Executive Update | 16 December 2025

Summary

The Regional Executive Committee held a special meeting on December 16, 2025, primarily to determine the way forward following the recent resignations by Mr Sello Ramabya (Regional Secretary) and Ms Rebecca Morudu (Acting President) over the previous week.

The meeting addressed urgent matters to move the association forward, especially during these difficult times.

Below are some of the outcomes of the meeting.

Resignations

As mentioned, Mr Ramabya and Ms Morudu resigned with immediate effect, effective December 11, 2025.

Mr Ramabya was initially suspended due to issues relating to the safeguarding (or lack thereof) of the association’s bank account, resulting in significant outflow, and possibly theft of funds from the association. The suspension was precautionary, pending further investigations. However, he immediately resigned as the decision to suspend was being taken.

The REC considered these resignations and accepted them, noting that all association assets and inventory, including the bank card, were to be returned. The same will be formally communicated to them and the relevant stakeholders.

Co-opting of the First Vice-President, and Subsequently, the Acting President

Up until her resignation, Ms Morudu was the Acting President of the region. The Regional Statutes demand that in the incapacitation of the President, the First Vice-President must act as the President. Since the resignation, a vacancy in that position has been created, and, by implication, the association was left without an Acting President.

The REC co-opted the Second Vice-President into the First Vice-President role, effectively appointing him as the Acting President while the President remains suspended. This move is critical, as the Acting President must lead the implementation of the Congress’s resolutions. Therefore, Mr Tebogo Matlou is now the Acting President of the Tshwane Regional Football Association.

This leaves the position of the Second Vice-President vacant.

Co-opting of the Regional Secretary

Following the suspension of the Regional Secretary, Mr Sizwe Nkosi was appointed Acting Regional Secretary. However, after the acceptance of the resignation from Mr Ramabya, the REC co-opted Mr Sizwe Nkosi as the Regional Secretary. Therefore, Mr Sizwe Nkosi is now the Regional Secretary of the Tshwane Regional Football Association.

This leaves the position of the Additional Member vacant.

Legitimacy and Compliance of the Association

For far too long, this association has been grappling with re-legitimising itself as a Non-Profit Organisation and Public Benefit Organisation. Since the name change from SAFA Tshwane to Tshwane Regional Football Association in 2024, we have not been able to update the names on our NPO and PBO certificates. This means that the government still knows the organisation as SAFA Tshwane and could face legitimacy problems in future, including when applying for funding. The REC resolved to address this matter urgently. The Regional Secretary will run with that, ensuring that the following is achieved within the next three months:

1. NPO Status is restored in the Tshwane Regional Football Association’s name.
2. PBO Status is restored in the Tshwane Regional Football Association’s name
3. Registration of staff members for UIF, PAYE, and SDL.
4. Establishment of a process for complying with the tax requirements monthly.
5. Establishment of a process for the submission of Organisational Reports and submission to the Department of Social Development and South African Revenue Services.

Strategic Financial Crisis Management Plan

As is the case, TRFA is currently in a financial crisis. It cannot get out of this crisis without a crisis management plan. Two perspectives have been decided upon in the development of this plan: Financial and Marketing, primarily to rescue the association financially and reputationally.

The Financial plan will include austerity measures where necessary, reductions in expenses the association can do without, and optimisation of operations and tighter controls, in compliance with the Finance Policy. The flip side will look at how the association can generate more revenue, including by selling unwanted assets, running high-margin projects such as coaching courses and competitions, seeking more donations, and collecting affiliation and registration fees. The plan will include milestones to be achieved at three, six, and 12 months.

The plan will be ready for the REC’s consideration and approval in a week.

Strategic Marketing Crisis Management Plan

The REC considered a Marketing Crisis Management Plan, which focuses on tailored stakeholder messaging, including the following stakeholders:

• Affiliates (LFAs, Association Members, and Clubs)
• Mother bodies (SAFA | Gauteng Football Association | Tshwane Sports Confederation)
• Sponsors (Shaka Sports | Gauteng Department of Sports, Arts, Culture, & Recreation)
• Staff & Internal bodies and officials
• Public & Football Followers in the whole of the City of Tshwane

Each of these stakeholders has its unique concerns, each of which must be addressed appropriately.

In addition to the above, the association will ensure that the following narratives are maintained:

• Creation of the Single Source of Truth for matters related to TRFA, making it transparent and accessible to all stakeholders.
• Sustenance of a Business-as-Usual image, ensuring that football does not suffer because of this crisis. All spheres must continue to operate as usual or better: the Technical, operational, administrative, governance, and leadership spheres.
• Improvement and Modernisation of the functions that require attention, especially those that led to the crisis we have experienced in the last couple of months.

The marketing plan will include the following milestones:

• Damage control (December 2025),
• Confidence building (January – February 2026)
• Road to Congress (February 2026)

During this period, we will be aggressively making use of the following channels in the implementation of the plan:

• A website is the source of truth to the public.
• Facebook is the orchestration of the truth to the public.
• WhatsApp Groups, for the focused groups of interest.
• Emails, Letters and Memos, to the Members, Stakeholders, and Mother bodies

This update serves as one of the elements of this marketing plan.

Our stakeholders are requested to assist us in making this happen. It is not for us, but for the love of football, for the love of Tshwane, for the love of its youth.

TRFA Staff

The Senior Administration, currently suspended on full pay, has a long-term contract with the association. The two other administrators’ contracts expire at the end of December 2025. However, the REC has approved the extension of their contract for another twelve months, until December 2026.

Their contract will factor in the regulatory compliance requirements, such as UIF, PAYE, etc.

The REC would further like to thank the staff, including the Senior Administrator, for their dedication to the association’s work during the difficult period, even when they were not paid. They are currently experiencing a backpay backlog due to partial payments for their September, October, and November 2025 salaries.  

The REC has resolved to effect payments for their December salaries by the end of this week and to clear the backlog by the end of December 2025 or early January 2026, as we source external assistance.  The REC would like to extend its deep regret that this situation has come to this point, affecting their livelihood.

Conditional Grants to the Local Football Association

The Shaka Sports NPC sponsorship has given us an opportunity to, for the first time in many years, disburse grants to the LFAs. This is a development of significan impact in supporting football at grassroots level. In addition to others, one of our most essential obligations is to, while ensure that football plays at the LFA, also to support the LFAs financially.

Shaka Sports NPC has already deposited half of the annual injection to our bank account, which was also affected by the theft in question. However, the association must still filfil its obligations in paying the LFA Grants.

This week, together with the staff, we will be consolidating the information about the LFA reports, create a report, and submit to the Financial Task Team that is finalising the Financial Crisis Management Plan, and we should be able to annount exactly exactly when will these grants be paid.

We shall also seek audience with Shaka Sports NPC as we unwind these plans, to seek continued support.

Bank Signatories

Since Mr Ramabya and Ms Morudu’s resignation, and Mr Xulu’s suspension, all of whom are bank signatories, none of the active members of the REC has access to the bank. However, with their resignations, they offered to enable smooth transitions on matters such as these.

Ms Morudu will hand over the bank card this week.

The REC has appointed new bank signatories and will change the signatories at the bank this week.

The Pending Reinstatement of the TRFA President

The REC acknowledged the resolutions adopted and the concerns raised at the Congress of November 22 and is committed to implementing them as resolved.

The REC will continue preparing for the reinstatement of the association’s President, Mr Mohlabeng, and will expedite this. It must ensure that in implementing this resolution, there are no blind spots. On December 11, the CEO of SAFA sent to the REC an email with the minutes of the previous SAFA Congress (13 April 2024), reporting the following:

… reported that Mr Solly Mohlabeng, together with Ms Ria Ledwaba, lodged a case at the Pretoria High Court disputing the 2022 SAFA elections outcome 15, and they lost this case, and the costs were awarded in favour of SAFA. … further reported that Mr Mohlabeng was suspended for taking the Association to court. Resorting to the courts of law in resolving football matters is a contravention of the SAFA and FIFA Statutes.

With resolution eight, reading as follows:

The Congress confirmed the suspension of Mr Solly Mohlabeng because he violated the SAFA Statutes. The Congress instructed the Association to take further disciplinary action against Mr Mohlabeng…

In her email, the CEO reported that

According to our legal team, they are waiting for the availability of a senior counsel who will lead the disciplinary hearing – lately, he has been engaged at the Madlanga Commission. Until the disciplinary hearing is completed and there is a decision on this matter, we are unable to advise the NEC on the matter.

The above clearly indicates the need for further engagement with SAFA, which the REC is preparing for. However, as discussed, the REC agrees with the Congress, that no one organisation shall have the right to suspend a sitting President of another organisation from their position. Of course, SAFA can suspend a person from SAFA’s own events, but not from their positions outside of SAFA. And of course, SAFA has the power to ban people from football overall, including from their own positions in their own organisations, but that must come as an outcome of a disciplinary process, not a suspension by the NEC.

The REC will deal with this matter appropriately.

Converting the Regional Secretary Roles to Regional Executive Officer

We are excited about the prospect of converting the RS role to an REO. This means we will be able to employ a competent individual to run the organisation full-time and no longer receive half-baked outcomes and reports due to the part time nature of the RS role. This shall help us truly institutionalise this association and ensure that its primary role is to run football at the highest possible levels of standards.

Of course, this comes during a period of financial distress, but with the association’s resolve, it will happen.

To the next Congress, one of the documents to be submitted for adoption is the Human Resources Management Policy. While focusing on professionalising the management of employees, including salary brackets, performance management, leaves, staff development, staff discipline, recruitment and onboarding, it will also include the appointment of standing and ad-hoc committees, ensuring transparency and inclusivity. It is this policy that will enable the appointment of the REO when the time comes and the restructuring of the office staff.

Preparation for the Extraordinary Congress

Firstly, the REC would like to thank the members for allowing the previous Congress to take place on November 22. It was critical. The REC will work hard to convene the Extraordinary Congress on February 20, 2025.

The following preparations are underway:

• Facilitating the correction of the Previous Congress minutes, which were not adopted at the Congress.
• Facilitating the correction/redrafting of the Organisational Annual Report for 2024/25.
• Facilitating the completion of the Income Statement and Balance Sheet for 2024/25.
• Facilitating the completion of the Audited Financial Statements for 2024/25.
• Facilitating the finalisation of the multi-year Budget (2025 – 2028)
• Facilitating the recommendation for the appointment of the new auditors
• Preparation of the documentation to start facilitating the change of the secretary role to that of the REO

By the time we get to the Congress, the matter relating to Mr Xulu’s suspension should have been finalised. We are also working to ensure that the suspensions of the President and the Third Vice President will be resolved by then.

Policy Workshop

The REC will conduct the Policy Workshop before the end of February 2026, ensuring that the problems encountered this year, especially financial ones, never recur. But the workshop will also include administrative elements, such as communication and the admission-of-guilt process.

Vacancies in the REC

After the co-opting of the First Vice-President and the Regional Secretary, two vacancies were created: the Second Vice-President and the Additional REC Member. The REC discussed these and considered some options, ensuring that the co-opting process takes into account skills, capability, capacity, and willingness to serve. The discussions in this regard are at an advanced stage and will be concluded next week. By the end of next week, the REC will be fully capacitated, except for the President and the Third Vice-President, who remain suspended. However, as mentioned, the REC is working to ensure finality on the suspension of the President and the Third Vice President before the next Congress (28 February 2026).

Conclusion

We continue to work tirelessly to redeem the association. Our Financial Crisis Management Plan will provide a navigation plan to a green point, while our Marketing Crisis Management Plan will connect us with all of you throughout this navigation. We move with resolve, but we need your support.

Those of you who have been turned against us the individuals, may you consider the institution, our football, and that we need a healthy association to run it. May we, at this point, invite you to say, and internalise this with us:

“For the Love of Football, For the Love of Tshwane the Capital, For the Love of its Youth, the future!”