Highlands Park boss supports Madlala as PSL CEO

Cape Town - It has been described widely in the past as bizarre and inappropriate that a club owner, in particular, should simultaneously fill the role as the acting PSL CEO for the past four years.

But Highlands Park chairperson Brad Kaftel, has among others, come out in support of articulate and amiable Golden Arrows boss, Mato Madlala, continuing to fill the top executive position of South Africa's professional soccer league organisation at the same time as her club commitments - basing the argument on the old maxim "if it ain't broke, don't fix it."

"I agree," said Kaftel, "that there is an element of a conflict of interest in the appointment and I'm not sure I would have supported it when it was first announced by chairman Irvin Khoza all those years ago.

"But as matters have turned out Mato (Madlala) has done an impeccable job in dove-tailing her dual jobs and with everything progressing smoothly and no hint of any conflict of interest, should we really look to making a change right now?"

Despite this Khoza, who initially suggested appointing Madlala as acting CEO, admitted he was coming under increasing pressure to transform the role into one with a permanent label - by offering it to the Arrows supremo, or if she declines it on the basis of her club connection, launch a search for a replacement.

"But the PSL chairman admits it is a tricky situation in view of its ambiguity - especially with clubs informing him that Madlala was "doing such a good job."

For Khoza it appears a case of finding himself between the devil and the deep blue sea as to how to settle the unusual CEO situation, with criticism facing him no matter what decision he ultimately makes.

And with Kaftel and other top club officials now supporting the current, if unusual CEO situation as it stands, Khoza might well back-track to his initial stance and not seek to "fix it" if it isn't broken.