Former AmaZulu goalkeeper Siya Mbatha has distanced himself from 'disturbing' allegations linking himself to reports of a former footballer who has turned to prostitution.
A Durban newspaper published in isiZulu reported on an ex-AmaZulu footballer named Siya Mbatha (28) who is now working as a sex worker.
The report mentions Mbatha as a former AmaZulu player who was once wrongly arrested for rape and has now been servicing both male and female clients for almost three years after his playing career failed to prosper following further stints at Maritzburg United and Highlands Park.
"It is rather disturbing that my name has been used in such a way by people seeking whatever relevance and attention they are aiming for," Mbatha (33) tells KickOff.
"Those that wrote that article knew that if they mention that this is not me then their story will be irrelevant because the person that they wrote about was never ever even once on the books of the AmaZulu first-team in the years mentioned as confirmed by Lunga Sokhela.
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"According to what I have gathered the guy they wrote about only played for Durban Warriors.
"Now the moment you mention a former AmaZulu player named Siya Mbatha it comes directly to me because I’m the one who played for AmaZulu. Some people have already concluded that this is me because I’m the only Siya Mbatha who was at AmaZulu five years ago.
"This was done on purpose to implicate and spoil my name, but this is bad.
"We honestly can’t be going to such extremes just for the sake of trying to score sales or clicks at the expense of people’s careers.
"This is disappointing, and we cannot live like that.
"Now I must deal with DMs of people asking me for things that cannot be printed because they associate with such as some websites have gone as far as using my picture since I’m the Siya Mbatha they know.
"I have a child who is going to school and do these guys realise the kind of consequences this could have if another child says some mean things to him because of what he read. Kids are mean.
"I know that this is not me but those around me are feeling the consequences of this," says Mbatha, who is now in the books of Golden Arrows.
