Motsepe Foundation Championship side Durban City are expected to know their fate today after one of the cases against them was dismissed by the PSL DC on Tuesday night.
City finished top of the table following their 1-0 victory over Cape Town Spurs on Sunday afternoon, but their automatic promotion to the top flight was not confirmed as the PSL DC had to deal with a case involving a player who was believed to be improperly registered.
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JDR Stars lodged a case against City, alleging that their player Saziso Magawana was improperly registered. But the case was dismissed by the PSL DC, saying there was nothing wrong with the registration of Magawana. Stars do have a right to appeal the matter with the SAFA arbitration.
On the final day of the season, Spurs also lodged a complaint against the same player and the matter will be dealt with by the PSL DC today.
In a statement sent via the PSL's media platforms on Tuesday evening, PSL prosecutor Majavu said: I can confirm that the PSL DC concluded a protest which was lodged by JDR Stars against Durban City in respect of a player Mr Magawana. Having listened to the evidence presented by the protesting club, and the submissions made by all parties, the PSL DC dismissed that particular protest with costs to be paid by the protesting club, namely JDR Stars. In essence, the effect of that decision is that the PSL DC found nothing wrong with the registration of Mr Magawana by Durban City and to the extent that he was fielded against JDR Stars. There was no wrongdoing determined by the DC.
We received a further protest from Cape Town Spurs against Durban City in respect of the same Mr Magawana. That particular protest was also enrolled for tonight (Tuesday), immediately proceeding after the earlier one pertaining to JDR Stars. The legal representatives requested that this matter be postponed in order to make their witness available. The league did not object to the requested for the postponement, neither did Durban City. In the result, the matter is scheduled to proceed tomorrow (Wednesday) at 16h30 in the afternoon, whereafter hopefully a decision will be made regarding that particular protest by Cape Town Spurs.
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Out of an abundance of caution, the league represented by myself as a prosecutor, directed all parties involved in this matter that in the event that they were to wish their appeal rights, that such appeals must be referred directly and immediately to arbitration, which has full and final effect. All the parties have indicated that they would abide by that directive. Whether or not there will be further appeals is yet to determined. As matters stand, the protest by JDR Stars against Durban City stands dismissed.
