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Pitso Mosimane's tormentor could be in hot water as Safa investigates shocking stadium incident

Al Ahly SC bus with Pitso Mosimane and Al Ahly SC players pass the Mamelodi Sundown fans singing and chanting outside Lucas Moripe Stadium after the CAF Champions League Quarter Final, 2nd Leg match between Mamelodi Sundowns and Al Ahly SC at Lucas Moripe Stadium on May 22, 2021 in Pretoria, South Africa.
Al Ahly SC bus with Pitso Mosimane and Al Ahly SC players pass the Mamelodi Sundown fans singing and chanting outside Lucas Moripe Stadium after the CAF Champions League Quarter Final, 2nd Leg match between Mamelodi Sundowns and Al Ahly SC at Lucas Moripe Stadium on May 22, 2021 in Pretoria, South Africa.
Image: Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images

Stadium bans are available as a course of action for the SA Football Association (Safa) against the offending Mamelodi Sundowns supporters who abused Al Ahly coach Pitso Mosimane on Saturday.

There also are question over whether the Pretoria club might also be held liable.

TimesLIVE is informed that even though the events where a group of supporters held up the Ahly team bus and displayed abusive placards against Mosimane took place outside Lucas Moripe Stadium in Atteridegville‚ given the offenders were supporters of Sundowns‚ the club might also have liability.

There are also questions over whether the authorities might become involved‚ too‚ given the offenders may have broken Covid-19 regulations in the events that took place ahead of Ahly’s 1-1 Caf Champions League quarterfinal draw against Downs. Ahly won 3-1 on aggregate.

Safa CEO Tebogo Motlanthe said he could not comment on whether Sundowns might be held accountable in any manner.

Safa said in a statement on Sunday it would investigate the events of Saturday‚ and “come down heavily” on offenders.

Motlanthe was asked by TimesLIVE‚ given some of the offenders have already been identified on social media‚ whether the association’s investigation might start there.

He said the association will only institute its probe once the report from the NEC member who was head of delegation (HoD) for the match‚ Pius Nqandela‚ has been received.

“We are going to wait for the report from Mr Nqandela to say‚ ‘This is what happened’‚ so that we are not seen to be pre-judging or taking sides‚” Motlanthe said on Tuesday.

“The report from Mr Nqandela will come with its own recommendations of course. After taking that report we’ll go through the recommendations and it will go through to a suitable committee to say‚ ‘These are the issues’.

“Remember in terms of South African law‚ you don’t want to also bring the subject of double jeopardy. If Sundowns are to act tomorrow and take action against them [the wrongdoers] to say‚ ‘Safa‚ this is the action we have taken’‚ then Safa’s hands are tied.

“So Safa cannot stand up now and say‚ ‘This is the kind of action we are looking for’. What we are saying is that it must be the kind of action that ensures these things cannot happen again. That’s our position.”

Motlanthe‚ formerly Safa’s legal head‚ said the association will liaise with Sundowns‚ who have also promised to launch an investigation‚ on the nature and progress of their probe.

“Of course‚ we’ll get a report from Pius‚ we’ll get a report from Sundowns‚” the Safa CEO said.

“And of course‚ we must commend Sundowns. They fact that they have written an apology to the club [Ahly] shows that they have seen that what happened was wrong. We must not ignore that part also.”

Motlanthe said the action of stadium bans for a length of time for offenders is available to Safa‚ and within the association’s constitution.

“Yes it is‚ but you must then start asking if it will be effective under Covid‚” he said.

“And of course there are some of the things that are criminal elements. There were things that you can’t do in terms of the law of the country.”

Mosimane left Sundowns – where he had won eight trophies in 11 years‚ including the 2016 Caf Champions League and four league titles – in a bombshell move to Egyptian giants Ahly in late September 2020.