The Mdantsane football fraternity was rocked to the core on Wednesday morning when the Mdantsane Local Football Association (MDALFA) ordered the suspension of 28 clubs for participating in an “unauthorised” Easter tournament.
The suspended clubs were Boca Juniors, Youth FC, Texas, Royal SM, PSG, Young Tigers, Chelsea, Mdantsane Pirates, Strikers, Two 4 Joy, Cuba, Ikamva, Guys FC, Kickers, Mdantsane Green, 7 United, Blackpool, Ambassadors, Mdantsane United, Young Masters, DMU, FC Mlandu, Skomboys, Sundowns, United Stars, Green Lovers, Pillars and Thulani.
The football association consists of 32 clubs, meaning only four remain.
The association’s constitution requires at least eight clubs to be operational for a league.
General secretary and administrator Thembinkosi Simanga said the clubs had participated in a non-Safa competition organised by Masidlale Isoka, which was scheduled at the NU15 and NU6 grounds in Mdantsane at the weekend, as per a poster advertising the event.
Masidlale Isoka is a parallel football structure formed in 2024, after the Mdantsane Local Football Association was placed under Safa BC administration more than two years ago.
Their goal is to provide regular activity for clubs.
Simanga said the 28 clubs were in breach of article 67 of the MDALFA statutes, which stipulate: “The authority for organising local matches and competitions between teams affiliated to different local football associations, between league and/or club teams lies solely with the local FA.
“No match or competition shall take place without the prior permission of the Safa local executive committee.
“In addition, permission from the relevant region may be required in accordance with the Safa regulations.”
Simanga said they had written to the clubs, warning them about a potential breach of the constitution.
The Daily Dispatch has seen the letter dated April 17.
He said they had sent correspondence to the clubs beforehand, inviting them to play in a Safa-compliant Easter tournament, but the clubs had opted not to take part.
“We had three meetings with the agenda of an Easter tournament involved, but the clubs never showed up, and it was mainly the ones that are suspended,” Simanga said.
A Masidlale Isoka executive official, who did not want to be named for fear of victimisation, said members of the clubs had not received direct emails or letters from the MDALFA administrators regarding the suspensions as they were not affiliates.
He claimed the main reason for the formation of Masidlale Isoka was that the MDALFA did not cater for the juniors of the clubs after the Covid-19 pandemic, and did not have proper structures in place, even for the seniors.
The official said most of the clubs did not trust outsider administrators and wanted to elect an executive of their own members.
“We want Safa BC to oversee Mdantsane, not to dictate.
“We want the executive that is elected by us to run matters, not be told what to do by the region,” the official said.
“The administrators have been changed three times already.
“We want to elect an executive and get out of these administrations.
“They want us to affiliate, but who are we going to affiliate with when we don’t even have an executive?
“Who are we going to hold accountable for our money?”
He acknowledges receiving the warning from Simanga, but said the clubs had felt it was too late as they had secured a sponsor and committed to playing.
Simanga said the clubs had the right to appeal against the suspension.
Safa Buffalo City did not want to comment on the matter, but condoned the suspension issued by its affiliate the MDALFA on its Facebook page.
“We urge all LFAs to act MDALFA’s way should they find evidence of clubs, players, officials that are participating in a non-Safa competition while the season is ongoing,” Safa BC said.
Daily Dispatch
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