Sturu Pasiya slams SAFA over maladministration in ABC Motsepe League

Pasiya says the South African Football Association (SAFA) is failing football development in the country by not paying clubs what is due to them.

A veteran football administrator, who previously served in the Premier Soccer League (PSL) Executive Committee, Pasyia says the issue of non-payments and no longer receiving kits despite their annual affiliation is a big concern.

"One of the most critical parts is the non-payment of grants – I won't even call them grants, allowances – that we get from SAFA on a yearly basis," said Pasiya.

"I think the last time, if my memory serves me correctly when we were paid was in 2019 or 2020, and after we complained bitterly – that's number one.

"Number two, when this national league started, we were supplied with two sets of kits [per team], and that's no longer happening."

SABC Sport has since learned there’s a strong possibility the Motsepe Foundation’s sponsorship of the national league will not be renewed due to their dissatisfaction with it's running. 

Among the issues for this is the non-payment of clubs, despite SAFA having already received the money from the Foundation, and Pasiya says he’s tried to reach out to the Motsepe family but his attempts have so far been fruitless.

"I did try to reach out, unfortunately, the CAF president [Patrice Motsepe] has not been prepared to have an ear to my concerns, and the concerns of some of the teams," he added.

"Definitely, nobody would be happy when there are no billboards, no clear association between the sponsor and the clubs, no value created for the sponsor, or anything.

"I mean, SAFA just gets the money and chows it as it feels like, and as I've said, football clubs are funding SAFA, in fact, not even indirectly [but] directly."