I can help Bafana for free if they want – herbalist

Fans at the National Stadium in Johannesburg as Bafana Bafana drew 0-0 with Cape Verde in the opening match of Afcon 2013 on Saturday (January 19 2013). Picture: Herman Verwey/City Press

As South Africa coach Gordon Igesund seeks to reinvigorate his team after a dismal Africa Cup of Nations curtain-raiser, he has received an offer of help from an unlikely source – a herbalist.

Reuben Matewu, from the Eastern Cape, is confident he can come to the rescue of Bafana Bafana after Saturday’s lacklustre goalless draw against Cape Verde in Soweto.

That has left the 2013 hosts facing a stiff task to extricate themselves from Group A with matches against Angola and former champions Morocco coming up.

“I can help Bafana Bafana for free if they want and I will do that for the first three matches,” Matewu told a regional radio station, The Star newspaper reported today.

“I’m not like those people who use bad muti, I will only use herbs which are easily available here in South Africa.”

Matewu says he will start charging for his services only “when” South Africa qualify for the knockout stages.

“Thereafter, I will charge them as they would have started winning,” he explained confidently.

His offer is being taken seriously it seems.

“Let the man speak to me and we’ll see what we can do after that,” Mwelo Nonkonyana, South African Football Association (Safa) vice-president, told The Star.

“We always welcome whatever help we can get to ensure Bafana Bafana do well,” he added.

Matewu’s approach is in welcome contrast to another healer’s threat to use his expertise to prevent the national side from winning.

Sibonelo Madela, a traditional healer from Ulundi in KwaZulu-Natal, claims he is owed R90 000 by Safa for helping the team during the 2010 World Cup.

According to the paper, Madela says the team’s 2-1 win in the first round over France was thanks to him.

South Africa face Angola Wednesday and Morocco Sunday, both games being played in Durban.

With Saturday’s game between Angola and Morocco also ending goalless, there is all to play for in Group A with the first two teams progressing to the quarter-finals.

- Sapa-AFP