Royal AM confirm they won't show up for playoffs

Royal AM won’t be showing up for their playoff match against Chippa United, which is set for Tuesday at Chatsworth Stadium (3pm).

This was revealed to Sowetanlive by the club CEO Sinky Mnisi as the club are taking their dispute with the PSL over the promotion playoffs to the Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein. Royal's saw their application to interdict the playoffs dismissed by the Johannesburg High Court at the weekend, paving way for Chippa and Richards Bay to open the round-robin with a match in Gqeberha on Saturday.

Chippa won 2-1 against Bay, and were set to face Royal on Tuesday but the KZN side insists they won’t be playing, citing the pending petition to the Supreme Court.

“No, we are not playing based on the court order,” Mnisi told Sowetanlive.

“That’s all. PSL can’t insist on us playing.

“Our legal stance is that we are not playing simple. We don’t even want to comment. Royal AM is not playing based on AJ Nyathi's court order that’s it. If you need more, get our attorney [Eric] Mabuza, he is in the position to elaborate more.”

Sowetanlive contacted PSL acting CEO Mato Madlala to find out what will happen should AM not honour the fixture.

“I don’t know, you spoke to Sinky. I didn’t speak to him,” Madlala responded.

“I cannot think about what will happen tomorrow. I won’t answer you. You spoke to him, I didn’t and I can’t prejudge what will happen.”

On Friday night, Gauteng High Court deputy judge president Roland Sutherland dismissed Royal AM's application to have his initial order, which he gave last week on Saturday, reviewed in the Supreme Court of Appeal.

Immediately after that, the law firm representing Royal AM, Mabuza Attorneys, issued a notification letter to the PSL, indicating they will now appeal against Sutherland’s order via section 17 (2) (b) of the Superior Courts Act and they have now appealed.

Royal contend that they, and not Sekhukhune United, should have gained automatic promotion into the DStv Premiership.

Sekhukhune finished top of the first division after being awarded three points, condemning Royal to second place.

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