Midrand Local Football Association’s scathing attack on CoJ’s Sports and Recreation Department

The planned tournament, which was scheduled to commence on September 30, has had to be cancelled by the Midrand Local Football Association.

This comes after the association launched a scathing attack on City’s Sports and Recreation Department saying the soccer tournament falls outside the LFA’s structures.

However, the ongoing LQBTIQ Legacy games were a concern to the association chairperson Sthembiso Buthelezi who accused CoJ of endorsing this tournament without an alternative venue.

Buthelezi added the association was the only custodian of soccer in the Midrand area. “We had multiple meetings with the City of Joburg’s Sports and Recreation management, which is under the leadership of Mandla Mahlangu and the resolution was that no sporting activity shall be granted permission by the Sport and Recreation without being endorsed by the Midrand LFA. However, we are surprised and deeply disappointed by recent developments,” he said.

The tournament was going to be played at the Rabie Ridge Stadium every weekend for a month. Buthelezi argued that if this goes ahead, it will negatively affect and block the football development programmes in the Midrand area.

“The U13 to U19 leagues for both girls and boys will be affected by the tournament that will run for four weeks. The tournament meant over 20 000 members of the SAFA LFA will be left stranded, with no alternative field or place to conclude the football development in the Midrand area, as Rabie Ridge Stadium is the only formal facility to accommodate SAFA events in the area”.

Attempts to get Mahlangu’s comment proved futile as he referred us to Mbulelo Bezu who did not respond to the paper. The paper contacted Nkosana Lekotjolo, City spokesperson, who referred us to Dr Karabo Semenya who also did not respond to the allegations.

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