Sportswire can confirm that all employees, including coach John Maduka, at Royal AM have now received their outstanding salaries.

While players were initially paid their December salaries with a delay in January, concerns arose regarding coach Maduka’s payment, as he was reported to be absent from the team.

These financial difficulties stem from the club’s recent placement under curatorship by the South African Revenue Service (SARS). SARS appointed a curator to oversee the club’s operations after club owner Shauwn Mkhize was accused of owing the tax authority close to R40 million.

In November, SARS raided Mkhize’s residence and seized her luxury vehicles in La Lucia, Durban, to recover the outstanding tax debt.

The curatorship impacted the club’s operations significantly, leading to players missing training at the beginning of the year and ultimately resulting in the postponement of their Betway Premiership match against Chippa United last weekend.

While club general manager Richard Makhoba confirmed last week that player salaries had been paid, concerns remained regarding coach Maduka’s payment. However, it has now been confirmed that he has received his salary and is back to training the team.

The situation raises questions about the club’s long-term sustainability and how operations will continue under curatorship until the end of the season in May. Despite the financial challenges, Royal AM has confirmed that they will fulfill their upcoming fixture against Orlando Pirates at Harry Gwala Stadium on Thursday (19:30). Tickets for the match were confirmed by the club through the club’s social media channels.

This announcement has drawn criticism from some, with many calling for stronger action against the club’s management. Royal AM currently occupies second-last place in the Betway Premiership table with eight points from 11 matches, one point above bottom-placed Magesi FC. They have secured only one victory in the league so far.