BY Obakeng Maje

The Sasol League, the premier women’s club football competition played in all nine provinces in SA, will kick-off in February 2013 running through to November of next year.

The South African Football Association (Safa) have made the change from the August kick-off to April finish, in order to accommodate the needs of the schools and tertiary institutions, who contribute many players to the Sasol League clubs.

“The schools and tertiary institutions run their leagues and competitions according to a normal calendar year,” said Safa CEO Dr Robin Petersen.

“The shift will benefit the students, rather than the old system which saw scholars and tertiary institution members moving to other areas of the country for career or other opportunities at the end of December. This weakened several clubs playing in the Sasol League and after pondering all the angles, it has been decided to move back to the more conventional calendar approach.”

It is envisaged that the men’s competitions run under the auspices of Safa, will follow suit in due course.

“The Sasol League is the main source of talent supply to the Sasol-sponsored Banyana Banyana and other national age group women’s football teams and we look forward to working in conjunction with Safa for the betterment of women’s football, as we have been doing since the sponsorship started four years ago,” said Sasol Sponsorship Specialist, Football, Dumisani Mbokane.

Shortly, the Safa Competitions Department, headed by the national football body’s Director: Competitions, Balebetse Monnakgotla, will meet with the Sasol League clubs in the provinces in order to discuss ways and means to make the 2013 football season into an even smoother-run affair for all involved.

The meetings will be held as follows:

Saturday, 15th September 15h00 Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces at the Southern Sun Steve Biko Street (Ex-Beatrix), Tshwane

Sunday, 16th September 15h00Free State and Northern Cape provinces at the Garden Court Hotel, Kimberley

Tuesday, 18th September 11h00Gauteng and North West provinces at the North West University – Sports Village, Potchefstroom

Saturday, 22nd September 11h00KwaZulu Natal province at the Southern Sun Hotel, North Beach, Durban

Sunday, 23rd September 11h00Eastern Cape province at the Garden Court Hotel, East London

Monday, 24th September 11h00Western Cape province at the Southern Sun Hotel, Cullinan