Durban City officially promoted to Betway Premiership after Arbitration dismisses case

Motsepe Foundation Championship winners. Photo credit: Durban City

Durban City FC can finally celebrate their promotion to the Betway Premiership after SAFA arbitrator Hilton Epstein SC officially dismissed two separate cases against the club on Monday.

This ruling by the South African Football Association (SAFA) arbitrator clears the path for Durban City to play in top-flight football next season.

Durban City finished the season atop the Motsepe Foundation Championship - the second division of SA football. However, their official coronation and promotion were delayed due to legal challenges.

JDR Stars initially lodged a complaint, alleging that Durban City's winger Saziso Magawana was not appropriately registered by the club before the start of the season. This case was dismissed by the Premier Soccer League's (PSL) disciplinary committee (DC) on May 20.

Despite this, Cape Town Spurs followed suit, playing their final match against Durban City under protest after Magawana was named in the starting lineup. Both JDR Stars and CT Spurs pursued their complaints as a last-ditch effort to either gain promotion or retain their National First Division status, respectively.

Their bid to have Durban City stripped of their second-tier title was then dismissed by the PSL's dispute resolution chamber, led by Raymond Hack.

Undeterred, the two clubs escalated the matter to the arbitration process of SAFA. After several arbitrators recused themselves, Epstein finally ruled in favour of Durban City and Magawana on Monday afternoon.

Epstein further ordered: "JDR Stars and Cape Town Spurs are to pay all costs arising from the case against Durban City and the player, on scale C of the High Court tariff, including all arbitration and arbitrator costs."

Both JDR Stars and Spurs have the option to pursue the matter further by taking their case to the High Court, should they choose to appeal the arbitration ruling. These prolonged legal disputes have caused significant delays in the PSL's promotion-relegation playoffs, as a points deduction for Durban City was a possibility.

The playoffs, however, are not yet ready to commence. Another arbitration is reportedly scheduled for Wednesday regarding a challenge by Cape Town City FC. The Citizens are contesting the result of their 1-1 Premiership draw against SuperSport United.

The second half of this match was completed last week, three months after it was initially abandoned due to load shedding. The point SuperSport gained from this game allowed them to avoid the 15th-placed playoff position, which subsequently went to Cape Town City. City argues that PSL rules mandate such fixtures be completed within 48 hours with the same personnel on the field.

This season, due to Royal AM's expulsion, only the 15th-placed Premiership side will participate in the promotion-relegation playoffs, with no automatic relegation from the top flight.