Durban City edge closer to Premiership promotion as first protest dismissed
Premier Soccer League
Durban City will have to wait another day to hear of they have won automatic promotion to the Betway Premiership. Photo: BackpagePix
Image: Backpagepix
Durban City’s promotion to the Betway Premiership appears all but secured after the Premier Soccer League’s Disciplinary Committee (PSL DC) dismissed the protest lodged by JDR Stars, who alleged that the Durban outfit had improperly registered Saziso Magawana.
The DC sat on Tuesday and ruled that there was nothing irregular about Magawana’s registration. The player had previously represented Marumo Gallants, who sold their lower league status to Leruma United following their acquisition of Moroka Swallows’ top-flight status.
“The DC dismissed that protest with costs to the team that lodged it. Essentially, the PSL DC found nothing wrong with the registration of Mr Magawana by Durban City. To the extent that he was fielded by Durban City against JDR Stars, there was no wrongdoing, as determined by the DC,” PSL Prosecutor Zola Majavu stated in a release issued last night.
However, another protest remains pending — this one filed by Cape Town Spurs, who were beaten 1-0 by Durban City at the weekend, a result that secured City the Motsepe Foundation Championship title and relegated the Mother City club.
Majavu confirmed that this second case was initially scheduled to be heard on Tuesday after the JDR Stars matter but was postponed at Spurs' request, as their witness was unavailable.
“It is scheduled to proceed (Wednesday),” Majavu added.
Magawana played a key role in City’s title-winning campaign at the weekend. The side, coached by Farook Kadodia and formerly known as Maritzburg United until their relocation from KwaZulu-Natal’s political capital to Durban last season, topped the table with 58 points.
They were not presented with their trophy following Sunday’s 1-0 win over Spurs, as the league awaited the outcome of the protests.
Logic suggests that the DC may well reach the same conclusion in the Spurs case as in the JDR one — that Durban City committed no wrongdoing. This is the stance Kadodia has consistently maintained since the initial protest was filed.
Should the DC dismiss Spurs' case as well, it will confirm Durban City’s long-awaited return to top-flight football. Orbit College and Casric Stars would then proceed to contest the promotion play-offs against the team finishing 15th in the Betway Premiership.