How PSL clubs are navigating vaccine minefield

Unlike SuperSport United, some Premier Soccer League (PSL) do not have a mandatory vaccine policy for their players, while others have ensured all their staff are vaccinated.

SuperSport recently hogged headlines after defender Buhle Mkhwanazi was stopped from participating in the club's training sessions as he refused to vaccinate, contrary to the club's policy that every employee has to take the jab.

MultiChoice, Matsatsantsa's parent company, made it clear all their staff members should be vaccinated, including those at Matsatsantsa a Pitori, and this led to Mkhwanazi being barred from club training.

But several clubs contacted by Sowetan maintained on Wednesday the do not have such a policy, with TS Galaxy confirming their players Igor Makitan and Vasilije Kolak have not taken the jab but have been allowed to take part in the club's training sessions.

“We are not forcing them to vaccinate. Everyone got his right to say he wants to do it or not,” Galaxy spokesperson Minenhle Mkhize explained.

“It was just a voluntary option for everyone like the coaches from overseas [Dogan Mensuer and Sead Ramovic], they did not take the vaccination and also the players from Bosnia, so it was an individual choice.

“The players who didn’t vaccinate do train with the team because we normally do regular tests. We can’t force people to vaccinate.”

AmaZulu chair Sandile Zungu confirmed they have players who did not vaccine because of their religious beliefs and that they won’t stop them from playing.

“Not all players are vaccinated. I don’t have an issue with people who don’t vaccinate because they have different reasons,” Zungu said.

“Of course, where I have an issue is where you cannot travel with a player because he would not be allowed into a country like Morocco, Algeria, or Guinea without a vaccine certificate. There I will have a problem, but so far so good. It's not mandatory. We always prefer that players vaccinate. I am vaccinated, the majority of our players are vaccinated so is our admin staff. But there are few for various reasons, religious or otherwise, who don’t want to be vaccinated and we have to respect that.”

Marumo Gallants spokesperson Rufus Matsena said they don’t have any issue regarding players who didn't get the vaccine.

“To us it was not mandatory but I think from the players themselves seeing the necessity and the seriousness of this thing, they felt that it is correct to vaccinate,” he said.

Swallows chair David Mogashoa said it is not a must from their side but that players who refused to take the jab were expected to provide proof they are free of the virus, while Stellenbosch CEO Rob Benadie also confirmed that everyone from their side has been vaccinated.

In the GladAfrica Championship, the University of Pretoria took the educational approach when it came to getting a jab.

“As a club that’s owned by the university, we took time to educate our players and staff on the importance of the vaccine and use. We didn’t get any resistance from the players and staff. They went into it well educated so everyone is vaccinated,” Khathochelo Mbanda, the AmaTuks team manager, said.

Richards Bay and Black Leopards did not experience difficulties from their players, who were eager to get the vaccine.

“We have vaccinated. We used a local hospital for vaccination. The players were not difficult. Luckily we vaccinated early, when it arrived. It was important we get vaccinated,” said Richards Bay team manager Jeffery Fakude.

“Each of the players knew they were supposed to be vaccinated. We didn’t have any challenges in terms of pushing them,” said Leopards spokesperson MC Mbalavhali.

Cape Town Spurs confirmed that all of the players and staff are vaccinated.