Executive Update | 22 December 2025

The REC had decided that, during this transition, amid a storm brought on by the financial crisis, the committee would meet weekly to reduce the gap between its decisions and their implementation. The meeting of the 21^st of December was one of those weekly meetings, the last one having been on the 16^th of December.

Back to GREEN Initiative

The REC discussed and acknowledged the crisis it finds itself in, and decided to raise its profile and that of its stakeholders. Under normal circumstances, information is highly confidential, leaving stakeholders to judge based on appearances. However, when hit by a crisis such as the one we are currently experiencing, the level of confidentiality of information gets lowered, transparency is elevated, trust is earned through honesty, and at times, stakeholders walk with us when they know more about our situation, and when they are taken into confidence about what we are doing.

Because there would also be more people who would see us fail, it becomes even more critical for us to control the narrative, honestly so, about our situation, than to let people freely peddle lies about our situation.

We still say, nothing about us without us. Even more, anything about us is only authentic if it comes from us. And the gap between lies and the truth must be closed by us as soon as it comes out, but responsibly so.

So, the REC decided that we will keep the dashboard commentary about our crisis, where we are at any given point, where the movements are, and take our stakeholders with us as we make that progress.

We will keep an updated dashboard pinned to all posts on this website, including this one, just below the Facebook updates. On a computer or tablet, this will appear on the right side of the post; on mobile phones, it will appear below the post, below the Facebook widget. So, if any stakeholders want to see the updated dashboard, they can open any post and see it.

The dashboard will be updated weekly after the Office Staff Meetings and the REC Meetings.

We will add more views from next week to include other areas of concern. However, the dashboard will be displayed only until the end of March 2026, by which time we believe most of the issues will have been resolved.

We hope and trust that as we navigate our way out of the crisis, we will automatically inspire our LFAs and mother bodies to learn from this and always remember that this is not about us, but about the country’s most loved sport, football. Sweeping problems and challenges under the carpet is not the solution; in fact, it is the fuel that could later ignite fires, keeping organisations on shaky ground even when it seems all is running fine.

Our Back to Green Initiative will be a constant reminder of our Love for Football, our Love for Tshwane, and our Love for its Youth.

Let’s keep on moving together.

Financial Crisis Management Plan?

REC learnt through the Treasurer that the TRFA debt rabbit hole runs deeper than anticipated. There are some people and organisations that the association owes, which were not known by the REC, and yet are legitimate. Conversely, many more people and organisations have been paid from the external account and could claim they were not paid. In fact, the REC had caught wind of correspondence sent during the crisis, claiming to be owed, but on deeper analysis, it turned out to be false.

The REC resolved to meet with Mr Percy Coetzee as soon as he is available to discuss mainly two things: this and seeking assistance on who was paid and who was not, so that we can streamline our debts as part of defining our crisis management plan. Mr Coetzee will avail himself for this exercise after the 5^th of January 2026.

However, anyone who is reading this article and is owed by the association, kindly write to info@thswanerfa.org.za and provide us with the details of the transaction(s). We will still verify and validate the information. However, your communication will be appreciated.

Conditional Grants

The REC mentioned that it will prioritise payment of the Conditional Grants to the LFAs. This is part of its obligations to both the LFAs and the Shaka Sports contract.

Just a reminder: on the 7th of February 2025, the then Regional Secretary, Mr Sello Ramabya, communicated the inception of the conditional grants, following inroads made with Shaka Sports.

The arrangements and conditions were as follows:

1. The grants will be allocated conditionally, ensuring they match the volume and effort required to run football in the local areas.
2. The grant will be allocated only to the prizes and the award ceremony, up to a maximum of R20 000,00 per affiliate Member.
3. The allocation will be made in accordance with the following proportions:

Should an LFA also have the Under 19 Boys League, and an additional R3 000,00 will be allocated over and above the standard allocation.

The conditions of the allocation are as follows:

1. All leagues must have no fewer than six teams.
2. All leagues must run a minimum of two rounds.
3. No player must be permitted to play in more than one league.
4. All leagues must commence no later than 1 April.
5. All leagues must complete no later than 30 October.
6. All leagues must be adequately and promptly administered, and the league reports must be sent to the region weekly, every Tuesday, or the link to the administered leagues must be shared with the area for the region to check weekly.
7. All cases must be heard promptly by the appropriate disciplinary structure or panel. Delayed cases that affect the league’s on-time conclusion will disqualify the league from allocation.
8. Prizes to be awarded no later than the first week of December.
9. The region must be invited to the prize award ceremonies to confirm the display of football, photoshoots, and reporting back to the sponsor.

We have received letters of completion for some of the LFAs’ leagues and invitations to the award ceremonies from others. Congratulations to all those LFAs.

However, to ensure that the information is received the same way and in compliance with all the abovementioned conditions by all LFAs, we will send a link for LFAs to share the 2025 league information with the region. This link will include information on leagues, photos, narrations, checklists, and ensure that each condition is complied with, etc. Once validated, a credit bill will be created transparently for the relevant LFA and paid upon receipt of revenue.

The link will be sent this week, with the deadline for submitting information set for the 11^th of January 2026. Such information will also be published and included in the 2025/26 Organisational Report of the region at the next Quadrennial Congress in November 2026.

Affiliation and Team Registration Fees

The REC noted that we still have LFAs and Associate Members behind on their Affiliation Fees. Similarly, some of the regional teams, especially the MRL teams, have not fully paid their registration fees. This, however, includes all other leagues, such as TRDL, WRL, and WPL, even though their 2025 seasons have already concluded.

During January 2026, the region will aggressively collect these outstanding fees, also in recognition of the need for cash flow. We make this request for all Members and teams who still owe to prepare to make such payments.

But PLEASE do not pay until you receive the statement from the region. When you receive the statement, please make the payment within 14 calendar days.

Our Sponsors, Funders, and Known Creditors

We have requested meetings with our Sponsors, Funders, and Creditors to align on the crisis and how to move forward. As TRFA, we are doing our best to keep our sponsors and funders, while appeasing our creditors. We await their dates with availability from:

• Shaka Sports NPC,
• Gauteng Department of Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation,
• Advocate Tlhatlha,
• City of Tshwane Municipality

We will add these engagements as we discover more creditors through our meeting with Mr Coetzee and information from Mr Njabulo Xulu, who has committed to providing such information.

We will put up a specific dashboard for this component of the crisis. Still, access will be limited to the REC, the Staff, the Procurement and Finance Committee, and the affected stakeholders.

Payment of Staff Salaries

As reported last week, the REC resolved to pay the December 2025 salaries. A loan was sought to fulfil this obligation. Staff were paid their full December salaries.

During his radio interview with Ga-Rankuwa FM, the former Regional Secretary gave the impression that Ms Morudu paid the staff salaries for October and November 2025 out of her own pocket. The staff is reporting the contrary. With this, we are not saying that Ms Morudu did not pay; instead, the information needs to be correctly aligned. We are in the process of auditing just this element and will report on the actuality thereof. If Ms Morudu did indeed make some payments, we will officially thank her and list her as one of our creditors for the amount she paid.

We knew there were payment backlogs, and as we approved the December payment, we mentioned we would pay the backlog as soon as we raised more money, which we are working hard on.

Change of the Bank Account Signatories

The bank is assisting with the change of signatories, as this is not a simple matter. Given the administrative elements of this exercise, it is expected that the signatories will have been changed by December 24, 2025.  

Extraordinary Congress Preparations

The plans to prepare for the Extraordinary Congress, to be held on February 28, 2026, are underway and on track.

LFAs that wish to provide a venue for the hosting of the Extraordinary Congress, please send your proposal to info@tshwanerfa.org.za. One of the recently adopted principles of RECs is that they need to operate as close to the LFAs as possible.

We have already sent the formal notice for the Extraordinary Congress. If you have not received it, kindly contact us.

Policy Workshop

The REC and the Office Staff will attend a Policy Workshop to be convened in mid-February 2026. This is to tighten governance, especially in the application of policies and regulations to the association’s operations.

The REC is still considering broadening the workshops to include the Standing Committees, LFAs and Associate Members. If this can be afforded, it will mark a significant turning point in how we work and engage as we advance.

It is the RECs’ mission to reduce improvisation in how things are done and to increase the use of reference knowledge, such as Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and Work Instructions (WIs). This is no easy feat; it takes time, dedication, and a high level of consistent loyalty to the organisation.

Communication System

We are improving how we respond to emails sent to info@tshwanerfa.org.za. During the first week of January, the Office Staff, Standing Committee members, and REC will be trained to use this system and respond to your requests effectively. We will inform you when the training is done and what you should expect thereafter. We would request you to take us into account should we falter. We can’t grow without you.

Standing Committees

The REC noted the poor state of the region’s Standing Committees and how discussions start and end at the REC, rendering the Standing Committees’ work useless and leading to a poor outcome for the REC’s mandate. This is a considerable anomaly and a governance risk.

REC is a decision-making body, not a research body. It is not competent to be anything other than to consider reports and proposals about running the region and to make decisions based on qualitative information from the reports. It is supposed to be competent in providing direction and ensuring that the organisation moves in that direction within the organisation’s governance framework. The details must remain with the standing committees. That is why it spends so much time in meetings and does not cover all matters requiring attention, leading to leakages and ultimately, crises.

From a King Report (governance) perspective, the Congress is the last line of defence of the association, the REC is the second line of defence, while Standing Committees are the first line of defence. The Standing Committees are responsible for comprehensive oversight of the office, LFAs, and Associate Members (remember, LFAs and Associate Members do not have the luxury of having standing committees).  While the office must report its operations and performance directly to the REC, it is the standing committees that provide compliance reports on the office’s work to the REC.

For instance, the Treasurer is an oversight role within the association. The Treasurer, together with his/her Procurement and Finance Committee, must receive reports from the Office and, if there are deviations, meet with the Office to understand them, provide guidance, and report them to the REC on how risks can be mitigated. Crises averted, all within the policy framework and strategic posture of the association.

So, the REC must receive dual reports on any operation: progress and performance from the office, and compliance and risks from a standing committee. This way, the REC has a view on all angles, leaving very little room for it (the REC) to be caught napping, as was the case with the current crisis.

The Acting President has been tasked with leading the effort to resuscitate the Standing Committees. This time, we will no longer appoint members of the standing committee from the table; instead, we will advertise the roles, let interested parties apply, conduct screening, and appoint.

More communication will follow.

Re-organising the Office

With the suspension of Mr Njabulo Xulu, it is vital to reorganise staff duties to ensure “all hands are on deck.” It is crucial to clarify the distinction between Executive, Officers, and Office Staff.

Clarification of Roles (CTO & CRO)

An anomaly previously occurred where the Chief Technical Officer (Mr Sundra Govinder) and the Head of Referees (Mr Didiza Ngutshana) were treated as executives or chairpersons of standing committees. This is a governance error.

• The Chief Technical Officer (CTO) and Chief Refereeing Officer (CRO) are positions within the Secretariat (Office of the Regional Secretary/REO).
• They provide expert support to the Technical & Development Committee and the Referees Committee, respectively, but they do not chair them.
• Operational projects and operations (Coaching/Referees) must be run by the Office (CTO/CRO), while the Standing Committees provide oversight (comprehensively elaborated on the above point).

Transforming the Office Structure

In preparation for the conversion of the Regional Secretary role to a Regional Executive Officer (REO), the following structure is being implemented:

Level 1: Regional Executive Officer (REO)

• Scope: Overall management of the region, supporting the REC, and representing the association in all its external dealings, managing contracts, etc
• Status: Full-time, Cost-Driven, Salary-Based.
• The Regional Secretary will play this role on a voluntary basis until fully handed over to the REO.

Level 2a: Chief Technical Officer (CTO)

• Scope: Managing squads, selected coaches, inter-regional projects, coaching courses, and technical standards.
• Status: Part-Time, Profit-Driven, Expense-Based Remuneration.

Level 2b: Chief Refereeing Officer (CRO)

• Scope: Managing Regional Referees (including LFA level), appointments, fixture honouring, and standards.
• Status: Part-Time, Profit-Driven, Expense-Based Remuneration.

Level 2c: Chief Operations Officer (COO)

• Scope: Overseeing all operations, including Level 3 staff, all LFAs, all Associate Members, and deputising the REO.
• Status: Full-Time, Salary-Based.

Level 3a: Operations Support

• Scope: Supporting leagues, competitions, technical development, and refereeing operations (Note: not taking minutes).
• Status: Full-Time, Salary-Based.

Level 3b: Corporate Support

• Scope: Secretariat assistance to committees (including taking minutes), HR, Legal, Judicial, and Facilities functions.
• Status: Full-Time, Salary-Based.

Level 3c: Financial and Marketing Support

• Scope: Procurement, Financial Accounting, Asset Management, Debt Collection, Marketing, PR, Branding, Social Media, Website Operation.
• Status: Full-Time, Salary-Based.

Financial Accounting

We are implementing a Financial Accounting System (Zoho Books). This will improve visibility into the association’s finances for all relevant stakeholders, with automated feeds from the bank account and automatic reports to the appropriate committees and officials.

With immediate effect, do not deposit funds into the association’s bank account until further notice (a communication to this effect will be sent separately). All deposits will correspond to the invoices, and the invoice numbers will be used as references on the deposits (or EFTs) for easy allocation.

Future Congresses

The conversion of the Regional Secretary role to Regional Executive Officer (REO) requires significant governance work, including Statute amendments and the adoption of HR Policy.

Congress Roadmap:

Extraordinary Congress (28 February 2026):

• Purpose: To resolve items from the failed Ordinary Congress of Nov 2025 (Financials, Budgets).

Extraordinary Congress (18 July 2026):

• Purpose: To amend Statutes replacing “Secretary” with “REO”; adopt the HR Management Policy; review Rules & Regulations.

Quadrennial Elective Congress (21 November 2026):

• Purpose: Elective Congress (aligned with Regional Statutes). Note: This date supersedes the previous commitment to SAFA on 5 Dec 2026.

Following the governance corrections in July 2026, we must make a smooth transition from the Regional Secretary to the Regional Executive Officer.

Transition Strategy

• The REO will be appointed immediately following the July 2026 Congress.
• The REO will work alongside the Regional Secretary (on a circular approval basis) until the November Elective Congress.
• This ensures the REO learns the ropes, minimising operational risk when the complete transition occurs in November.

Conclusion

We trust that this gives sufficient insight into what the REC discussed and resolved on the 22^nd of December 2025. Walk with us. Disregard malicious rumours and narratives. Take us into account directly. There are no machinations, innuendos, or political fancy footwork. We are transparent, open and willing to engage. We are your organisation.

Remember, we do this For the Love of Football, for the Love of Tshwane, for the Love of its Youth. That’s something we have in common.

Expect the Christmas Message from the Acting President on the 24^th of December 2025.

Over and out.