The Premier Soccer League claims it remains in the dark over the sale of Bidvest Wits' topflight status to their lower division rivals TTM.
What was an official announcement late last night by the buying club, followed by comments from its chief executive officer Sello Chokoe to local media about the deal, has seemingly been reduced to mere speculation by the league.
According to the PSL handbook, such a transaction is only viable if approved by the executive committee – and this, says Mato Madlala – is not yet the case.
Madlala is the league's acting CEO.
"I have not seen an application (for the purchase). Now you are asking me about rules and we are speculating. I can't comment or give an opinion. I don't know who is buying – if you are saying its TTM, who is TTM? Because all that is taken into account in terms of who is buying and who are the members of whoever is buying," she told the Siya crew on Sunday.
"So I can't comment now because I don't have anything in front of me. I don't want to speculate and unpack a rule and assume. You know the rules, you can interpret the rules. I don't know who is buying. The statement I am making is that I have not received or seen anything as the accounting officer of the league."
What does she make then of the statement from the buying club and comments from its CEO on the conclusion of the purchase?
"When you say they made an announcement, were they on any television station? I haven't seen anything except on social media, that's all I've seen," Madlala insisted.
"I have not seen any official statement or announcement – with their letterheads – by the club chairman. I cannot make any judgements or comments by what is on social media. People are quoting Lawrence (chairman Mulaudzi), but I did not see him say that. I will wait until I have something in writing from them, maybe they sent it, but I have not seen it."
Both clubs have agreed on the sale, the Siya crew has been informed and maybe with the league's executive committee to meet on Monday it can be ratified then.
"Maybe your sources can elaborate because now you are also saying there's an Exco meeting tomorrow. I am not side-stepping you. The only thing I am prepared to say is that as an official of the league, as the accounting officer that is responsible for the teams I can't comment on social media statements. It would be wrong of me to do that. I will have to wait until I have something official. That's why my first question was whether the chairman of the club was on any television channels because it would be easier as I would have seen him and I can know for sure that's what he said, then I can write to him. But I haven't," added Madlala.
