Clubs such as Betway Premiership champions Orlando Pirates and Confederation of African Football (CAF) champions Mamelodi Sundowns, not forgetting the national team, Bafana Bafana, frequently emerge as victims of systemic gamesmanship.
South African football teams have long endured a litany of unsavoury tactics across the African continent, from hostile environments and dubious refereeing to blatant time-wasting, crowd intimidation and administrative sabotage. Clubs such as Betway Premiership champions Orlando Pirates and Confederation of African Football (CAF) champions Mamelodi Sundowns, not forgetting the national team, Bafana Bafana, frequently emerge as victims of systemic gamesmanship.
The question looms large: should the CAF intervene decisively, or must South African sides descend into the same muddy waters to survive?
Consider the 2013 CAF Champions League encounter between Orlando Pirates and TP Mazembe in Lubumbashi. Pirates faced a cauldron of hostility. Reports detailed controversial penalty decisions favouring the home side and a red card for captain Lucky Lekgwathi after a 50/50 challenge. Even South African cameras were ejected from the stadium. Mazembe’s tactics included delaying kick-offs and leveraging a fortress atmosphere that bordered on intimidation. Pirates advanced despite the 1-0 defeat in the away leg but the experience left scars.
