Just days before the 2025/26 Betway Premiership season is set to begin, South African football finds itself lurching into yet another administrative crisis — and the credibility of the Premier Soccer League (PSL) is once again in the spotlight.
This time, it’s a registration blunder involving Marumo Gallants and midfielder Monde Mpambaniso that could lead to the reshuffling of relegation standings, MTN8 qualification, and potentially delay the league’s scheduled kick-off.
Cape Town City, who were relegated via the play-offs, have been handed a lifeline by a SAFA arbitration ruling.
Their appeal against Gallants’ use of Mpambaniso was upheld, with Arbitrator Nazeer Cassim SC finding that the player had been fielded in 26 matches without a valid clearance certificate — in breach of Rule 31.8.9.3 of the NSL Handbook.
If they lose, Gallants will get relegated as points will be deducted from all the matches where the player was involved, and Kaizer Chiefs will qualify for the top eight after initially missing out.
The potential domino effect is staggering: Gallants drop out of the top flight, City are reinstated, and Chiefs — who finished ninth — replace them in the MTN8. All of this stems not from action on the field, but from poor governance off it.
And this isn’t a first for the PSL. Back in 2019, the League faced a similar scandal involving Mamelodi Sundowns and Wayne Arendse.
The defender was fielded against Bidvest Wits despite not being named in the original 18-man squad — a clear breach of league rules.
Yet the PSL failed to enforce real consequences. Sundowns and Arendse were each fined R250,000 (half suspended), but no points were docked, and Wits received no benefit.
That incident set a dangerous precedent: one where rules were applied selectively, and where powerful clubs could escape meaningful sanctions.
Fast forward to 2024, and we’re staring at a case even more serious — involving a full season’s worth of matches played under a cloud of ineligibility, with no action taken by the PSL’s own structures until SAFA stepped in.
Cassim’s remarks were damning: “A little effort would have clarified these features of the registration form.” He highlighted not just Gallants’ incompetence, but also exposed the PSL’s lack of oversight.
The League’s Dispute Resolution Chamber (DRC) had already ruled against City before being overruled — a blunder that could now upend the start of the season.
The PSL has long prided itself on being Africa’s best-run league, but repeated administrative failures say otherwise.
The disciplinary process must now unfold swiftly and transparently. If Gallants are guilty, points must be deducted — and the league standings corrected accordingly.
Anything less would signal a continuation of the PSL’s double standards and further erode trust among clubs, sponsors, and fans.
South African football deserves better than this recurring chaos. Until governance improves, the league’s integrity — and its fixtures — will remain compromised.
