Changes rung as ABC league kicks off

● New names and management, but teams ready after registrations delay

Safa Eastern Cape provincial secretary Isaac Klaas is excited at the prospect of the new season of the ABC Motsepe League which kicks off in the Eastern Cape on Wednesday.

There are many changes to the ABC teams this season in terms of names and management and Klaas says the teams are ready to play after a oneweek delay.

“The hold-up was the registration process which was not up to standard because we had to reject quite a number of registrations from clubs due to irregularities in the submission of forms,” Klaas said. “Now we are ready.

“We have changes in management and ownership of teams.

“In Port Elizabeth, Lion City do not exist anymore. Their status was bought by a team called Peace Makers, which is also from the Bay.

“Spurs do not exist anymore as they have sold their status to The Guys in the same area in Mbizana, under the Alfred Nzo district.

“City Lads do not exist as they have sold their status to a team called Yakha United in the same area in Mount Ayliff.

“Future Tigers have relocated from Buffalo City to Nelson Mandela Bay and are under new management and will now be based in Uitenhage.

“There are still legal issues with the name change – that is why they have decided to stay as Future Tigers.

“EC Bees are no more as they have sold their status to Bush Bucks.

“Bush Bucks and Mthatha Bucks are not the same team.

“Mthatha Bucks are the team which was relegated from National First Division last season.

“We have promoted Amavarara from Chris Hani and Birmingham City from Buffalo City.”

Due to the staging of the Cosafa Women’s Championships, Peace Makers had to move their opening match – a home game – to NU2 because their home grounds, the Wolfson Stadium and the Westbourne Oval, are occupied.

According to Klaas, many other teams have a similar problem.

“The Gelvandale Stadium was supposed to be used for some of the ABC teams, but the stadium’s standard is out of the question,” he said.

“PE Stars will now have to use the Saints Field and Sibanye will use the Adcock Stadium.”

Former Chippa United team manager Wanda Mbenguzana is Peace Makers’ new owner.

Mbenguzana said his intention is clear – to gain promotion to National First Division.

“The intention is to try and bridge the gap,” he said.

“There is only Chippa United who are playing in the professional league.

“Not all the players who come from the lower leagues will really fit in immediately in the PSL but that does not mean those players are not good.

“You will find that those players just need a league that will prepare them to really do well until they reach PSL stage.

“The only division to do that at the moment is NFD.

“It’s not easy for coaches in the PSL level to just grab players from ABC and really trust they will perform at PSL level.

“So my aim is to push for promotion to NFD, and it is not going to be easy.”

Mbenguzana said he had kept the bulk of City’s players from last season but had added a few players to strengthen the squad and also have a team that will compete in the ABC league.

In the coach’s seat is Masixole Matiwane, who was part of Dan Malesela’s technical team at Chippa United.

“I am always communicating with Chippa United, more especially with the chairman, Siviwe Mpengesi. He promised to assist me where he can because he felt that I was going in the right direction.”