New Premier Soccer League (PSL) prosecutor Zola Majavu says he is formulating a plan to alleviate the backlog in disciplinary cases caused by the resignation of predecessor Nande Becker.

Majavu’s temporary appointment to the end of the 2021-22 Premier League season in May was confirmed at a PSL press conference on Wednesday.

The renowned lawyer, who had a previous and efficient tenure as PSL prosecutor in the 2000s and served briefly as CEO in 2011, said he had begun in December to address a backlog of cases left when Becker resigned effective the end of November.

“For the record, I’m Zola Majavu, I’m the current PSL prosecutor until the end of the season and then we’ll take it from there,” Majavu said, taking the podium for an impromptu introduction at Wednesday’s televised press conference.

“I can also confirm that I have indeed received a handover report from my predecessor, for which I thank him.

“We have been working throughout the last part of December. I do have a sense of what is outstanding and what is pressing from a timing point of view. My team and I are going to meet straight after this to develop a project plan, because the idea is to use the January period to play catch-up.

“There is no crisis from what I have assessed. And I’m hoping that the clubs will also co-operate because we have to truncate the timelines in terms of the notice period. There will be some charges going out this afternoon — the details of which I cannot disclose until those affected have been notified.

“And this is how we are going to engage with you.”

Majavu promised a much-improved system to communicate disciplinary charges and outcomes to the media and public.

This was an aspect that apparently left predecessor Becker frustrated as he felt the PSL’s communication of developments in his DC cases was inadequate.

“I will only confirm once a decision has been taken by the prosecutions department, which I’m heading, which will either be a decision to prosecute or to decline to prosecute,” Majavu said. “And then I remain ‘schtum’, and the next time I communicate will be when I share with you [the media] the outcome of the process, in the manner we dealt with it in the past. So you will not be starved of information.

“But I will not be drawn into commentary on matters that are under way.

“Lastly, maybe to be fair to you, we will give you an indication at the end of January on how well we have fared on clearing the backlog and giving the reassurance that come the end of the season there is nothing outstanding, or that could potentially hamper the league.

“Three categories have been identified. Admission of guilt fines were finalised before we closed [for the Christmas break], and then there are those that potentially could have a bearing on the finalisation of the league. Third, there are those run-of-the-mill ones that will not necessarily enjoy priority, but that is a call I have to make.

“But you can be assured that there is no crisis.”

The most pressing issue for Majavu to resolve will be the two DStv Premiership matches Kaizer Chiefs were unable to honour in December due to an outbreak of Covid-19 at the club.

Other pressing cases include TS Galaxy owner Tim Sukazi being denied entry to the field and manhandled in a game against Orlando Pirates at Orlando Stadium, and Cape Town City playing without player registration cards against Maritzburg United after they were allegedly stolen.  

The Premiership resumes play from the Christmas and Africa Nations Cup break on February 15.