Majantja to explain why deal collapsed

MASERU – The A-Division side Majantja are set to face their supporters on Saturday to explain why their proposed return to the Vodacom Premier League has collapsed.

Last month Majantja sealed a deal to buy Kick4Life’s Vodacom Premier League status for R180 000 but the transaction stalled when LEFA said the Mohale’s Hoek club must register for the 2022/23 season using Kick4Life’s name.

Kick4Life refused and have already returned the money to Majantja meaning the lauded deal is dead in the water, much to the disappointment of Majantja who blame politics within the Lesotho Football Association (LEFA).

Some people within Majantja feel the association played deliberate politics to stop them from returning to the top-flight.

Majantja, who were Lesotho champions in 1995, have been campaigning in the A-Division since 2019 when they were relegated from the premiership.

The Mohale’s Hoek side will now have to win promotion to return to the top-flight. The negotiations and process to buy Kick4Life took three months before the clubs eventually agreed on a deal and even announced it to the public.

Towards the end of last season, Kick4Life announced they could no longer operate a Premier League club.

Kick4Life have already dissolved their team and Majantja’s failure to secure a spot in the Vodacom Premier League means the premiership is now left with just 15 clubs instead of the normal 16.

Two weeks ago, the association’s secretary general Mokhosi Mohapi suggested there could be a playoff between the runner-ups from last season’s A-Division campaign with the winner securing a spot in the Vodacom Premier League.

Whether that will still happen remains to be seen. Majantja have already missed LEFA’s deadline to submit their club licensing application for the 2022/23 season and they could potentially be fined or docked points.

Tlalane Phahla