The PSL is running against time to have the promotion/relegation disputes resolved ahead of the play-offs that are due to commence on Tuesday, May 27 with the matter now headed to Safa for arbitration.
Sunday World has it on good authority that Safa, the national association, has not yet decided on the date of the sitting, and the process for selecting one is still ongoing. This could mean that the promotion/relegation play-offs could be in the balance.
Durban City’s woes are far from over after the postponement on Wednesday of Cape Town Spurs’ protest case against the KwaZulu-Natal side over an “improperly” registered player, Saziso Magawana.
The arbitration, according to a PSL official, is done to avoid the protracted appeal processes that can drag on for weeks, scuppering the promotion/relegation play-offs due to start on Tuesday.
City won their first case against JDR Stars on Tuesday night after the league’s dispute resolution chamber (DRC) cleared them of wrongdoing as far as Magawana’s registration is concerned. The league dismissed JDR’s case with costs.
However, the outcome of the Safa arbitration could change the course of the play-offs should they rule in favour of Spurs and against City. The relegated Spurs played their last match against City last Sunday under protest about Magawana, and asked the league’s DRC not to hear their case concurrently with the JDR Stars’ case as they claimed to have concrete evidence to proceed with their case, and nullify City’s automatic promotion to the PSL.
Spurs made a U-turn on Wednesday, with a few hours remaining before their case could be brought forward by the league’s DRC, and asked for the postponement as they wanted to gather facts.
Said Zola Majavu, who represented the league, after the dismissed case against JDR Stars: “Out of an abundance of caution, the league, represented by myself as prosecutor, directed all parties that in the event they wished to exercise their appeal rights, such appeals must be referred directly and immediately to arbitration.”
By the time of going to press, the league was still to decide on the day to finalise the matter, meaning that City’s trophy celebration is still on hold.
Meanwhile, Safa’s ABC Motsepe League’s national play-offs will be held from June 16 at a Free State venue still to be announced.
