The 2024/25 ABC Motsepe League National PlayOffs have seen three teams promoted to the National First Division, but is not as cut and dried.
Gomora United were crowned champions over the weekend at the Lucas Moripe Stadium in Atteridgeville, Pretoria, while the runners-up, The Bees from Mpumalanga, and third-place Midlands Wanderers from KwaZulu-Natal booked their spots in the second tier of South African football.
In going ahead with the playoffs, SAFA disregarded a court order to halt proceedings.
Eastern Cape-based Sinenkani FC filed an urgent application at the East London High Court, challenging SAFA’s decision to exclude teams from their province and Limpopo due to pending legal cases.
“It is a common cause that the ABC Motsepe League National Play Offs commenced 01 July 2025, and day one was concluded successfully,” SAFA stated about a week ago.
“It is also a known fact that currently only seven [7] teams are registered from seven [7] provinces, as both Limpopo and Eastern Cape have outstanding disputes that affect their respective provincial winners.
“Having considered the status of the current disputes in order to protect the integrity of the competition and the names of both the Association and the sponsors, the Competitions Committee met and resolved in accordance with Rule 25.4 as follows:
“1) The competition will continue with seven registered teams, excluding any team from Limpopo and Eastern Cape, as their disputes are not likely to be concluded before the end of the National Play-Offs.”
In response, Sinenkani headed to court, and the matter was heard by East London High Court judge Thembekile Malusi, who ruled on Saturday afternoon, 5 July, that matches from 6pm (on Saturday) have to be halted, as reported by SABC Sport.
“It is ordered that the SAFA national play-off fixtures scheduled for 6pm on 5 July and those on 6 July, or any, shall be stayed pending the finalization of the cases under the above-mentioned case numbers,” Judge Malusi ordered.
In their application, Sinenkani were joined by Kakamas Juventus from Northern Cape—a team that was already part of the national playoffs in Pretoria but felt aggrieved by this decision and the rules that affected them in the middle of the tournament, stated the public broadcaster.
“The national play-off fixture on 5 July 2025, at 15:00, between The Bees FC and The Thames may continue to play, but is subject to the outcome of the Main Review Application under case numbers 301/2025 and 3013/2025,” added Judge Malusi.
“The fixtures from the 2nd of July to the date of the SAFA national play-offs are also subject to the outcome of the Main Review Application, under the same case numbers.”
Despite the court ruling, SAFA resolved behind-the-scenes to continue with the playoffs.
The matter returns to court on 22 July, and SAFA, who are yet to comment, could be in contempt of the court order, and what then becomes of the playoffs remains to be seen.
