Soccer a victim of Sol’s chaos

THE CURRENT crisis at the Sol Plaatje Municipality has had a widespread impact . . . including on local soccer.

The South African Football Association (Safa) in the Northern Cape earlier this week said that it was hopeful that it would be able to renew its contract to use stadiums in Galeshewe and Kimberley as its five-year contract with the municipality has come to an end.

Safa’s regional secretary, Ponatshego Mondela, said that the organisation has, during the past few weeks, been using the stadiums despite the expired contract.

He added that Safa has not been able to renew the permits to use the stadiums because key officials at the municipality were either absent or those who were available had no mandate to engage with the football organisation.

Mondela said a meeting involving the municipality to discuss the use of the stadiums has been set down for today.

He pointed out that the municipality has, so far, not refused them access to the stadiums. The issue, however, is the delay in the renewal of Safa’s medium-term agreements with the municipality.

“As a result we had to sort of sneak into stadiums as we did not have official permission to use the facilities.”

Spokesperson for the municipality, Thoko Riet, said in a written response: “The Sol Plaatje Municipality is busy reviewing all lease contracts throughout. It is not only Safa’s contract that is outstanding. This matter has been referred to our legal department and will be responded to in due course.”

– Neville Motlhabakwe