Durban City can start preparing for life in top-flight football next season after a case against the club was officially dismissed by arbitrator Hilton Epstein SC on Monday.
City finished top of the Motsepe Foundation Championship this season, but their official coronation and promotion were halted by the PSL. This came after JDR Stars lodged a case against City for fielding Sazi Magawana, who was alleged not to have been appropriately registered by the club before the start of the season.
Cape Town Spurs followed suit, playing their final match of the campaign — against City at home — under protest after Magawana was named in the starting line-up. Stars and Spurs lodged their complaints as a last-ditch attempt to either gain promotion or retain their National First Division status, respectively.
However, their bid to have City stripped of their second-tier title was dismissed by the PSL’s dispute resolution chamber, led by Raymond Hack.
The two clubs did not give up and took the matter to the arbitration process of Safa. After several arbitrators withdrew from the case, Epstein finally ruled in favour of City and Magawana on Monday afternoon.
He added: “JDR Stars and Cape Town Spurs are to pay all costs arising from the case against Durban City and the player, on scale C of the High Court tariff, including all arbitration and arbitrator costs.”
The conclusion of the matter will also pave the way for the start of the PSL play-offs, which are set to include top-flight side Cape Town City and National First Division duo Orbit and Casric Stars.
