High Court clears way for Motsepe Foundation Championship kick-off

Sinenkani, based in Bizana, Eastern Cape, applied to the court to have July’s play-offs in Tshwane set aside after their province and Limpopo were excluded due to unresolved legal disputes. 

The club further sought to have the South African Football Association’s decision to proceed with the competition reviewed and overturned.

In a ruling delivered on Thursday, a full bench of three judges — Acting Deputy Judge Presidents Bulelwa Pakati and Buyiswa Majiki, along with Judge Sunil Rugunanan — dismissed the application in its entirety. 

The judgment further secured the promotions of Gomora United (Gauteng), The Bees (Mpumalanga) and Midlands Wanderers (KwaZulu-Natal) to the Motsepe Foundation Championship.

PREVIOUSLY: Sinenkani FC left in limbo as court ruling delay clouds NFD kickoff

Sinenkani were also ordered to pay the costs of several respondents.

“The applicant, Sinenkani, shall pay the first, second, third, fourth, eighth, and ninth respondents’ costs in respect of their opposition to such relief. Such costs are to include the costs of two counsel, where so employed,” the order stated.

However, the court partly upheld Sinenkani’s application by declaring SAFA, the ABC Motsepe League in the Eastern Cape, SAFA’s Competitions Committee, and SAFA Chief Operations Officer Advocate Tebogo Motlanthe in contempt of court.

This stemmed from SAFA’s decision to press ahead with the play-offs in spite of an interim order from Judge Malusi in the East London High Court directing that the competition be halted, pending finalisation of outstanding legal proceedings.

The Makhanda High Court fined SAFA structures R200,000 each, wholly suspended for 12 months on condition of no further contempt. 

Advocate Motlanthe was sentenced to 90 days’ imprisonment, suspended for 12 months under the same condition.

“The first, second and third respondents are declared to be in contempt of court of paragraph 12 of the court order by Judge Malusi on 5 July 2025, only in respect of the play-off fixtures for 6 July 2025,” the order further read.

“The fourth respondent, Advocate Tebogo Motlanthe, is held to be guilty of contempt of court for failure to comply with paragraph 12 of the order given by Judge Malusi and is sentenced to a period of imprisonment of 90 days, suspended for 12 months on condition that he is not found guilty again of contempt of court during the period of suspension.”

The three-judge panel said full reasons for their ruling would be released on 8 September 2025.