Arbitration rules against Spurs, clears Chiefs' signings of Velebayi and Baartman

Asanele Velebayi and Luke Baartman are free agents and their signings by Kaizer Chiefs can proceed, an arbitration has ruled. The pair had been a subject of a dispute from Cape Town Spurs, who argued 22-year-old winger Velebayi and 19-year-old forward Baartman were still under contract by the club. Spurs were relegated from the Motsepe Foundation Championship (MFC) to the third tier ABC Motsepe League at the end of the 2024-25 season. Chiefs announced they had signed the pair as free agents in August. Arbitrator Hilton Epstein SC ruled on Tuesday Velebayi and Baartman are free agents and directed Spurs to "furnish clearance certificates to both". No order of costs was made.