Mamelodi Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena has put the spotlight firmly on the scourge of gender-based violence (GBV) ravaging society, saying he has zero tolerance for abusers.
On Tuesday, Orlando Pirates star Lorch was sentenced in the Randburg magistrate’s court to three years’ imprisonment, though it was suspended for five years, for assaulting then girlfriend Fundiswa Mathithibala.
Lorch was ordered to pay R100,000 to anti-GBV body People Opposing Women Abuse (Powa) and he was also declared unfit to possess a firearm under the Firearms Control Act. Two other prominent Premier Soccer League-based footballers have been in reports alleging GBV incidents or charges recently, but these have not been proven in a court of law.
Mokwena said he does not tolerate GBV or abuse of any sort but cautioned that anyone is innocent until proven guilty.
Mokwena said he has regular conversations with his players about being good people in society.
“In a society where there is a lot of vulnerability, over and above some of the social ills that we are facing, it is very important that, not only from a football perspective but a human perspective, we drive the notion or importance of being good human beings.
“This is the thing we speak about in our club with the players — that it is important not only to be a good footballer. You are only a footballer for two or three hours and for the remaining hours you are integrated into society.”
From a moral conduct perspective, we all know that gender-based violence is wrong and it must never be accepted. I don’t talk as a Sundowns coach but as a South African citizen who happens to be part of the community that faces so many challenges.
— Rulani Mokwena
Mokwena said people must guard against the recent phenomenon of fake news where someone can be wrongfully accused.
“Today’s society is the one where maybe we live in the times of fake news. I don’t need to have accurate information to tweet and say, ‘Rulani Mokwena was seen wearing a pair of pink shorts.’
“Already that will be trending with no evidence but we are in that space. It becomes difficult because sometimes we judge things and we have not allowed the law to take its course.
“Even when we have allowed the law to take its course, we are quick to zoom in and say what happened, without even having the full context of an incident and this is very important.
“We are in a time where, unfortunately, when you play professional sport, unlike many other industries, your performance is magnified because it is in the public arena.
“I may be a lawyer or cashier, how I perform is not put out for the public to judge. And because for the footballers it is, we then think that our judgment must go beyond what happens on the pitch.
“We forget these football players are also human beings who go through the challenges of life like many other human beings.
“From a moral conduct perspective, we all know that gender-based violence is wrong and it must never be accepted. I don’t talk as a Sundowns coach but as a South African citizen who happens to be part of the community that faces so many challenges.
“That is why when we [the Springboks] win the Rugby World Cup, we win the AFL [African Footbal League] with Sundowns and we win the Champions League with Sundowns Ladies, this [positive moments that can help heal] is why these things should be celebrated.
“We are a country that unfortunately goes through a lot more bad and disappointing moments than the good moments. It is something I discuss and we have talks about but I will say: don’t forget we are dealing with human beings.
“Just from the fact that it is a professional footballer, it doesn’t mean the guy has no feelings, or he doesn’t have people who love him. It doesn’t mean the people who love him don’t get affected by the headlines, the tweets they see or comments they read on social media.
“Denzel Washington said something very profound: ‘If you are not engaged in social media you are ill-informed but if you are engaged in social media you are misinformed.’ So, it’s a lose-lose situation.
“I remember there was a situation where a guy committed suicide because he was falsely accused of rape. Only later the girl came out and said, ‘I was actually joking.’
“With all that said and as a man who was raised by gran and mother who were single parents, I can tell you I have zero tolerance for gender-based violence. That’s for me and the space that I try to communicate to my players as a leader. I can’t influence the whole of society and country but I can speak to my players.
“I can share my feelings on what is morally correct and what is incorrect with regards to violence in general.”
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