Sekhukhune United refused to be drawn into a public spat with Royal AM CEO Sinky Mnisi.

Mnisi held press conference at OR Tambo Premier Hotel in Kempton Park on Wednesday to clarify his position after media reports had claimed that he was suspended by Royal AM.

“I’ve decided to take special leave to allow the allegations by the media against me to slow down. I remain CEO of Royal AM Football Club,” Mnisi said.

“You want to know whether I’m resigning? No, no! I’ve informed the president [Shauwn Mkhize], and I’ve sent an email to the club that I’m taking special leave. 

“I’ve never been suspended. No-one has shown me a suspension letter, there is no charge sheet. I’m going to relax. I've taken special leave.”

Mnisi spent a big part of his press conference at OR Tambo Premier Hotel in Kempton Park on Wednesday lambasting Sekhukhune, referring to them as a club “lacking ethics and morals”.

A visibly angry Mnisi said: “They say I've sold Victor Letsoalo to Sekhukhune United. I will never, at any given time, put my foot on the doors of Sekhukhune United. Even if they say all the teams are finished, I will never work for them because they don’t have ethics and morals...

“Others are saying I’m a friend to [Simon] Malatjie [Sekhukhune owner]. I don’t know the gentleman and I was not part of the negotiations. I didn’t know how much he [Letsoalo] was sold for as I was not part of it.”

Sekhukhune CEO Jonas Malajie said they would not respond to what Mnisi said about their club.

“Sinky is bitter. I’m not going to entertain an old man like him,” Malatjie told Sowetan on Wednesday. “I would never employ him because he is a bitter person.”

During the heated press conference, Mnisi also took a swipe at Sowetan's reporter,  insulting his family and questioning his journalistic ethics.

This follows an article Sowetan published last month on his reported suspension. Mnisi was given an opportunity to respond but abruptly hung up his phone when contacted for comment.