Cape Town - The treasurer of the SA Football Association (Safa) Cape Town Region, Wayne Weitz, has been placed on precautionary suspension.
This comes after an investigation was launched into several alleged governance irregularities identified within the regional operations.
Safa CT informed all local football associations (LFA), confirming Weitz’s suspension on Friday.
In the statement, it said a committee led by the chairperson of the finance committee, Siviwe Tyali, investigated the alleged breaches and reported back to the regional executive committee for consideration and decision-making on June 27.
“At this point, the investigation is primarily focused on assessing the adherence to financial protocols and the accuracy of reported financial activities,” the statement read.
“In the interest of preserving the integrity of the ongoing investigation and to facilitate Mr Weitz’s full co-operation without potential conflicts of interest, he will be temporarily relieved of his financial responsibilities within the organisation.
“Safa Cape Town is committed to transparency, accountability and upholds the principle of ‘innocent until proven guilty’. We urge the public and our stakeholders to allow the due process to take its course and to respect the privacy and rights of all involved,” the statement concluded.
Weitz was elected as the treasurer in 2022 and is also the president of the LFA in Bonteheuwel.
Weitz told the Cape Argus that the process must be respected, adding that it was an internal matter.
“It’s an internal matter, and therefore we need to respect and allow the process to be concluded please,” Weitz said.
President of Safa CT, Bennett Bailey, said the investigation went as far back as November 2023.
“We have received reports that the following was paid or transacted, just to find later on that it wasn’t paid.
“For example, it would say that referees were paid and then when the referees roll up, they tell us that they weren’t paid,” Bailey said.
Bailey said they have received several similar reports, but didn’t want to disclose the nature of it.
“It was on that basis that we said no, let’s launch an investigation into all the transactions of all these things that have been reported,” he said.
The investigation is expected to be concluded before Safa’s General Council Congress meeting next month.
Bailey said: “I have met with him after the meeting to ask him to co-operate and to avail information.”
Bailey revealed they have since requested assistance from accountants within Safa.
byron.lukas@inl.co.za
Cape Argus