SAFA RESCHEDULE VODACOM NATIONAL PLAY OFFS:

The South African Football Association (SAFA) has rescheduled the date for the Vodacom National Play offs.

 

The play offs will now kick off on Monday the 25^th  May 2009, and the final match to determine the team that gets promoted to the National First Division is scheduled for Sunday 31^st May 2009. The final will be broadcast live on SABC.

 

SAFA CEO Raymond Hack says the venue for the play offs is not changed - the matches will be played in East London as determined by the Competitions Committee and the match venues are Siza Dukashe Stadium and Jan Smuts Stadium.

 

Hack says the decision to reschedule the plays offs is informed by the resolution of the Competitions Committee taken in their meeting last Thursday, where they pronounced that a public draw for the play offs will only be conducted once the judicial process is concluded, “we took a cue from the resolutions of the Competitions Committee, and based on the updated information from our judiciary, we took a decision to reschedule the play offs to allow the judicial process to run its course, says Hack.

 

The CEO has also instituted an internal enquiry into possible administrative lapses that might have contributed to the delay of processing the cases. The findings of the enquiry will be submitted to the Competitions Committee and the National Executive Committee.

 

Meanwhile four winners from the provinces have already been declared - Eastern Cape will be represented by Blackburn Rovers, United FC is the winner in the Free State; Mpumalanga’s hopes lie with Batau F.C while the Western Cape will be represented by Steenberg United F.C.

 

In endorsing the decision to reschedule the Play Offs, Competitions Committee chairman Mandla Mazibuko says the decision was taken in the interest of all stakeholders, “in the interest of fair play, and in the interest of treating our clubs and members fairly, we ratified the decision to reschedule the play offs, so that when we kick off on the 25^th of May in East London, all administrative matters would have been concluded in the spirit of fairness”; added Mazibuko.