Bethuel Muzeu cleared to join Sekhukhune after Leopards dispute

Bethuel Muzeu has been cleared to join Sekhukhune United, ending the dispute with AFC Leopards that had delayed the Namibian forward’s move for several weeks. Sekhukhune had announced the 26-year-old as a new signing early last month, but Leopards initially withheld the required clearance.

The disagreement placed Muzeu’s move in limbo even though he had already been presented as one of Babina Noko’s arrivals. The issue has now been resolved, allowing the forward to complete his move to the South African club.

Muzeu’s transfer was understood to have been arranged without a fee after Leopards’ relegation from the Motsepe Foundation Championship to the ABC Motsepe League. National Soccer League regulations permit players registered with non-professional clubs to leave without a transfer payment.

That position follows a Dispute Resolution Chamber decision last year involving several Cape Town Spurs players. The chamber confirmed that those players became free agents after Spurs were relegated, creating a precedent relevant to Muzeu’s case.

The delay was also linked to concerns around Muzeu’s work permit, while the disagreement between the clubs added another obstacle. Leopards are challenging their relegation through their lawyers and maintain that the Premier Soccer League harmed their start to the 2025/26 season by enforcing a FIFA registration ban before they believed it should have been applied.

The ban eventually took effect and left Leopards without a full squad for several matches. On one occasion, defender Thando Mukumela had to play in goal because the club could not register enough players. Leopards had also warned departing players that leaving during the dispute carried risks, although the club’s chairman dismissed claims that it had tried to block former players from moving elsewhere.

On the field, Leopards finished second in the 2025 FKF Premier League with 64 points from 34 matches, recording 19 wins, seven draws and eight defeats. Their recent sequence included two losses followed by three victories, with wins over Homeboyz, Ulinzi Stars and Mara Sugar before Muzeu’s clearance was confirmed.