Gomora boss unapologetic after Highlands Park’s 62-point drop and relegation

Highlands Park, a former Premier Soccer League (PSL) club, won the ABC Motsepe League in Gauteng and were expected to represent the province in the national playoffs. 

The Lions of the North were docked a hefty 62 points after they were found guilty of playing Nigerian attacker Franklin Ogbonna, using fraudulent visa documents. Setenane says this is a harsh lesson for Highlands.

"It is not difficult because at the end of the day football runs with the rules. You must face, it might sound difficult but you ask yourself, what about all those teams that benefitted the points unlawfully so,” Setenane said. 

“Was it fair for the other teams? It wasn't fair, so they gained those points unfairly. So, it was only the justice for the league to say, no guys you have gained these points illegally, so we are taking the points. 

“It's only fair. After this I don't think there's anyone that's going to register a player without doing a proper investigation on that player. Even if he was playing for you last season, you must still go and make proper research about the player."

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Ogbonna was found guilty of using fraudulent study and general work visas while playing for Highlands Park in the third tier of South African football. 

Speaking to SABC Sport on the sidelines of the national playoffs draw, Setenane explained how they found out about Ogbonna and followed up on bringing him and his club into the book.

"On the 24th of January when we played Highlands at Alexander Stadium, I wasn't sure about the case but my colleagues, the likes of Mr Makhaya, the likes of Sechaba Masina, they are the that came up with this thing and they just said to me, manager please make sure that you put the protest. I did ask for what? 

“They said, no we'll communicate about that, just put the protest, I said no because these are my people, they cannot just say something out of nothing. So, I respected the position and that's exactly what I did. 

“Then from there we started doing the research about this player, following this player and eventually we were right. In everything we did, we were right as a team.

“It's two things that are fraudulent there, number one he's not studying at the school that he claims to be at, he's not studying there. 

“Secondly, the visa that he uses is a fake, so this guy as we speak now, he's not even supposed to be in the country. So, it's two things, visa and the student permit and the Home Affairs, they did approve that, they don't know this guy. 

“The school that he claims to attend, they did give us the report, even SAFA they got the report, that they didn't know him at the school that he claimed to be attending."