Maimane: Ramaphosa exit would have major economic implications

So that we build that central ground. If we fail that exercise, South Africa will be governed by extremists either on the left or the right, which will be to the demise of our country. Mmusi Maimane, leader of Build One South Africa, thank you very much indeed. You're listening to Manu Ebb at Midday. Now, the decision by South Africa's most decorated Olympian Tatjana Smith to swim for the Netherlands has reignited, I think, a much wider debate about how this country is treating its sporting talent from with her.

Prize money and restrictive sponsorship agreements to the enormous financial pressures facing athletes and concerns about their freedom to speak out. And serious questions are being asked about the organizations meant to support them. In that respect, I want to welcome back to the program, he has spoken to us before, Vian Spiss, director at Herta Spice Attorneys, and he represented Tatjana Smith in that well-publicized prize money dispute.

Explain to us what that experience revealed about the relationship between athletes and sporting federations. Hi, Jeremy. It's good to be back. The involvement in this case has revealed that there's a very unhealthy relationship between athletes and the sport federations. There's been no support morally or financially to the athletes. In certain cases, there's been very little financial support. The federation, for instance, will pay for.

Or travel of the athletes, maybe in certain cases for accommodation. But in most cases, there's no real financial benefit. There's also been requests made for information, which has been totally ignored. It's definitely an unhealthy relationship. Now, as far as I understand it, Swimming SA admitted it was wrong to withhold the prize money. Restitution has been made. But what actually went wrong in that particular case, Vianna? And what does the admission actually mean? Yes.

So, Jeremy, I think it sort of sheds light on the whole issue that athletes have and the problems that they face with federations like Swimming South Africa. That admission has highlighted the wrongful conduct of Swimming South Africa. Luckily, they have repaid the final payment of the interest. They made payment in three monthly instalments, and Tatiana has now finally, since

2023 received a full amount of money that was due to her only two days ago. So it's good that she's received her money, but it definitely shows the bigger issue that athletes face in sports federations. And you alluded to this earlier: that conflict between personal sponsorship and federation sponsorship agreements. It is a serious problem, obviously. The question is: should a sporting federation be entitled then to restrict an athlete's international