SAFA Sekhukhune has delayed the resumption of the Hollywoodbets Sekhukhune Regional Football League due to lack of affiliation from participating football teams.
SAFA Sekhukhune has delayed the resumption of the Hollywoodbets Sekhukhune Regional Football League due to lack of affiliation from participating football teams. The league was scheduled to kick-off on Saturday 16 November 2024 for the 2024/2025 football season, however, the league management was urged to postpone the resumption until further notice because only a few teams affiliated within the league. About 88 football clubs from the four local municipalities in the entire Sekhukhune Region are expected to form four football streams in order to participate in the league. Fifteen football teams from the four sub-regions of Sekhukhune, including Elias Motsoaledi, Ephraim Mogale, Makhuduthamaga and Fetakgomo Tubatse, were promoted to the Hollywoodbets SAFA Sekhukhune Regional Football League in the 2024/2025 football season. Ever since Hollywoodbets taken over as new sponsors of Regional Football Leagues in the country in August 2023, each participating team is compelled to affiliate R3500-00, which according to the teams’ management is becoming difficult to pay the fee due to lack of sponsorships and other financial support. Frank Maredi, Hollywoodbets SAFA Sekhukhune Regional Football League Coordinator, said about 42 teams have paid the affiliation so far. “Out of 88 teams that are expected to take part in the league, only 42 football clubs affiliated. This is the reason the regional executive committee of SAFA decided to delay the start of the league until further notice,” he said. Maredi indicated that the executive committee has noted that some of the teams are unable to affiliate because of lack of sponsors and is currently suggesting to reduce the affiliation fee to R1500-00 to be paid by each club. “However, the executive committee is still going to sit and make final decisions in this regard. The teams will be informed if there are any changes. I cannot confirm anything by now as the committee has to sit and decide,” he said. Maredi advised the teams to try and affiliate immediately after the end of every football league season to avoid similar delays in the future. “We understand that the majority of team owners and coaches operate on a strict limited budget. But we encourage them to try and make other means to pay the affiliation fee earlier than expected. This will give the management enough time to prepare for the league to commence on a scheduled date,” he said. Maredi appealed to local businesses to support the teams and contribute towards shaping talent of future soccer players who might have a dream of playing football in professional level. “For instance, we had four teams pulling out of the league because of lack of sponsors and financial support they needed to keep on taking part within the league. Without sponsorships, it is not easy to fulfil their ambitions. We are hoping that good Samaritans will come on board and help the teams to reach new heights,” he said. Maredi said they are hopeful that the league will commence later this month or earlier in December 2024.
Top Adverts in This Edition
