Panyaza Lesufi steps down as president of Swallows FC

03 July 2022 - 18:48

By Marc Strydom

Swallows FC president Panyaza Lesufi celebrates after the team's survival in the DStv Premiership via their promotion relegation playoff win againjst University of Pretoria at Lucas Moripe Stadium on June 15 2022.

Image: Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images Swallows FC president Panyaza Lesufi celebrates after the team's survival in the DStv Premiership via their promotion relegation playoff win againjst University of Pretoria at Lucas Moripe Stadium on June 15 2022.

Panyaza Lesufi has stepped down as president of Swallows FC after his election as Gauteng provincial chair for the ANC.

The Gauteng education MEC was part of a consortium that bought the First Division (NFD) franchise of Maccabi FC in 2019, helping resurrect the Birds after they plunged as far as the third-tier ABC Motsepe League after their relegation from the DStv Premiership in 2014-15.

With my new responsibilities, today, painfully so, I had to resign my position as President of ⁦@Moroka_Swallows⁩. I wish the team well. Don’t follow me follow the birds pic.twitter.com/MxwDywlsEA
— Panyaza Lesufi (@Lesufi) July 3, 2022

Lesufi tweeted on Sunday: “With my new responsibilities, today, painfully so, I had to resign my position as president of Swallows. I wish the team well. Don’t follow me follow the birds.”

Swallows won the 2019-20 NFD title to be promoted back to the top-flight, where they ended the 2020-21 season in sixth position.

In the past campaign Swallows battled and survived relegation via the playoffs.