Posted: 2012-03-16 14:43
Platinum Stars have roped in an independent investigator to lead the probe into allegations that Owen da Gama accepted money from players in return for a starting place.
Da Gama is currently suspended and KickOff.com can reveal that the investigator is a man called Mandla Tshabalala. At this stage, there is no time-frame of when he is expected to conclude his investigations.
Stars chairman Floyd Mbele said this week that the investigation process will be transparent.
"It is an ongoing process and it is still an internal matter at this stage. It is important that we respect the [investigation] process. We have done a thorough investigation for ourselves as a club to be able to convince ourselves that this is the right thing to do and pursuant to doing that, we've got an independent [investigator], someone who is from outside the club. The process will be transparent," Mbele says.
The former Orlando Pirates administrator has also scoffed at claims that this could be a ploy to get rid of Da Gama and appoint Ruud Krol, who has been linked with the club.
"I have been asked this question about Ruud Krol before and it can only be because of my association with him at Pirates, but we have to appreciate and respect the board of Platinum Stars; they are people who are independent in thinking and for me it is to facilitate what the board decides.
"It is immature to talk about a new coach now, because there is a process that is taking place. Nobody can preempt or predict what could happen in the future.
"I can say categorically that we are not speaking to any coach and we are not in the process of replacing any coach. We have put in a process to be able to clear from either side [players and the coach] whatever misdemeanor may have been reported. At the end of that process, we would be able to chat about the way forward," Mbele states.
Mbele insists that the investigation is not a "witch-hunt" and that those who are submitting evidence are doing so "voluntarily".
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