Troubled Betway Premiership side Royal AM have been booted out of the Nedbank Cup. The KZN side would have played Milford United in the round of 32 Last month. However, they could not fulfil the fixture due to their ongoing difficulties in meeting their commitments.
The club’s owner, Shauwn Mkhize, is entangled in an R40 million SARS tax debt, and Royal AM are on the brink of being sold. Their failure to fulfil their fixture had delayed the tournament’s progress, with two fixtures still outstanding. FARPost has gathered that a decision has been taken to throw Royal AM out of the competition.
It means Sekhukhune United, who beat Cape Town City FC in the round of 32, and Milford United will now clash in the Last 16 of the Nedbank Cup on Sunday in Durban. The winner of that clash will face Mamelodi Sundowns in the quarterfinal of the competition.
COURT ENFORCES ROYAL AM SALE AMID TAX DEBT
The club is set to be put up for sale after the SARS curator successfully obtained a court ruling to sell the club, allowing the taxman to recover what is owed to him. The latest court ruling ends the uncertainty surrounding the club’s future.
According to reports, the PSL has suspended monthly grant payments to the club. This is because headline sponsor Betway is not receiving adequate exposure. Earlier this month, the PSL was prompted to suspend all Royal AM fixtures indefinitely. The move left football fans and players desperate for clarity and resolution.
A curator assigned to oversee the club’s affairs recommended either liquidation or the sale of Royal AM. In his court submission last week on Monday, the curator reportedly emphasised that the club must be sold, or it will face liquidation if no buyer emerges.
The recent asset seizure has frozen MaMkhize’s accounts, disrupting payments to players who only received December salaries in January. The indication is that January salaries were settled recently.
Royal AM’s last appearance on the field was the 3-1 defeat to TS Galaxy on 29 December. They are now languishing at the bottom of the Betway Premiership table with a mere eight points from 11 matches.
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