Black Leopards president David Thidiela has called for the Madlanga Commission to investigate the administration of South African football, claiming the sport is in need of urgent reform and accusing football authorities of targeting both him and his club.
Thidiela made the remarks during a media briefing at Melrose Arch in Johannesburg on Thursday, where he outlined the club’s next steps after referring its relegation dispute with the Premier Soccer League (PSL) to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
“I don’t know where our league (PSL) is going. I think it needs the Madlanga Commission,” said Thidiela.
“The Madlanga Commission, if they can do what they are doing now, it will go back to where it’s supposed to be. Something is wrong with us and we need some introspection. Hence I am saying ‘Madlanga Commission.'”
The Limpopo club was relegated from the Motsepe Foundation Championship at the end of the 2025/26 season but maintains the process was unlawful. Black Leopards argue they were unfairly prejudiced after the PSL withdrew the registration cards of several players before the start of the campaign, forcing the club to play its opening four league matches without a full complement of registered players.
According to the club, repeated requests to postpone those fixtures while FIFA clarified the regulatory position were largely rejected. Black Leopards were subsequently charged for failing to comply with the Under-23 player quota, despite insisting the situation resulted directly from the withdrawal of the player registration cards.
Having exhausted the PSL Disciplinary Committee and SAFA arbitration processes, Black Leopards have now approached CAS in a bid to overturn the outcome of their relegation.
Thidiela also criticised the state of football governance and officiating, saying:
There is nowhere to report the referee for questionable officiating. I would like football to be run by neutral people.”
Black Leopards maintain that FIFA only formally recognised the club as the sporting successor to Cape Town All Stars and imposed a registration ban in October 2025, weeks after the PSL had already withdrawn the players’ registration cards.
Thidiela reiterated that the club will not participate in the ABC Motsepe League, insisting Black Leopards were never legitimately relegated and will continue pursuing the matter through the recognised legal channels.