Schools Water Polo South Africa refutes Swimming SA's claims to Parliament about financial gain

Players of South Africa huddle during the final match between New Zealand and South Africa at the World Aquatics Women's Water Polo World Cup Division 2 Qualifier at Schwimm- und Sprunghalle im Europa-Sportpark on 4 May 2023 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo: Maja Hitij / Getty Images)

By Keanan Hemmonsbey

11 Apr 2025

Swimming South Africa’s executive committee was quick to spit out numbers in front of Parliament last week, but finding corroboration for these figures has been sweaty.

Schools Water Polo South Africa (SWPSA) and Elevate Water Polo, an independent company, have refuted claims made by Swimming South Africa’s (SSA) executive committee to the Sport, Arts and Culture portfolio committee in parliament last week.

SSA president Alan Fritz claimed that the ongoing conflict between South Africa Water Polo (SAWP) – a newly formed independent body looking to take over the administration of water polo in the country – and SSA is because of the financial gain from the sport for the new organisation.

Speaking about the SAWP and the fact that most of their executive members are also members of SSA, Fritz said that “the only reason for that is the commercial value that water polo has,” he told the committee.

“I’ve been informed that one person earned R500,000 [for] writing a coaching manual.

“A coaching manual can be taken from the internet these days. That is a massive governance failure…”

SWPSA and Elevate Water Polo denied SSA’s unsubstantiated remarks in a joint statement. SWPSA was commissioned to complete the manual with the help of Elevate Water Polo.

“The SWPSA and Elevate Water Polo are compelled to address the mistruths and factual inaccuracies contained within these statements because, if left unchallenged, there is a danger that they may be believed to be true,” read their statement.

“Specifically, the inference that an individual was paid R500,000 to write a coaching manual is categorically false and constitutes a severe misrepresentation.

“This coach development curriculum was the result of years of determined effort and collaboration between Elevate Water Polo, the SWPSA and other schools’ bodies.

“Contrary to the SSA President’s assertion, this initiative to address a critical gap in formal coach education within South African water polo, particularly in light of the historical neglect, represents not a failure in governance, but rather responsible and proactive governance by the SWPSA.”

The manual, which Fritz asserted can be downloaded from the internet, took five years to complete and is said to be “the most robust water polo development curriculum on the continent”, by sources in the know.

“We believe it is imperative to set the record straight and acknowledge the dedicated effort and resources invested in creating this ‘valuable asset’ for the development of water polo coaches across South Africa.

“A more comprehensive response detailing the facts surrounding the development and accessibility of the coach development curriculum in question is available to those who wish to read it.”

Fritz did not respond to Daily Maverick’s email queries sent on Tuesday about his statement regarding the “coaching manual” in Parliament. He also did not respond to a phone call and WhatsApp message.

The SAWP and SSA are currently in a legal battle which is set to take place in court next month.

Players of South Africa huddle during the final match between New Zealand and South Africa at the World Aquatics Women's Water Polo World Cup Division 2 Qualifier at Schwimm-und Sprunghalle im Europa-Sportpark on 4 May 2023 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo: Maja Hitij / Getty Images)

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SSA Operations Manager Mafata Modutoane later claimed, in the more than three-and-a-half-hour parliamentary meeting, that no black athletes spent any money on travelling to international competitions and tournaments in the last year.

“I just want to give you the number that we spent on athletes in the last financial year,” Modutoane said.

“We spent over R4.5-million to send athletes to different competitions.

“In addition to that, thanks to the funding we received from the National Lotteries Commission, we then spent over R2.9-million just on black participation.

“All the black water polo players that went to six competitions last year, they went at zero cost. That funding was covered.

“All the black diving athletes that participated, we also covered that. All the black swimmers were also covered from that funding.”

Daily Maverick spoke to a parent of one black water polo athlete, who was shocked to hear Modutoane’s claim in Parliament.

“My child has played water polo for a while and has gone on [more than] four tours,” she said, asking to remain anonymous in fear that her still-playing child would be victimised.

“We did crowdfunding to get the money … they kept asking and asking for the money.”

SSA allegedly refused to share travelling details with the athlete, which their teammates received, as they did not pay the required amount on time.

The mother also alleges that they were never offered help to pay the fees and when she requested for the remaining balance to be scrapped, SSA said no.

Daily Maverick also spoke to a donor, who sponsored a black national athlete in one of their national overseas water polo trips last year. They have since said that they will not sponsor another athlete in the future following SSA’s claims that they fund black athletes.

The donor is a parent of a junior water polo player and fears his child might be victimised as well, so has chosen to remain anonymous.

Daily Maverick requested on Thursday morning to see the evidence of athlete funding for international trips from Modutoane, but has not received a response yet. DM

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