Raymond Hack, a lawyer and close friend of Orlando Pirates and PSL chairman Dr Irvin Khoza, has insisted the man behind the ‘Iron Duke’ label is a very family-oriented person.
As chairman of the league, he has been vilified as a mafia, a bully who has held on to power and control of the professional game for way too long. The reality of it, as told by those who work with him and have been privileged to engage with him properly, is that he is anything but.
Such is the public nature of positions held by Khoza, though that just about everyone will have their views on those who occupy them. But behind the Chairman, behind the Iron Duke; behind the ruthless ‘Godfather’, he’s sometimes been made out to be a kind-hearted man, a loving father, a doting granddad and a man big on loyalty.
“He is not the Iron Duke as far as family and respect for people is concerned,” says Hack told iDiski Times senior writer Matshelane Mamabolo.
“I’ve been friends with him and his lawyer for more than 25 years, and I can tell you he is the softest person I know.
“He cares about everybody, especially his family. He’s being made out to be a dictator of sorts, but the reality is that he does not talk, he listens to everybody, and once he has listened, he will give his opinion but still allow people to make up their minds.”
Hack has worked with Khoza for years in football administration and says there’s no truth to the generally held notion that the Iron Duke has remained Chairman for so long because people are afraid of him.
“He will never impose his will or his position. He tells you how he sees it,” he continued.
“Sure, he might be the Iron Duke as far as football is concerned, but what he does, he does it for others and the good of the game.
“He does not look for glory. He does not tell people what he has done. He does not look for thank yous. I can tell you, there’s no one in football he has not helped personally, but he does not tell anyone.”
Hack believes the negative narrative that sometimes flies about regarding Khoza stems from envy.
“He does not follow; he leads,” Hack adds.
“Other people are extremely jealous of his success, and that success is because of the person he is.
“What I can tell you is that if you ever wanted a friend or someone reliable in your corner, he is that someone.”