Zola Majavu responds to Cape Town Spurs over Moroka Swallows case

As revealed by SABC Sport, the Mother City outfit sent a strongly worded letter this week calling for Moroka Swallows to be expelled from the topflight division after forcing the League to call off two fixtures last month.  

Spurs addressed the seven-page document to the PSL executive committee, Majavu, all 31 clubs in the franchise as well as the South African Football Players’ Union and argued their concerns were shared by some of their rivals. 

The bottom of the DStv Premiership table side are of the view a points deduction or fine will not be sufficient punishment for Swallows, who have “made a mockery” out of one of the best league’s in the world. 

Under pressure from players who were demanding December salaries early and refusing to play until payment was made, the Dube Birds requested the clash against Mamelodi Sundowns be cancelled just hours before kick-off. 

The match between Swallows and Golden Arrows a few days later was also abandoned as precaution. 

Majavu has charged the Dube Birds and had set the hearing date for today, 11 January – but the prosecutor has now informed Spurs they cannot influence his or the decisions to be taken by an independent panel.  

READ: Cape Town Spurs call for the PSL to expel Moroka Swallows

“I appreciate the submissions insofar as they relate to me, and am not averse to members expressing their views which have a bearing on how I should execute my mandate in accordance with the NSL handbook. I am accountable to the League, which is why, and in fairness to the Executive Committee, I report monthly on my duties and only to the extent of case management and ensuring that undue delays are avoided at all material times,” wrote Majavu. 

“At no stage has it ever been suggested or intimated to me how I should execute my mandate. I assume this is precisely because of the recognition of the independence of the Office I was appointed by the members to occupy. In this matter, I independently decided to prefer charges of misconduct against Moroka Swallows FC, after receipt and perusal of various documentation at my disposal, and in the ordinary course of the execution of my duty as a prosecutor. In so doing, I placed reliance on the applicable rules, as contained in the NSL handbook and in the result, the matter is due to be adjudicated upon by the PSL Disciplinary Committee, which is an independent judicial body of the League on 11 January 2024.” 

Majavu’s email response was also lengthy, but in summary, the attorney reiterated his duty to follow the laws of the game in dealing with the Swallows matter but was not under any obligation to share his submissions.