Nonkonyana vows to fight dismissal

SACKED Safa vice-president Chief Mwelo Nonkonyana broke his silence yesterday and defiantly threatened to take the fight to his former colleagues.

Nonkonyana was stripped of his position and fired in his absence at Safa's 24th annual congress at the weekend after delegates from the mother body's regions unanimously agreed to his dismissal.

But the controversial figure said yesterday he would return to court to challenge the decision on December 1.

"Their decision to fire me was unconstitutional and was very wrong," Nonkonyana said. "They took this decision in my absence and nobody cared to listen to what I had to say. It would leave the wrong impression if I left things as they are. So this will not go unchallenged."

Nonkonyana was suspended by Safa last October after he said in interviews that former Bafana coach Gordon Igesund should quit if the national team failed to reach the final of the African Nations Championship in January this year. Safa said he had violated its communications policy.

Nonkonyana said the Safa executive intimidated the delegates into agreeing to his sacking.

"How can he expect to be reinstated when he was unanimously rejected by the entire congress?" Safa chief executive Dennis Mumble wondered.