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New legal crisis for the PSL as AmaZulu prepares court bid to stop start of the MTN8

AmaZulu players during the Absa Premiership match between AmaZulu and Baroka FC on the 04 August 2018 at King Zwelithini Stadium.
AmaZulu players during the Absa Premiership match between AmaZulu and Baroka FC on the 04 August 2018 at King Zwelithini Stadium.
Image: Sydney Mahlangu/BackpagePix

The new Premier Soccer League (PSL) season faces being plummeted back into potential turmoil as AmaZulu seek an urgent interdict to halt the kick off of this weekend’s MTN8.

The Durban club were left out of the competition after the ‘Ndorogate’ ruling against Ajax Cape Town in May saw points re-awarded and AmaZulu bounced out of a top eight place.

They want the kick off of the MTN8‚ which starts on Saturday‚ to be put on hold while an appeal against that decision is heard.

They plan to go to the South Gauteng High Court on Tuesday‚ officials confirmed to SowetanLIVE on Monday.

If successful it will plunge the PSL into a new crisis and open up the possibility for Ajax Cape Town to seek relief from their relegation‚ even after the club declared they had run out of legal avenues to fight the case and would accept their place in this season’s National First Division.

It could force the appeal against the ruling of Judge Denise Fisher‚ which is due to be heard in the next few months‚ to be urgently brought forward.

The appeal is not due to be heard for several months.

Judge Fisher had set aside the arbitration of Advocate William Mokhari‚ who handed down stiff sanction against Ajax for the use of Tendai Ndoro‚ but allowed the PSL to appeal against her decision.

Ajax were prosecuted for using a player who had already been fielded by two other clubs in the same season‚ in contravention of FIFA rules.

Ajax were stripped of points which were awarded to the opponents they faced when they used Ndoro.

It meant a reshuffle of the final PSL log positions.

For their interdict to be successful‚ AmaZulu must convince the court that they will suffer prejudice if the tournament goes ahead‚ more than the PSL who will oppose their bid.

By only bringing their urgent interdict just days before the tournament‚ the Durban club might have weakened their own case as they have had more than two weeks since the last “Ndorogate’ court hearing to seek relief from the court.

The MTN8 is scheduled to get underway with three games on Saturday and one on Sunday.

If halted by the courts‚ the PSL will be plunged into a fixture crisis as the calendar for the rest of the season has little room for manoeuvre.

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