Sundowns and Stellies escape PSL punishment on Anele Ngconcga honour issue

Mamelodi Sundowns and Stellenbosch escaped punishment on Monday after they were found not guilty by the Premier Soccer League's (PSL) disciplinary committee (DC) on charges of interrupting a match when they honoured defender Anele Ngconcga last year.

The Brazilians and Stellenbosch were hauled before the DC to explain the circumstances that led to their players participating in what was a widely applauded gesture at the time.

An insider close to the developments confirmed to TimesLIVE that Sundowns and Stellenbosch won their cases after they appeared in front of the PSL DC on Monday afternoon.

“We are pleased that sanity prevailed and the right decision was made in the circumstances‚” said Sundowns senior official Yogesh Singh.

The match was temporarily stopped in the 16th minute as players‚ coaches and match officials clapped hands in honour of Ngcongca, who died in a car accident in KwaZulu-Natal a few days earlier.

It is not known if Sundowns will face another sanction later as their league match against Chippa United recently was stopped in the second minute to remember former Bafana Bafana defender Motjeka Madisha.

The defender‚ who died in a car accident in December‚ wore the No. 2 shirt.

The circumstances are a little bit different as the ball had gone out of play when players and officials stood up to applaud in the second minute.