LATEST: Chiefs case postponed, referred to arbitration

Kaizer Chiefs fans have been waiting with bated breath since last year to find out what response the PSL would provide after they were unable fulfil their fixtures against Cape Town City and Golden Arrows due to a Covid-19 outbreak in December.

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It all stems from the emergency decision taken by Chiefs to temporarily close the club’s headquarters in Naturena in the wake of a severe Covid-19 outbreak in December, which affected more than 35 employees.

The PSL belatedly announced that because Chiefs could not prove that there were “exceptional circumstances” for their request to have matches postponed, and therefore the request was declined.

Chiefs hearing was initially set for 21 January

The waiting game has continued, with PSL rules stating that no team should use Covid-19 as an excuse for not honouring their fixtures; and accordingly, Chiefs do seem to be in violation of that rule.

Newly appointed PSL prosecutor Zola Majavu has now provided further details about this process. Chiefs could even be charged for misconduct and bringing the league into disrepute.

“Kaizer Chiefs have been charged in relation to their non-fulfilment of the two fixtures as a result of the allegations that most of their players had tested positive,” Majavu said.

However, the matter will now be heard towards the end of February.

“I can confirm the matter proceeded before the PSL DC, where upon Kaizer brought an application for the DC to be stayed, pending the outcome of their urgent referral of their disptute to arbitration under the hospices of SAFA. We agreed that the should and can be postponed, however that timelines be put in place so that the matter does not fall through the cracks,” Majavu said via the PSL media department.

“It was also recognised that this matter must be finalised as soon as possible, way before the league draws to an end. With that acceptance, the DC was inclined to grant the request by Kaizer Chiefs that the matter stand down till their arbitration at SAFA is finalised. The matter was subsequently postponed to the 25th of February at 16h00, at which time the matter would then proceed.

“Of course, depending on the outcome of the arbitration, it may well be that the matter may not proceed in the current format. Should the arbitration be finalised before then, the prosecutor was directed to communicate with the DC members as to the next intended course of action, mindful of the fact that no one at this stage knows what the outcome of that referral to the arbitration may be.” 

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