PSL crisis deepens as Motsepe Foundation Championship dispute halts promotion play-offs

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.

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.

At the heart of the matter lie the arbitration proceedings, to be overseen by SAFA. The onus now rests on the association to intervene decisively, delivering a fair solution to uphold the integrity of the PSL.

The league now races against time as dark clouds of dispute gather. The coming days will undoubtedly be pivotal for the PSL and the clubs involved, as they await critical decisions that could define their season.