In a surprising turn of events, the South African Football Association (SAFA) has withdrawn its decision to declare Ria Ledwaba a ‘persona non grata’ within the organisation.
Ledwaba’s attorney Leslie Sedibe has confirmed that the Association had withdrawn their persona non grata letter. He was addressing members of the media on Wednesday in Randburg.
Last week, the former SAFA vice president, Ledwaba, told FARPost she would challenge the ban from all football activities. SAFA’s letter stated that the former PSL club owner had been disqualified from all football activities under its jurisdiction.
WHAT RIA LEDWABA’S LEGAL TEAM SAYS ABOUT THE PERSONA NON GRATA WITHDRAWAL
Sedibe stated that the decision against her client was taken with bad faith motivated by an ulterior motive. He stressed that anyone who speaks against any wrongdoings within SAFA under the leadership of Danny Jordaan ends up expelled by the Association.
“We are here because, on the 6th of March 2024, a letter was offered by the CEO of SAFA. It was addressed to Mme Ria Ledwaba. In substance, the letter says the following: “After careful consideration and thorough review of recent events, the SAFA National Executive Committee has decided that you are to be declared ‘persona non grata’ within our organisation. In other words, you’re disqualified from all and every football and football-related activity under the jurisdiction of SAFA,” said Sedibe.
“When this decision was taken by SAFA, Mme Ria Ledwaba would tell you that those people who took this wrong decision against her were biased and that taking in the decision was procedurally unfair to do so, as SAFA failed to comply with its own rules.”
Ledwaba’s ban from all football activities has been lifted with immediate effect, and Ledwaba has demanded an apology from SAFA.
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