Latest news with #NationalFirstDivision
IOL News
09-07-2025
- Business
- IOL News
Enigmatic Royal AM owner Shauwn Mkhize: 'I'm too sexy for my shirt,' so what!
Royal AM Royal AM owner Shawn Mkhize was, for a long time, a thorn in the side of the PSL. Picture: ANA WHEN thinking of Shauwn Mkhize, one is tempted to think of that musical lyric proclaiming one's allure: 'I'm too sexy for my shirt'. The excessive cleverness and cunning of Mkhize, the larger-than-life, enigmatic owner of the beleaguered football club Royal AM, have tripped her up again. She has been overly clever, too cunning, and was caught out by her schemes to save her beloved club, Royal AM, named after her son Andile Mpisane. The ruling announced on Tuesday by the Pretoria High Court may finally end Royal AM's efforts to regain its Premier Soccer League (PSL) status. The court dismissed her case with costs. Last week, Judge Boitsheko Seleka reserved judgment and decided on a later date for the verdict. Around this time, there was speculation that Royal AM could win the case. Being the owner of Royal AM, it has been a long and arduous journey for Mkhize. Even before she bought Bloemfontein Celtic's franchise, she was in trouble with the PSL. After Royal AM finished runners-up on the GladAfrica Championship's (National First Division) final standings and the PSL's promotion-relegation playoffs, it started a legal battle to overturn Sekhukhune United's automatic promotion to the Premiership. The club refused to participate in the playoff matches, and after they lost a few arbitrations, they approached the Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein. When all else failed, Mkhize brought Bloemfontein Celtic's franchise, and Royal AM was finally playing in the Premiership. Fast forward to January 2025, the PSL Executive Committee, after three meetings, suspended Royal AM from all future matches. From that point onwards, Mkhize navigated the swirling currents of the football world as several legal battles came under the spotlight. During this time, she angered fans after she disclosed player salaries. This revelation sparked outrage and accusations of unfair labour practices because of significant discrepancies. Now more than ever, football fans are questioning the club's financial management and ethical standards, giving rise to the term 'dirty hands' because of perceived questionable practices, possibly involving financial dealings or other forms of manipulation. This episode reflects a broader issue in local professional soccer, where pay disparity has often been a contentious topic. The salary figures disclosed by Mkhize serve as a particularly striking reminder of the challenges faced by many players as they navigate their careers on the South African landscape. Clubs must ensure increased transparency and a commitment to secure a more equitable environment for all players involved. As the dust settles on this landmark ruling, one thing is clear: the court's verdict underscores the necessity for unwavering compliance with the PSL's regulations. This should herald a new chapter in South African football, one that emphasises not just ambition, but also responsibility and adherence to protocol.
IOL News
26-05-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
PSL crisis deepens as Motsepe Foundation Championship dispute halts promotion play-offs
The eligibility of Durban City's Saziso Magawana is under scrutiny as the NFD awaits to see who will be promoted and relegated from the league. Photo: Backpagepix Image: Backpagepix The PSL's reputation and operational integrity hang in the balance as stakeholders grapple with uncertainty, while disputes surrounding the Motsepe Foundation Championship (National First Division) escalate daily. Two weeks ago, the PSL announced that the promotion-relegation play-offs would commence on Tuesday. However, this will not go ahead due to a tense standoff involving teams who claim that the Championship winners, Durban City, fielded an improperly registered player, Saziso Magawana, during the season. Cape Town Spurs and the Tshwane-based JDR Stars are the Championship clubs leading the legal challenge. Last week, the PSL's disciplinary committee dismissed JDR Stars' case. The PSL prosecutor, advocate Zola Majavu, confirmed the dismissal but stated that the club could appeal the outcome, which Stars promptly did. Majavu said: "Out of an abundance of caution, the league, represented by myself as the 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.' The following day, the PSL's disciplinary committee was scheduled to hear Spurs' protest. However, Spurs' legal team objected to the same PSL officials presiding over their case. As a result, both JDR Stars' appeal and Spurs' protest will be heard by the arbitration board of Safa on Tuesday. The timeline for this intervention remains unclear, adding further strain to an already charged atmosphere. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ These latest developments mean that the NFD champions cannot be confirmed, and their promotion cannot be validated. The outcome of the arbitration may determine the final log positions of all the teams and who will participate in the promotion play-offs. The matter of automatic NFD relegation is also unresolved. Currently, Spurs and Leruma United will drop to the Safa Second Division but it is possible that City not only lose the championship, but are also relegated. Complicating matters further is the non-decision regarding the outcome of the SuperSport United vs Golden Arrows Betway Premiership fixture. The match was postponed in late February due to load-shedding and was suspended at 1–1. United currently occupy the promotion/relegation play-off spot in the elite division, one point behind Cape Town City. A win against Arrows would see Matsatsantsa a Pitori leapfrog the Citizens and avoid the humiliation of contesting the play-offs. Earlier this week, following their final game of the season, interim City coach Diogo Peral criticised the situation, saying: 'It's a bit of a joke actually, but it is what it is ... We're planning for the play-offs, watching the opposition we'll be coming up against, and we've already travelled to watch some of their games, so the planning is well on the way already.' If the arbitration process maintains the status quo, City would face Orbit College and Casric Stars in the mini-league. Nonetheless, in recent weeks, various clubs have raised concerns about the integrity of the current standings, prompting calls for immediate intervention. The ramifications of these disputes affect not only the teams involved but also leave club owners anxious about their future in the league.
