New soccer set-up

OVER 60 clubs were represented at the ordinary congress of the Lukhanji Football Association (LFA) last Sunday in which it was officially announced that president of the LFA president, Sandile Mbizweni, had resigned.

No reasons were given for his resignation. South African Football Association (Safa) Chris Hani president Mzimkhulu Ndlela, opening the congress, said Safa had taken over school soccer from the South African Schools Football Association. He said a proposal would be sent to the Safa national congress in June that members of the LFA should be formed into zones and not clubs, as is the current situation.

In the absence of the president, the congress was chaired by senior vice-president, who will also be the acting president until elections later in the year, Phumelele Hlati. He said for the upcoming season, Lukhanji would be divided into eight streams and clubs would play in their areas. “Each stream will have a minimum of eight teams and they will play against each other until there is a winner. As we need eight teams for the play-offs, each stream will send its winner to the play-offs,” he said.

Known streams currently are Ilinge, Ezibeleni, Queenstown and Whittlesea. More streams, Hlati said, would be established in Ndlovukazi, McBride, Hewu villages and Tylden. The affiliation fee for a club is R500 and should be paid by February 5 with the league due to start the following day. Hlati said all clubs were encouraged to affiliate.