Bloemfontein Celtic’s pursuit for a return to the PSL has been dealt with another setback following new developments in the Free State ABC Motsepe League.
This comes after Celtic decided to appeal the ruling made by the arbitrator last week, with the outcome favouring D’General FC.
The Siwelele court case involves SAFA Free State as the 1st Respondent, SAFA as 2nd Respondent, D’General as 3rd Respondent, Dikgosi FC as 4th Respondent and Advocate Sthembiso Mdladla as the 5th Respondent.
The case is about a protest of players not having smart cards/IDs when D’General played against Dikgosi FC. Celtic were declared the SAFA Free State Stream A winners following their 2-2 draw with BFN Young Tigers at home on Wednesday, 20 March 2024, topping their stream with 38 points.
Celtic were supposed to take on Stream B winners Mangaung United in the provincial playoffs on Sunday, 28 April 2024. But the playoffs were postponed due to the pending case.
Things took a U-turn when D’General won the case and were awarded three points which helped them to leapfrog Siwelele in their provincial ABC Motsepe League Ssream with one point.
After D’General won the case, a new date was set, but yet again, the playoffs were postponed as Celtic appealed the arbitrator’s ruling. The provincial playoffs between Mangaung and D’General were supposed to take place last Sunday, 19 May 2024.
NEW DEVELOPMENTS ON THE BLOEMFONTEIN CELTIC CASE
The matter between Celtic and D’General have been struck off the roll, with no order as to costs by the High Court of South Africa Free State Division, Bloemfontein. As a result, D’General will face Mangaung in the provincial decider.
A new date for the provincial playoffs will be confirmed in due course by SAFA Free State.
The club chairman Nyakallo Leine, popularly known as ‘Ba2cada’, expressed his delight about the outcome of the court case following weeks of going up and down attending the court case.
“It’s been a very tough war, but as usual winners don’t make noise, they just celebrate. The new date will be announced for the Free State playoffs finals and will update as soon as I get it,” wrote the club’s chairman on his official Facebook page.
“If you don’t fight for yourself, no one will. Well done D’General FC for your undying fighting spirit.”
SIX TEAMS SECURED ABC MOTSEPE LEAGUE NATIONAL PLAYOFFS
Six teams have already secured their places for the 2024 ABC Motsepe League national playoffs set to be held in the Northern Cape next month.
The six are Mpheni Defenders FC [Limpopo], Thames FC [North West], FN Rangers [Western Cape], Dondol Stars [Gauteng], Njampela FC [KwaZulu-Natal], and Kruger United [Mpumalanga].
Meanwhile, winners are still undecided in the Northern Cape, Free State, and Eastern Cape due to pending cases.
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