Orlando Pirates boss Khoza retains PSL top seat

Irvin Khoza has been re-elected National Soccer League chairman for another four-year term.

The 72-year-old was elected unopposed during Wednesday’s quadrennial general meeting held in Johannesburg.

Khoza will be heading the league’s executive committee which has seven other members who were elected by 32 clubs from the Premier Soccer League and the GaldAfrica Championship.

The seven members are Kaizer Motaung Snr (Kaizer Chiefs), Mato Madlala (Golden Arrows), John Comitis (Cape Town City), Stan Matthews (SuperSport United), David Thidiela (Black Leopards), Dr Rejoice Simelane (Mamelodi Sundowns) and Robert Benadie (Stellenbosch FC).

Banadie is a new member on the executive committee, replacing former Bidvest Wits chief executive officer Jose Ferreira in the league’s highest decision-making body.

Having previously served in the committee during his days at Ajax Cape Town, Cape Town City chairman Comitis returns to replace Bloemfontein Celtic’s Khumbulani Konco.

Falling by the wayside after being initially nominated for the vote were Chippa United owner Siviwe Mpengesi, Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila president Lawrence Mulaudzi, Konco, University of Pretoria’s Dr Rendani Mulaudzi and Free State Stars’ Rantsi Mokoena.

The majority of PSL clubs suggested Madlala continues in her role as the league’s acting chief executive officer, a position he has held since 2015, although the proposal is yet to be confirmed by Khoza.

Khoza together with his executive committee will have their term run until 2024 and the Pirates chairman hailed the league as a " reliable partner" especially after staging a smooth bio-bubble last season.

“As a business that organizes the largest and most gatherings in South Africa, the PSL value chain is vulnerable to the new normal where the movement and gathering of people can, as we have experienced with Covid-19, carry a deadly virus not detectable by any of the human’s five sense," said Khoza as per the PSL website.

“The NSL operates a business whose critical asset is its fixture. It is from the fixture that every activity is energized. It is the fixture that creates conversations which are a major business all in themselves.

“Traditionally, our value proposition is funded out of a part of our sponsors’ businesses that is most vulnerable to budget cuts – marketing. Marketing budgets are the first to be cut in recessions. We have experienced this through the difficulty we experience in sponsorship renewals and our broadcast partners experience in broadcast sponsorship and advertising sales.

“It has become urgent for the PSL to consolidate and let the market receive tangible and ready to use formats, intelligence about the NSL audience.

“The manner in which we created the bio-bubble, albeit very expensive, proved that we are reliable partners prepared to go to the end of the world to protect our partners and their value proposition.”

The PSL has a new title sponsor DSTV which took over from Absa.