'It’s sickening' - PSL chairman Irvin Khoza warns after Cape Town City and Cape Town Spurs' protests as Orlando Pirates boss takes aim at people who blame him for unfavourable decisions - 'Someone is unhappy and trying to spread lies or diminish my name'

Premier Soccer League chairman and Orlando Pirates boss, Irvin Khoza, has been under increasing scrutiny from people who blame him for issues in local football, including the ongoing trend of club protests.

With the debate showing no signs of slowing down, Khoza has now spoken out, defending himself against the mounting criticism.  

“How do they arrive at that?” Khoza asks iDiski Times. 

“What informs that? Just because they are supporters and their team is not doing well, they think it is Irvin Khoza. But how do I do that when there’s an executive committee of 10 people? There’s a board of governors made up of the representatives of the 32 clubs, and we have meetings, but there’s never a motion of no confidence," he added. 

"So where does it come from? Someone is unhappy and trying to spread lies or diminish my name."

"People want shortcuts, and that’s dangerous. It’s sickening that every time the season ends, there are some skeletons coming out of the closet," Khoza said about the drama of protests in the PSL.

"But it will always happen because there are people who are creative. Look at how many appeals are done on the same matter. It starts with one club, Leruma, and then the same documents are used by Cape Town Spurs and then, Cape Town City. So we need to really check what is really happening there.

"The sad thing is that it is people who are new to the game. It’s heartbreaking. That’s why we have inductions. We have a 610-page induction document that everyone gets. That’s why we put measures in place," he continued.

“Football is a calling. You get money if there’s money being injected from sponsorships. But people come in thinking they’ll make money without understanding the sacrifices involved. We are all fans, and sometimes people buy in as fans without really understanding the industry.”

There has been a dispute between Cape Town City and Marumo Gallants regarding the eligibility of the latter's player, Monde Mphambaniso.

Cape Town Spurs, on the other hand, have had their two protests against Kruger United and Pretoria Callies dismissed.

City and Spurs were relegated from the PSL, and NFD, respectively, at the end of last season.

Furthermore, Spurs and City attempted to purchase NFD and PSL club statuses, respectively, after their relegation. 

With the controversy over club protests continuing to dominate discussions, all eyes will be on how the PSL addresses these challenges moving forward.   

For Khoza, the focus will likely be on defending the league’s decisions while finding solutions that balance financial realities with preserving South African football heritage.