CAPE TOWN - The first round of the MTN8 will go ahead as scheduled this weekend after AmaZulu failed in their bid to interdict the start of the cup competition at the South Gauteng High Court on Wednesday.
The Durban club launched their bid to stop the tournament’s kick-off on Tuesday, but Judge Denise Fischer reserved judgement until the next day when she struck the matter from the court roll and ordered AmaZulu to pay all costs.
AmaZulu were one of the clubs affected by the long-running dispute between the Premier Soccer League (PSL) and Ajax Cape Town about the use of Tendai Ndoro. The Cape Town club played the striker in three games, but he was subsequently declared ineligible because he has already played for two other clubs in the same season – the limit allowed by Fifa’s statutes.
The dispute was settled in arbitration, with advocate William Mokhari awarding all the points from those three games to Ajax’s opponents; Platinum Stars, Polokwane City and SuperSport United.
The Urban Warriors were relegated to the National First Divisions as a result, while AmaZulu slipped out of the top eight places on the revised league table and out of the qualification places for the MTN8.
Ajax had planned to fight the relegation in the high court and had Mokhari’s findings set aside by Judge Fischer in an initial victory. The club also applied to interdict the start of the league, but accepted their fate and withdrew the application on July 27 when Judge Fischer granted the PSL leave to appeal her initial judgement to set aside Mokhari’s verdict.
BREAKING: Judge Fisher has struck the application brought by Amazulu FC off the court roll. Amazulu FC to pay costs.
— Official PSL (@OfficialPSL) August 8, 2018
Mamelodi Sundowns and Lamontville Golden Arrows kick off the MTN8 on Saturday at Lucas Moripe Stadium (3pm kick-off), while Kazier Chiefs and Free States Stars play in the second fixture at FNB Stadium (6pm). Orlando Pirates and SuperSport United face off at Orlando Stadium in the third game on Saturday (8.30pm), while Maritzburg United and Cape Town City bring the quarter-finals to a close at Harry Gwala Stadium on Sunday (3pm).
@LiamCPT