Spurs Withdraw Appeal, Liam Bern Cleared to Join AmaZulu

Finally, sanity has prevailed at Cape Town Spurs after the club decided to drop their appeal to SAFA regarding Liam Bern, allowing the midfielder to officially play for AmaZulu with immediate effect.

Sportswire has learned that Bern has now been officially declared a free agent, ending months of frustration for Usuthu coach Arthur Zwane, who can now include the left-footed midfielder in his squad after a four-month delay.

Bern, who joined AmaZulu from Spurs during the off-season, was caught in a long-running contractual dispute after the Cape Town side initially blocked his transfer to the Durban-based club.

Spurs argued that Bern was still under contract and therefore not a free agent, despite the team’s relegation from the Motsepe Foundation Championship to the ABC Motsepe Regional League at the end of last season.

However, under NSL regulations, the ABC Motsepe League is classified as an amateur competition, meaning players from relegated clubs can be declared free agents.

AmaZulu initially won the case through the PSL Dispute Resolution Chamber (DRC), which ruled in Bern’s favour. Spurs, however, maintained that they were legally entitled to a transfer fee and appealed the decision to SAFA’s Appeals Board—an appeal they have now withdrawn.

Bern becomes the fifth Cape Town Spurs player to be declared a free agent through legal channels, following Luke Baartman and Asanele Velebayi, who both joined Kaizer Chiefs, as well as Therlo Moosa, who joined Cape Town City, and Mervin Boji, who were assisted by the South African Football Players Union (SAFPU).

Spurs had no authority over Moosa and Boji’s cases since they were not developed by the club and thus could not claim any development compensation. Their cases also did not proceed to SAFA’s Appeals Board.

Meanwhile, Bern’s representatives have criticised the lengthy SAFA process, which took over four months to resolve, causing unnecessary frustration for the player.

also expressed disappointment at SAFA’s slow handling of player-related disputes, stressing that the system should prioritise players’ rights and career progression.

A source close to the matter did not mince words when speaking about Spurs’ actions:

“After they lost the Velebayi and Baartman appeals, they knew they couldn’t win the Bern and Boji cases either. Yet they blocked those players out of spite.

“The rulings have proven that the players were never in the wrong — but Spurs treated them like criminals for requesting their clearances. They owe these players a public apology.

“They can blame the system, but not the players.”

With the matter finally resolved, all eyes will be on whether Liam Bern makes his AmaZulu debut when Usuthu host Siwelele at Moses Mabhida Stadium on 22 November, following the FIFA international break.