The South African Football Association (Safa) has started to put all the processes into motion following the letter from the minister of sport, arts and culture Nathi Mthethwa, explaining all procedures on the return to football and play.
This comes after the ministry of sport issued the guidelines and protocols for the resumption of contact sport training last week. Professional football clubs under the auspices for the overarching football body, the National Soccer League (NSL) and its professional wing, the Premier Soccer League (PSL) started their training programmes this week.
The PSL also announced that it has earmarked the end of August to wrap up the Premiership league championship curtailed by the spread of the deadly Coronavirus since the declaration of the national lockdown more than three months ago.
Safa announced in a statement released on its website today that it has “thereby appointed Dr Thulani Ngwenya and Mr Mlungisi Ncame as Compliance Officers to oversee the entire process as prescribed by the correspondence from the Minister, who requested that Safa oversees the whole process on return to training and play.”
Part of the letter from the Ministry reads: “The sport body (Safa) must assume full responsibility for the safety and security of its members, staff and athletes in curbing the spread of COVID-19; and ensure that all its members comply with the provisions of these Directions, Regulations and any other applicable legislation;
A sport body (Safa) and its affiliate members are jointly and severally responsible for any claim for damages or negligence arising as a result of failure to take reasonable measures in curbing the spread of COVID-19.
“Dr Ngwenya and Mr Ncame as well as Safa CEO Advocate Tebogo Motlanthe, will be meeting with the National Soccer League (NSL) to discuss the logistics and implementation of the compliance requirements as set out in the compliance protocol put together by the Joint Liaison Committee (JLC) and approved by the government.”
Safa said it was this document that will guide the return to training and play processes.
“Safa has already forwarded the response and directive from the Minister and subsequent Safa’s approval response to FIFA as required by football practices.
“Meanwhile, Safa will await the PSL meeting scheduled for Thursday, and for the Special Member’s input before rolling out the entire process”.
