injustices, but their concerns were initially dismissed.
In a telephonic interview with the Eastern Cape Safa’s legal chairperson Ntabeni Baartman acknowledged being aware of the initial complaint lodged by Sinenkani FC. According to Baartman the matter was dealt with, but it later came to their attention that Sinenkani FC had revived the case, pursuing arbitration through internal processes. However, he emphasized that they are yet to receive a formal case from Sinenkani FC.
Regarding the allegations that the match commissioner is the father of a Ravens player, Baartman stated that Safa is not aware of these claims and is still awaiting further information.
Efforts to get the match commissioner Thenjana Mbangatha side of the story, who is accused of being the father of a Ravens player Ntando Tyson Mbangatha, were unsuccessful, as he declined to comment on the matter, citing the ongoing court proceedings.
However, the player’s mother Lindiwe Mkhobeni, confirmed the allegations, revealing that the match commissioner is indeed the player’s father and that they had lived together in Mount Frere. According to Mkhobeni, they started living together when Tyson was around 15 years old. She states that the her son began playing soccer at a young age and demonstrated exceptional talent, eventually joining one of the prominent football clubs in the Alfred Nzo region.
The mother further acknowledged the significant role played by the Thenjana Mbangatha, her son’s father, in nurturing the young player’s soccer career. “If it wasn’t for the father’s support, I don’t think our son would be as good at soccer,” she said. The mother expressed gratitude for the father’s involvement, claiming that although he wasn’t particularly skilled at playing soccer himself, he became invested in their son’s talent.
