The Premier Soccer League is on the verge of expelling Royal AM from its ranks, with the league’s executive committee formally recommending the termination of the club’s membership.
This significant development, detailed in a circular distributed to PSL clubs, points towards the 2024/25 season concluding with only 15 participating teams.
The PSL has scheduled a crucial Board of Governors (BOG) meeting for next Thursday at the Sandton Convention Centre. According to iDiski Times, the gathering of all 32 PSL member clubs will serve as the platform for a definitive decision regarding Royal AM’s future in the league.
The urgency of the situation stems from Royal AM’s inability to fulfill their league obligations, having failed to participate in any matches since the turn of the year.
Royal AM’s current predicament is a direct consequence of the South African Revenue Service’s (SARS) actions against the club’s owner and president, Shauwn Mkhize. SARS executed raids on Mkhize’s properties, seizing a fleet of luxury vehicles in an effort to recover an alleged tax debt amounting to R40 million.
In response to this substantial debt, SARS took the unprecedented step of putting Royal AM up for sale. While a potential buyer, businessman Roy Moodley through his company Global Investment, emerged recently, the deal ultimately collapsed. According to SportsWire reports, the failure to remit the required deposit within the stipulated timeframe led to the termination of negotiations last week.
The ongoing saga has already had practical consequences for the league’s scheduling. Following the asset seizures by SARS, the PSL had already suspended all of Royal AM’s scheduled fixtures indefinitely. The club was also excluded from the Nedbank Cup Round of 32, granting Milford FC a bye into the next round.
The upcoming BOG meeting next Thursday is poised to be a pivotal moment for South African football, potentially reshaping the landscape of the PSL for the remainder of the 2024/25 season and beyond. The decision made by the member clubs will not only determine Royal AM’s fate but also necessitate adjustments to the league standings and the relegation/promotion dynamics.
More to follow …