The PSL Dispute Resolution Chamber has ruled in favour of Luke Baartman, declaring him a free agent and paving the way for his potential transfer to Kaizer Chiefs.
This development comes exactly a week after Asanele Velebayi was also declared a free agent with Chiefs announcing his signing on a long-term contract, as the ex-Cape Town Spurs captain fulfilled his lifelong dream of wearing the Amakhosi colours.
Meanwhile, Cape Town Spurs have filed a review application with the SAFA Arbitration Tribunal regarding the Velebayi matter. It is expected that they will follow the same route concerning Baartman.
However, for now, the ruling handed down on Tuesday by the PSL DRC panel allows Amakhosi to proceed with signing the 19-year-old forward.
LUKE BAARTMAN DECLARED FREE AGENT, SET FOR KAIZER CHIEFS TRANSFER
The decision also follows a similar verdict by a DRC panel a week earlier for his teammate, Velebayi. Both players, along with AmaZulu FC-linked player Liam Bern, had sought to be released from their contracts after CT Spurs were relegated to the amateur ABC Motsepe League last season.
The trio’s legal team argued that, according to NSL rules, a club’s relegation to amateur status voids all professional contracts.
The DRC panel agreed with the players, finding that the contracts CT Spurs were relying on were no longer valid due to the club’s amateur status.
However, Cape Town Spurs are not backing down. The club has criticised the DRC’s “inconsistent” rulings, calling them a “gross, reviewable error.” In a lengthy statement last week, CT Spurs argued that the players’ contracts were explicitly “not terminable on notice” and that the legal principle of pacta sunt servanda—that contracts must be honoured—should apply.
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