SAFA national office has confirmed the suspension of EL Central LFA president, Gavin van Rooyen, and advised him his next option was through the appeal process.
In an email sent to Van Rooyen by Tebogo Motlanthe of the football body’s headquarters legal department, the LFA’s suspended president was also told to follow the directive and instructions” of the body that suspended him – Safa-Buffalo City.
Van Rooyen hit back: “The correspondence from Mr Motlante informs us that we must adhere to the directives and instructions of the region ‘as stipulated in the region's statute’. That’s exactly our problem.
“The region’s directives is contravening the statutes but we cannot blindly adhere to demands that flouts our constutional rights.”
Safa-BC president Prince Sibam last week provided Motlanthe with a written ruling suspending Van Rooyen which the latter claims was delivered by hand to the former at least three times. The ruling is dated November 24 2014.
However, Van Rooyen insists that Safa-BC never delivered it to him until they mailed it to Motlanthe.
Van Rooyen maintains that the alleged deliveries are just a “bunch of lies”. He was initially suspended last June after he was found guilty on several charges against him by the Safa-BC disciplinary committee.
He was handed a two-year suspension in all football activities but his sentence was suspended for five years provided he complied with seven measures that were imposed on him by the DC.
One of the measures was that he confirms in writing as to who gave him contents of an SMS he allegedly sent to Safa-BC leadership last January. According to the “November” DC ruling seen by the Dispatch, Van Rooyen complied with six measures except the aforementioned one.
Part of the ruling reads: “The disciplinary committee rejects the author of the email as stated by the respondent” after Van Rooyen allegedly claimed in January 2014 that “I received the SMS from Xolani Bishoti.”
Van Rooyen is adamant this was fabricated to damage his reputation.
“This is a fabrication. I never sent out such an SMS. In my opinion I complied as per what was submitted to me in June 2014.
“Why was my letter of apology only ruled against in October last year when my suspension supposedly took effect four months later?” he asked.
Meanwhile, the LFA secretary, Burton Brown took to social media to vent his anger at Safa-BC.
Brown updated on Facebook: “When competent people who administered soccer way back (were) forced out due to racial politics and then incompetent people took over the end results is total chaos and long term effects are evident today!”
The warring parties were expected to meet last night. However, Van Rooyen said: “At the presidential forum we hosted on Friday all LFA clubs agreed not to attend and we shall continue with our Easter event.” — mawandem@dispatch.co.za
War of words erupts over top official’s suspension
In an email sent to Van Rooyen by Tebogo Motlanthe of the football body’s headquarters legal department, the LFA’s suspended president was also told to follow the directive and instructions” of the body that suspended him – Safa-Buffalo City.
Van Rooyen hit back: “The correspondence from Mr Motlante informs us that we must adhere to the directives and instructions of the region ‘as stipulated in the region's statute’. That’s exactly our problem.
“The region’s directives is contravening the statutes but we cannot blindly adhere to demands that flouts our constutional rights.”
Safa-BC president Prince Sibam last week provided Motlanthe with a written ruling suspending Van Rooyen which the latter claims was delivered by hand to the former at least three times. The ruling is dated November 24 2014.
However, Van Rooyen insists that Safa-BC never delivered it to him until they mailed it to Motlanthe.
Van Rooyen maintains that the alleged deliveries are just a “bunch of lies”. He was initially suspended last June after he was found guilty on several charges against him by the Safa-BC disciplinary committee.
He was handed a two-year suspension in all football activities but his sentence was suspended for five years provided he complied with seven measures that were imposed on him by the DC.
One of the measures was that he confirms in writing as to who gave him contents of an SMS he allegedly sent to Safa-BC leadership last January. According to the “November” DC ruling seen by the Dispatch, Van Rooyen complied with six measures except the aforementioned one.
Part of the ruling reads: “The disciplinary committee rejects the author of the email as stated by the respondent” after Van Rooyen allegedly claimed in January 2014 that “I received the SMS from Xolani Bishoti.”
Van Rooyen is adamant this was fabricated to damage his reputation.
“This is a fabrication. I never sent out such an SMS. In my opinion I complied as per what was submitted to me in June 2014.
“Why was my letter of apology only ruled against in October last year when my suspension supposedly took effect four months later?” he asked.
Meanwhile, the LFA secretary, Burton Brown took to social media to vent his anger at Safa-BC.
Brown updated on Facebook: “When competent people who administered soccer way back (were) forced out due to racial politics and then incompetent people took over the end results is total chaos and long term effects are evident today!”
The warring parties were expected to meet last night. However, Van Rooyen said: “At the presidential forum we hosted on Friday all LFA clubs agreed not to attend and we shall continue with our Easter event.” — mawandem@dispatch.co.za
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