Orlando Pirates' Thandi Merafe Arrested and Released After TS Galaxy Debacle

• Orlando Pirates' media officer Thandi Merafe was arrested and charged with common assault in the aftermath of the scuffle which occurred last month at Orlando Stadium
• Ahead of a DStv Premiership clash between Orlando Pirates and TS Galaxy, the visitors' chairman was seen being manhandled in a viral video
• Merafe was released without paying bail, with the matter to be presented before a court early next week for deliberation

Orlando Pirates media officer Thandi Merafe has been arrested and charged for common assault in the aftermath of the drama ahead of the Buccaneers' clash against TS Galaxy last month.

Merafe, who was released on free bail after her arrest, was accused of slapping her TS Galaxy counterpart Minenhle Mkhize in the run-up to the moment Galaxy owner Tim Sukazi was manhandled and denied entry to Orlando Stadium's field and inner facilities.

As reported on Times LIVE, Mkhize laid charges of assaulted a few days after the disgraceful turn of events, which were caught on cellphone camera. TS Galaxy shared the footage on its Twitter account with the video going viral.

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Mkhize said of the incident:

“I was really astonished at that barbaric behaviour from someone like Thandi who has been in the game for some time.”

Mkhize added that the docket would be taken to court early next week to be assessed by a prosecutor as to its merits for prosecution or dismissal. Neither Merafe nor Pirates has commented on the matter yet.

After the incident, the Premier Soccer League gave a rather vague explanation on why Sukazi had been denied entry. Its chief operating officer Ronnie Schloss said to KickOff:

"A club chairman can only go into the dressing room if he's got accreditation. He can go anywhere yes with that accreditation, and he would have been required to have had his 48-hour Covid-19 test as well. The club will usually give a list of all 160 people to attend the game, including both teams and all officials."

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It also emerged in the article that one of the unnamed Pirates security officials seen scuffling with Sukazi and his entourage had also laid a counter-claim of assault with police.

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Controversy seems to be the order of the day for the Premier Soccer League at the moment. As reported by Sports Brief, the much anticipated press conference held by the Premier Soccer League at its Parktown offices was something of an anti-climax.

Hosted by league chairman Irvin Khoza, the televised event was expected to provide the football fraternity with answers on pressing legal matters.

These included the Kaizer Chiefs Covid-19 saga as well as a conclusion to the National First Division debacle involving Royal AM, Sekhukhune United and Polokwane City.