The ongoing battle between the South African Football Association (SAFA) and Sinenkani Football Club from Mbizana, Eastern Cape, is now heading to the Gauteng High Court. This was confirmed by Sinenkani FC spokesperson Lixolile Petela in an interview with The Informer. Petela stated that the club has instructed its legal team to file papers on Wednesday to interdict SAFA’s decision to exclude Eastern Cape from participating in the ABC Motsepe League National Playoffs.
According to Petela, the club received a letter from SAFA on Wednesday morning informing them of the decision to exclude both Eastern Cape and Limpopo provinces from the 2025 National Playoffs, which began on the 1st of July.
A letter seen by The Informer, dated 01 July 2025 and signed by SAFA Acting Chief Executive Officer, Adv. Tebogo Motlanthe, states:
“It is common cause that the ABC Motsepe League National Play Offs commenced today, 01 July 2025 and day one was concluded successfully. It is also a known fact that currently only seven teams are registered from seven provinces as both Limpopo and Eastern Cape have outstanding disputes which affect their respective provincial winners.
Having considered the status of the current disputes and in order to protect the integrity of the competition and the names of both the Association and the sponsors, the competition committee met and resolved in accordance with rule 25.4 as follows:
The competition will continue with registered seven teams excluding any team from Limpopo and Eastern Cape as their disputes are not likely to be concluded before the end of the National Play Offs.”
The letter arrived just as Sinenkani FC was celebrating a legal victory in the High Court of South Africa, Makhanda, Eastern Cape Division, in a separate matter against SAFA. That case related to a disputed match result from a fixture against Ravens FC in January 2025.
In that ruling, the court found in favour of Sinenkani FC and declared:
“The match played at Mphuthumi Mafumbatha Stadium as irregular, invalid, unlawful, and in violation of Rule 30.1 of the SAFA Competition Uniform Rules.
The decider match played at Rhodes University on the 2nd of June 2025 is declared void.
The points accumulated on that match are forfeited without being awarded to any team in terms of Rule 19.11.8.
First, second and fifth respondents are to pay all the costs of the application.”
Petela maintains that, from Sinenkani’s perspective, there are no outstanding disputes involving the Eastern Cape’s representative in the playoffs. “On our side as Sinenkani FC, we have no knowledge of any pending disputes because the matter was finalized yesterday by Judge Malusi of the East London High Court. We are now awaiting to play our fixture,” he concluded
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