Winnerspark Football Club owner, Robert “Mandla” Mokgola
A serious tension has erupted in the South African football association (SAFA) ABC Motsepe league stream A as teams prepare to play their final league games.
Only two teams at the top are fighting for top spot while the rest except third placed United Artists FC are fighting to avoid possible chop.
Top of the Log side Mpheni Home Defenders from Venda who were controversially striped off their playoff status last season in the eleventh hour had their top of the log clash against second placed Giyani Happy Boys postponed last weekend.
Happy Boys wrote a letter to SAFA requesting them to postpone their game against Mpheni to allow the two top teams to have equal number of games. Mpheni is currently leading the log with thirty-three points from twelve games while Happy Boys is three points behind with thirteen games.
The Venda side is awaiting the DC verdict on their case against Mikhado FC who failed to honour their away game in February due to their alleged team bus accident which happened on the day of the game.
Should the SAFA DC rule in Mpheni’s favour they will be ahead of Happy Boys by six points with only three games left. This means they will only need four points out of the remaining three games to seal the league.
However if the DC decides otherwise Mpheni will then have to win at least two games and draw one to put the league to bed.
Meanwhile, In the relegation zone Modjadjiskloof based Winnerspark have suddenly found themselves in trouble after they were found guilty by the SAFA Disciplinary committee of failing to secure a playable soccer pitch in their home game against Giyani based Emmanuel in October last year.
They were fined R10 000 by the league’s DC and ditched three points. Therefore, Winnerspark is now forced to win or draw at least one of their two remaining games to be completely secure from the relegation quagmire. They are currently in position four with seventeen points from fourteen games while bottom of the log Mikhado has twelve points with the same number of games. Winnerspark boss Robert Mokgola was unhappy with the SAFA DC timing of the verdict. “The matter in question happened last year but the verdict is only released now. I will definitely appeal and will fight even to arbitration. We had made proper arrangements with the Lulekani Municipality only to find the pitch not yet ready in the day of the game” said Mokgola.