The Premier League Soccer (PSL) is one of the most influential public institutions SA, owing to the huge following of the sport of football in the country. The PSL also enjoys the biggest financial backing of all the leagues in Africa and, above that, it also rates among the best-run football leagues on the continent.
This is one of many facts that fills South Africans with pride and joy over the achievements of the PSL, whose league attracts football talent from all over the world. The PSL, however, has its flaws, including hesitance to act on the ongoing off-field drama affecting Royal AM, one of its affiliates.
The club's finances are in dire straits, due to owner Shauwn Mkhize's long-running saga with Sars over her tax debt – an astronomical sum of R40m. As a result, Royal AM's accounts have been frozen, an action that led to the club being placed under curatorship confirmed this week.
The club's woes as far as its obligation to PSL emerged in 2023, when the club ignored a Fifa ruling to pay former player Samir Nurković R12m, which has since risen to R15m due to interest. In October 2024, Royal descended into further crisis with the PSL when they withdrew their team from the league's reserve league – the DStv Diski Challenge (DDC). Royal dropped out because they reportedly did not have enough players to participate. The club clearly harmed the league's reputation with their action and that's when the PSL should have flexed its muscle to intervene.
In December, senior players in the Premiership team were not paid their salaries, a situation that was compounded by the club allegedly ordering players not to report to training at the start of the year.
The PSL's formidable brand faces more damage after Royal's first match in 2025, an away fixture to Chippa United tomorrow, was postponed. “At the moment, we have no comment.” That was the response of PSL acting CEO Mato Madlala when Sowetan approached her for clarity this week.
We were hoping the league would confirm Royal AM players' strike because, at this stage, that is information doing the rounds in the streets. We also needed Madlala to explain the PSL's position on the matter, and its plan of action.
The public deserves clarity. And the PSL, as the custodian of the professional game in SA, is not only duty-bound to explain itself, but it's in its interest to be accountable to the public it serves.
The football fraternity and the nation at large, as interested parties in this matter, deserve respect.
SOWETAN SAYS | PSL must shed light on Royal AM saga
Image: Darren Stewart
The Premier League Soccer (PSL) is one of the most influential public institutions SA, owing to the huge following of the sport of football in the country. The PSL also enjoys the biggest financial backing of all the leagues in Africa and, above that, it also rates among the best-run football leagues on the continent.
This is one of many facts that fills South Africans with pride and joy over the achievements of the PSL, whose league attracts football talent from all over the world. The PSL, however, has its flaws, including hesitance to act on the ongoing off-field drama affecting Royal AM, one of its affiliates.
The club's finances are in dire straits, due to owner Shauwn Mkhize's long-running saga with Sars over her tax debt – an astronomical sum of R40m. As a result, Royal AM's accounts have been frozen, an action that led to the club being placed under curatorship confirmed this week.
The club's woes as far as its obligation to PSL emerged in 2023, when the club ignored a Fifa ruling to pay former player Samir Nurković R12m, which has since risen to R15m due to interest. In October 2024, Royal descended into further crisis with the PSL when they withdrew their team from the league's reserve league – the DStv Diski Challenge (DDC). Royal dropped out because they reportedly did not have enough players to participate. The club clearly harmed the league's reputation with their action and that's when the PSL should have flexed its muscle to intervene.
In December, senior players in the Premiership team were not paid their salaries, a situation that was compounded by the club allegedly ordering players not to report to training at the start of the year.
The PSL's formidable brand faces more damage after Royal's first match in 2025, an away fixture to Chippa United tomorrow, was postponed. “At the moment, we have no comment.” That was the response of PSL acting CEO Mato Madlala when Sowetan approached her for clarity this week.
We were hoping the league would confirm Royal AM players' strike because, at this stage, that is information doing the rounds in the streets. We also needed Madlala to explain the PSL's position on the matter, and its plan of action.
The public deserves clarity. And the PSL, as the custodian of the professional game in SA, is not only duty-bound to explain itself, but it's in its interest to be accountable to the public it serves.
The football fraternity and the nation at large, as interested parties in this matter, deserve respect.
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