New Safa acting chief executive Tebogo Matlanthe not afraid to change things

Newly appointed SA Football Association (Safa) acting chief executive Tebogo Motlanthe has said that one of the urgent plans in his list of things to do is for the safe return of the sport at amateur level.

Football in the 52 regions of Safa has not been spared by the outbreak of the Covid-19 outbreak and it has brought sport to a screeching halt worldwide.

Motlanthe said they are working on a strategy to ensure that they comply with safety protocols prescribed by the Department of Health when government ultimately gives the go-ahead for football to return post the coronavirus crisis.

Safa's handling of these allegations are crucial as the ABC Motsepe League‚ the Safa Regional Leagues and the Local Football Associations (LFAs) are known for facing allegations of corruption.

“All issues are critical currently given the fact that football is not playing but the most critical thing for us together with other general managers is to come up with a program which will address issues relating to our amateurs when they come back to play‚” said Motlanthe‚ who replaced Gay Mokoena as the organisation’s chief executive last week.

Motlanthe said their proposals will be handed over to the Safa National Executive Committee (NEC) and when it’s approved they will go ahead to inform the clubs and implement.

“Our general manager Mzwandile Maforvane has already started a document to deal with this issue but in terms of organisational protocol it must first go to the NEC and after it is approved we can then share it with the outside world.

“We have been working in ensuring that there is a strategy in checking all possibilities that, once government advices that it is safe to continue with football, we are in a position to continue.

"But like I said‚ that process must first go through competitions committee and then to the NEC‚” he said adding‚ that Safa has the capacity to roll out their plan.

“At ABC Motsepe and our regional leagues‚ we have a plan and man power.

"We have 52 regions and that is where the regional league football takes place.

"At ABC Motsepe‚ it was already at an advanced stage. For now we are saying health first and the rest will follow.

''We are not resting our arms‚ there is work taking place behind closed doors. You don’t want to communicate with clubs before you communicate with the NEC because those are the principals and decision makers.”