When things were starting to get back to normalcy, Royal AM players suffered another setback from management after their Monday training session was canceled at the last minute.

The KwaZulu-Natal club, which has been in the news for weeks, was scheduled to resume training on Monday, according to general manager Richard Makhoba. Makhoba informed this publication that training would commence following the delayed payment of December salaries.

However, despite players reporting to the club house in Pietermaritzburg on Sunday in anticipation of a 15:00 training session, they were informed that Monday’s training had been canceled without explanation.

“During the day, when the players were ready to go to the training ground, they were told that training had been canceled,” a source revealed. “The players didn’t receive a clear explanation, especially since their December salaries had been resolved. This is why they returned to Pietermaritzburg on Sunday, only to have the club cancel the training session on Monday afternoon.”

This abrupt cancellation is a significant blow to the players, who were eager to return to the field. “All players want to return to the field, and they were happy that they would return on Monday, but they were disappointed after being told that the training session is canceled,” the source added.

Royal AM was scheduled to play against Chippa United on Saturday, but the game was postponed, infuriating Chippa management who had already made logistical arrangements.

While that game was postponed, Makhoba assured this publication that Royal AM would play against Orlando Pirates at Harry Gwala Stadium on 23 January, their first game of 2025.

Royal AM finds itself in a precarious situation after the South African Revenue Service (SARS) froze the club’s assets due to alleged tax debt owed by club president Shauwn Mkhize, amounting to approximately R40 million. Despite claiming in her book that the issue was resolved two years ago, it appears this is not the case.

SARS officials raided Mkhize’s luxurious La Lucia residence in Durban, confiscating firearms and luxury vehicles. A curator has since been appointed to oversee the club’s affairs.

Mkhize took to social media to lament the loss of her phones. Given the payment of December salaries, questions arise regarding how January salaries will be paid and how December salaries were even processed with frozen assets.

However, a source told this publication that the club is registered as a trust, and others claim it was registered under her son Andile Mpisane, who is also a club player. This raises questions about the legality of SARS’s involvement in the club’s affairs.

Royal AM currently sits second from bottom of the table with eight points after 11 matches, one point above bottom-placed Magesi FC. They have only secured one victory so far.

Additional information by Robin-Duke Madlala