SAFA president Molefi Oliphant yesterday described the death of prominent administrator Vincent Baartjies as a big loss to the beautiful game.
SAFA president Molefi Oliphant yesterday described the death of prominent administrator Vincent Baartjies as a big loss to the beautiful game.
Baartjies, who served on the finance and remuneration subcommittees of Safa, died after a long illness in Cape Town last week.
At the time of his death, Baartjies was also an honorary life member of Safa, which he was instrumental in forming. He served on the national executive committee of Safa.
Oliphant said Baartjies was the pioneer of unity in South African soccer after various structures came together to form Safa.
"Football has lost a great stalwart in Vincent Baartjies, for what you see in the form of Safa was singularly initiated by a telephone call way back in 1989 by Vincent Baartjies to the secretary-general of Safa, Solomon "Stix" Morewa.
"The call was to initiate talks about the unification of football in the country.
"At that time, Vincent was the secretary-general of the South African Soccer Federation," Oliphant said.
Baartjies mourned
SAFA president Molefi Oliphant yesterday described the death of prominent administrator Vincent Baartjies as a big loss to the beautiful game.
SAFA president Molefi Oliphant yesterday described the death of prominent administrator Vincent Baartjies as a big loss to the beautiful game.
Baartjies, who served on the finance and remuneration subcommittees of Safa, died after a long illness in Cape Town last week.
At the time of his death, Baartjies was also an honorary life member of Safa, which he was instrumental in forming. He served on the national executive committee of Safa.
Oliphant said Baartjies was the pioneer of unity in South African soccer after various structures came together to form Safa.
"Football has lost a great stalwart in Vincent Baartjies, for what you see in the form of Safa was singularly initiated by a telephone call way back in 1989 by Vincent Baartjies to the secretary-general of Safa, Solomon "Stix" Morewa.
"The call was to initiate talks about the unification of football in the country.
"At that time, Vincent was the secretary-general of the South African Soccer Federation," Oliphant said.