DURBAN - DAYS after making the news for securing a multi-million rand partnership deal with the eThekwini Municipality, Royal AM football club owner Shauwn Mkhize has again hogged the spotlight after a video of her dishing out loads of cash to her soccer team’s players at Chatsworth Stadium this past weekend went viral on social media.
People have taken to social media criticising the manner in which Mkhize and her son were handing out the cash, saying it was demeaning to the players.
When the partnership deal was approved at the city’s executive committee meeting last month, a report said as part of the partnership deal with the football club, the city was seeking brand exposure in terms of advertising and promoting of Durban Tourism activities.
Approached for comment today, eThekwini municipal spokesperson Msawakhe Mayisela said they had noted the video circulating on social media, but wanted to determine its authenticity.
“Technology is such that videos can be manipulated to serve a certain view and that is why we want to determine the authenticity of it,” said Mayisela.
The municipality was at liberty to engage with Mkhize, he said. According to the spokesperson, any cash injection made by the city is premised on getting a return on the investment.
DA eThekwini councillor Nicole Graham said the video was absolute madness.
Last week the DA tried unsuccessfully to block the move for the municipality to approve the deal with the football club, contending that Mkhize was wealthy enough and should sell one of her luxury vehicles for football club expenses.
“I think our objections to her being funded by eThekwini ratepayers are vindicated; it's all about her flashing her wealth,” said the councillor.
Commenting on Facebook, one user said the Mkhize family liked showing off.
Another Facebook user also expressed her reservations over the club owner’s deed.
“To each their own, but I find there is something demeaning to the receiver about giving them their ’salary’ this way,” said the user.
Many social media users questioned why the money was not deposited into the players’ bank accounts, saying the act was both crass and demeaning.
Political analyst Makhosini Mgitywa also weighed in on the discussion over the video on social media.
“I’ve been pondering the saga of Royal FM football club owner’s dishing out cash to embarrassed players on the field, in full view of news cameras. I wouldn’t do such a thing. But I don’t have the cash, so no risk there. I think we need to agree that showing off wealth in a society where the majority is poor, is in bad taste on any day of the week,” said Mgitywa.
Attempts to get comment from Mkhize were unsuccessful.
This is amateurish behaviour which @OfficialPSL must never allow. @BabizebonkeZ @SuperSportTV this is not what we signed for. Nothing wrong with rewarding your players but order and decency must be a bare minimum standard to be observed pic.twitter.com/kKsOUaqSyP
— Sphiwe Dubandlela (@dubsphiwe) October 3, 2021
Even some players weren't charmed by what Mamkhize,Andile Mpisane and their groupies were doing because they could see it's degrading and downright embarrassing..
— Sundowns_Fanatic08 💛 👆 (@Madumetja__M08) October 4, 2021
"Please Coach,tell them to not come with the money here"...pic.twitter.com/HIUFLvVFGT
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