Shauwn Mkhize is seen on a football carrying a portable speaker with football players around her Royal AM, owned by Durban businesswoman Shauwn Mkhize (pictured), has paid their players' salaries for December. Photo: Ayanda Ndamane/Independent Newspapers
Image: Ayanda Ndamane/Independent Newspapers
Royal AM players will reportedly return to training on Monday following the payment of their December salaries by the embattled KwaZulu-Natal-based club.
Due to players not being paid, they did not return to training as scheduled after the New Year, and their game against Chippa United was postponed, much to the annoyance of the Gqeberha-based club.
According to Sportswire, the club's general manager Richard Makhoba confirmed to the online publication that the players had received their payments.
The club is under the curatorship of the South African Revenue Services as owner, businesswoman and socialite Shauwn Mkhize currently owes R40 million to the taxman. In November of last year, her La Lucia, Durban home was raided by officials from the South African Police Services (SAPS) and SARS.
The club have also been handed a transfer ban by world football governing body FIFA due to owing money to former players Samir Nurkovic and Ricardo Nascimento. Their inability to sign players has led to Mkhize's son, club chairman Andile Mpisane, playing regularly in the Betway Premiership.
On Wednesday, Mkhize apologised to her players as she admitted the club was under the temporary curatorship of SARS..
"The club's management team, led by our CEO and General Manager, has been working diligently with the curator to secure the necessary permissions to release funds for salary payments," Mkhize said in a statement.
"It has always been the ethos of Royal AM to prioritise the well-being of our personnel, and we remain dedicated to upholding that principle despite the current challenges," she said.
With the players returning to training on Monday, their next game in the league will be a home clash against Soweto giants Orlando Pirates at the Harry Gwala Stadium in Pietermaritzburg on February 22.
IOL Sport