Royal AM Booted from PSL: What Really Went Wrong with Shauwn Mkhize's Club?
- The PSL officially booted Royal AM out of the league following unresolved tax issues amounting to R40 million, a failed sale, and administrative chaos — marking a total collapse of the once high-flying club
- Journalist Brighton Bafana slams Royal AM’s leadership under Shauwn Mkhize, highlighting poor governance, legal missteps, and a lack of footballing structure as key reasons for the downfall
- The expulsion signals the end of one of SA’s most talked-about clubs, offering a harsh lesson: glamour and ambition mean little without solid management and compliance behind the scenes
When Shauwn “MaMkhize” Mkhize burst onto the PSL scene with Royal AM in 2021, it was like South African football had just discovered Instagram.
The club, bought from Bloemfontein Celtic, quickly became known for its opulence — convoys of luxury cars, designer suits on the sidelines, and bold declarations of ambition.
Source: Instagram
But now, just a few years later, Royal AM has been officially booted out of the Premier Soccer League.
The PSL confirmed the club’s expulsion due to unresolved tax issues tied directly to its ownership.
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The team is under curatorship, and multiple bids to purchase it have fallen through.
It’s no longer just a bad season — it’s a total collapse,” says veteran football journalist Brighton Bafana.
Financial missteps and a tax nightmare
The beginning of the end wasn’t on the pitch — it was in the books.
Royal AM’s failure to settle tax obligations created a legal time bomb.
The South African Revenue Service took action, and the PSL, in an unprecedented move, had no choice but to step in.
Football is a business. Once you fail to meet your tax duties, you're no longer just failing the league — you’re breaking the law,” Brighton explains.
With the club under curatorship and no credible buyers coming forward, the PSL had to make the call.
Royal AM’s financial freefall could no longer be patched with designer wallpaper.
Source: Instagram
Leadership Without Football Roots
Shauwn Mkhize’s approach was unconventional — celebrity-driven, emotionally charged, and at times chaotic.
The club changed coaches like socks, player morale dropped, and basic administrative processes — from contracts to FIFA complaints — were reportedly mishandled.
It was a club run on personality, not professionalism,” Brighton reflects.
Once the buzz wore off, the problems surfaced.
The end of the era
With Royal AM’s fate sealed, the PSL has lost one of its most talked-about entities — for better or worse.
But the story leaves a lasting lesson.
Football isn’t about flash — it’s about foundation,” Brighton concludes.
Royal AM had the glitter but no ground beneath it.”
As the curtains close, Royal AM becomes a case study in how not to run a top-flight football club — bold in branding, but bankrupt in structure.
PSL expels Royal AM
Briefly News previously reported that Royal AM is under curatorship due to a R40 million tax debt linked to club president Shauwn Mkhize and her family trust.
This financial turmoil, compounded by Royal AM's failure to honor domestic fixtures, led the Premier Soccer League’s (PSL) Board of Governors to vote for the club’s immediate expulsion.
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Source: Briefly News
