Cape Town Spurs have are not giving up on Asanele Velebayi just yet and have lodged a formal appeal against the Dispute Resolution Chamber’s ruling that declared midfielder a free agent.
The 22-year-old was already unveiled as new signing by Kaizer Chiefs on the same day that was meant to mark the beginning of an exciting new chapter in his career – but instead, it may have opened the first page of a fresh legal saga.
Velebayi’s status has been the subject of a drawn-out tug-of-war since Spurs’ relegation to the SAFA Leagues, with the player eventually winning his case at the PSL’s DRC earlier this week.
The ruling appeared to clear the path for his move to Naturena, but Spurs are now determined to halt that momentum. Club insiders have confirmed they have not only filed the appeal, but also formally warned both the league and Chiefs that any attempt to register or field Velebayi would be met with firm opposition.
Central to their argument is PSL Rule 24.4, which states that any ruling is automatically suspended until the outcome of an appeal is finalised.
That technicality could leave Chiefs in limbo and Velebayi forced to wait on the sidelines, while the paperwork plays out.
For now, Velebayi’s long-awaited debut in gold and black remains shrouded in uncertainty, with the midfielder caught in the crossfire of the dispute.
Story by Sinethemba Makonco (@Makonco_M).