Safety first, then teamwork. That’s how we should be doing things to combat the coronavirus crisis.
And it was great to hear that Minister of Sport Nathi Mthethwa has brought the PSL and the South African Football Association (Safa) back on the same page after last week’s mixed response from the nation’s football bodies.
Following President Cyril Ramaphosa’s declaration of a National State of Disaster last Sunday, Mthethwa had given PSL chairman Irvin Khoza the green light to continue the competition behind closed doors.
But Safa boss Danny Jordaan put his foot down and banned all football in Mzansi in a bid to stop the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.
ON BOARD: The Premier Soccer League (PSL) chairman, Irvin Khoza. Picture: Sydney Mahlangu/BackpagePix.
And on Wednesday, the minister announced that they will now all play by the State President’s rules.
In a tweet on Tuesday night, Mthethwa says: “I called the meeting between [Jordaan and Khoza] to resolve outstanding issues which have been of great importance recently.
“I sought a commitment from them to work cohesively in unison.
(1/2) Today I called the meeting between the President of the South African Football Association (SAFA) Dr Danny Jordaan and the Chairman of the South African Premier Soccer League (PSL) Dr Irvin Khoza to resolve outstanding issues which have been of great importance recently. pic.twitter.com/Mb2XXo3mLj
— Min. Nathi Mthethwa (@NathiMthethwaSA) March 24, 2020
“And I’m pleased that they have committed to addressing matters together before reaching out to government and other stake- holders.
“Furthermore, they reiterated their resolve to fight against the coronavirus pandemic.”