Teams affiliated with the Safa Vhembe Regional League have until the end of this month to pay their affiliation fees to renew their membership with the association for the upcoming season. This was announced during the association's general meeting held at the Thulamela Library Hall last Saturday.
According to the association's programme of action, the opening league matches for the new season will be played over the weekend of 7 and 8 October. When presenting the association's abridged report for the previous soccer season, the general secretary, Mr Samuel Matodzi, said that the association was concerned about the increasing number of abandoned games in each soccer season.
The report indicates that five match officials, namely Odis Moyana, Dion Mphuma, Walter Khuzwayo, Isaiah Motsuku, and Chris Mugeri, were suspended from officiating in the association's games for periods ranging from six to 12 months. Mr Matodzi highlighted that the league's disciplinary committee had dealt with 62 cases of misconduct last season. The cases ranged from assault on match officials and fielding improperly registered players to the abandonment of games and late arrival at league matches.
Mr Matodzi warned the teams to refrain from taking part in tournaments without the association's approval. He said that a number of clubs would soon be charged with misconduct for participating in tournaments over the past months without the league's approval.
Mr Matodzi also stated that the association had failed to promote a team to the ABC Motsepe League after Mukula Young Santos could not make the grade in the provincial promotional playoff tournament, which had been staged at the Nkowankowa Stadium in Tzaneen last month. He stressed that the Thulamela Local Football association was still under suspension.