SEDIBENG.- This cup competition will continue this coming weekend with the semi-finals and final being held to produce a team that will represent Sedibeng in the inter provincial Nedbank Cup. However, this Nedbank Cup saw only 14 teams taking part as some of the teams submitted their documents late.

This was revealed to Sedibeng Ster Sport by the Safa Sedibeng Regional Chief Executive Officer Beauty Molisi. The teams used a format because of the late submission of the forms as they failed to meet the deadline. However, Molise told Sedibeng Ster Sport that they will make sure that a team that will represent Sedibeng at the Nedbank Cup inter provincial will have cards. Speaking to Sedibeng Ster Sport, Molise said that the teams were requested to submit their documents but some of them failed to meet their deadlines hence they were forced to use playing documents, in the form of forms. This is despite the SAFA uniform rules of ‘no card, no play’ rule which at one stage declared the Safa Sedibeng SAB League null and void.

Sedibeng Ster Sport has learned that some of the Safa Sedibeng SAB League teams that were not participating in the Nedbank Cup raised this concern of using playing forms instead of cards for the Nedbank Cup taking into consideration what transpired last season when Arbitration declared Safa Sedibeng SAB League null and void. Molise, however, said teams must sometimes carry the blame because they were requested to submit forms in time for cards but missed out the deadline.

“When we came back from voluntary leave we had to prepare for play-offs and we also received correspondence from province for the Nedbank Cup games. In my absence the Safa Sedibeng Vice President, Mr Motsepe had already ordered the teams to submit their documents which some did and others failed to meet deadline. This is the reason why we were forced to use forms for the Nedbank Cup games.”

Sedibeng Ster Sport has learned that some of the teams even called Safa Sedibeng President, Solly Mkhabela to raise their concerns about the teams playing in the Nedbank Cup without cards. One of those officials was NWU Vaal Football Manager, Thomas Thema who said that he was trying to save the situation to avoid what happened last season when Safa Sedibeng SAB was declared null and avoid.

“My only concern is that we do not make the same mistakes we made last season when our league was declared null and void. We can’t be seen doing the same mistakes of playing without cards because SAFA  rules are clear, ‘No card, no play’. But the rule makers are doing the opposite of what is supposed to be the case,” said Thema.