The President of Royal AM Football Club,Ms Shauwn Mkhize has released a statement to confirm that the players and technical team were not paid salaries for December because SARS froze club accounts.
She said Royal AM Football Club wishes to address the unfortunate situation regarding the non-payment of salaries for December 2024,affecting our valued players,technical team,and staff.We acknowledge the hardship this has caused and extend our heartfelt apologies to those impacted,including their families.
She admitted that the club is no longer in their control after SARS takeover and the curator which was appointed by the revenue authority is responsible for Royal AM assets.
She said as many are aware,the club is currently under curatorship following a preservation order obtained by SARS.While this has resulted in the temporary appointment of a curator,Mr Jaco Venter,to oversee the club's assets and operations,we want to assure all stakeholders that Royal AM remains committed to resolving this matter as swiftly as possible.
She emphasised that the club's management is trying by all means to solve this matter as soon as possible so that the club will able to pay salaries.
She said 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.It has always been the ethos of Royal AM to prioritize the well-being of our personnel,and we remain dedicated to upholding that principle despite current challenges.
She concluded by thanking the understanding which shown by players and staff during this difficult time and she is confident that the situation will be resolved.
"We appreciate the patience and support of our players,staff ,and their families during this difficult time.Additionally,we thank our fans,sponsors,and broader stakeholders for their continued trust and loyalty.
"Royal AM is committed to preserving the integrity of the club and ensuring its long-term success.We remain optimistic that this situation will be resolved soon,and we will provide timely updates as developments unfold,"she concluded.
The financial difficulties that are facing by the club has forced the Premier Soccer League(PSL) to postpone its upcoming with Chippa United which was scheduled for 11 January 2025 at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.
Why SARS is targeting Royal AM?
The South African Revenue Service(SARS) has been on the heels of Shauwn Mkhize for nearly a decade now and it was reported that she owes the revenue authority approximately R40 million and that has led SARS to target all her assets to recover the money owed to it.
Few months ago,SARS raided her R20 million mansion in Durban,and it was reported that SARS towed away all her expensive cars which might be sold to recoup the money owed for tax.
The Sowetan has reported that Mamkhize is trying to use his son Andile Mpisane to save her club from the hawks nails which is SARS and is her last resort.