The ruling, which the public broadcaster has seen, first rejected the player’s combined damages claim of R5.7-million for unfair dismissal a year ago, before The Dube Birds were sold and renamed Marumo Gallants.

Jali, through his attorney, approached the Premier Soccer League Dispute Resolution Chamber to recover money owed to him as a result of a breach of contract, including the one-year option on the deal he signed with Swallows.

The agreement also added image rights and would have ended in June this year, only if the option had been triggered.

With that claim dismissed, the DRC then focused on the image rights arrangement between the two sides and subsequently ruled in Jali’s favour – leaving Swallows with a debt of R880 000.

Gallants purchased the topflight status from the Soweto giants at the end of the 2023/24 season and inherited all their contractual obligations, meaning Bahlabane Ba Ntwa are the ones liable to pay Jali.

It’s understood Gallants will now approach the SA Football Association (SAFA) and lodge an appeal in an attempt to overturn the ruling.

Jali, who signed for Chippa United at the start of the current campaign, has been warned not to celebrate prematurely as he might find himself in a situation where both his claims are dismissed.

SAFA is notorious for delaying appointments of a panel of experts to deliberate cases as evidenced by the fact that Xola Mlambo also recently submitted an appeal to fight his unfair dismissal at TS Galaxy, but is yet to receive a date for a possible hearing.

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Finished SMS Friendship Cup T20 Tri-Series