Johannesburg-Kaizer Chiefs are preparing themselves for a bruising legal battle with the Premier Soccer League (PSL) to defend their Covid-19 matter by roping in astute legal eagle Norman Arendse SC as part of their defence team.
Chiefs, who celebrated their 52nd anniversary this week, and the PSL are headed for a legal showdown following the team’s no-show for two of their matches in December after their headquarters were ravaged by the coronavirus.
Last month, Chiefs asked the PSL to postpone their December fixtures but the request was declined.
The PSL announced its decision after Chiefs had already missed their matches against Cape Town City and Golden Arrows.
Arendse declined to comment on the case, referring Sunday World to his instructing attorney Karabo Mathang-Tshabuse, who was not available for comment.
Chiefs spokesperson Vina Maphosa also declined to comment on the case.
Arendse is a veteran and highly respected legal mind in the world of sport. Recently, he was in charge of Sekhukhune United FC legal team in a case against the PSL, Polokwane City and Royal AM.
Sekhukhune won the case against the PSL and were declared the winners of the GladAfrica Championship, resulting in them getting automatic promotion to the PSL.
He is also a former president of Cricket SA. In 2004, Arendse represented the Zimbabwe cricket board during ICC hearings into claims of
racial discrimination.
“Arendse is a big gun who has won so many cases in sport and that’s why Chiefs went for him. This shows how serious Chiefs are taking this matter because six points are at stake now,” said a well-placed insider.
Last week, Chiefs chairman Kaizer Motaung said that he was dumbfounded by the PSL’s stance. “Our recent experience that saw us not allowed to postpone matches after the Covid-19 attack has still left us dumbfounded.
This has also brought a lot of attention to the running of the league and we have to ensure that we do not let this situation tarnish the good image of the organisation.
Just recently, we had an outbreak, which was unprecedented in the country, where we had over 50 people affected, and which rendered us inactive. We could not play two games because we had to shut down the village.
We can never forget what has happened to us because of the pandemic and we extend our deepest condolences to those who left us, in all sections of society, who became victims of this pandemic,” said Motaung.
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