I just had the same issue as LeeUmm while using SS v2.2.2. I found a possible bug in sapphire/core/SSViewer.php and a fix.
Around line 263 in SSViewer.php you'll find several ereg_replace() calls that appear to change the .ss template if/else syntax to php if/else syntax. There are a few lines that replace "else_if" wrong or not at all...
// line 278
$content = ereg_replace('<' . '% +else_if +([A-Za-z0-9_]+) *&&? *([A-Za-z0-9_]+) +%' . '>', '<? else_if($item->hasValue("\\1") && $item->hasValue("\\2")) { ?>', $content);
//change to
$content = ereg_replace('<' . '% +else_if +([A-Za-z0-9_]+) *&&? *([A-Za-z0-9_]+) +%' . '>', '<? } else if($item->hasValue("\\1") && $item->hasValue("\\2")) { ?>', $content);
// line 274
$content = ereg_replace('<' . '% +else_if +([A-Za-z0-9_]+) *\\|\\|? *([A-Za-z0-9_]+) +%' . '>', '<? else_if($item->hasValue("\\1") || $item->hasValue("\\2")) { ?>', $content);
// change to
$content = ereg_replace('<' . '% +else_if +([A-Za-z0-9_]+) *\\|\\|? *([A-Za-z0-9_]+) +%' . '>', '<? } else if($item->hasValue("\\1") || $item->hasValue("\\2")) { ?>', $content);
// line 266
$content = ereg_replace('<' . '% +if +([A-Za-z0-9_]+)\\(([A-Za-z0-9_-]+)\\) +%' . '>', '<? if($item->hasValue("\\1",array("\\2"))) { ?>', $content);
// ADD this line below it...
$content = ereg_replace('<' . '% +else_if +([A-Za-z0-9_]+)\\(([A-Za-z0-9_-]+)\\) +%' . '>', '<? } else if($item->hasValue("\\1",array("\\2"))) { ?>', $content);
// line 263
$content = ereg_replace('<' . '% +if +([A-Za-z0-9_]+)\\.([A-Za-z0-9_]+) +%' . '>', '<? if($item->obj("\\1",null,true)->hasValue("\\2")) { ?>', $content);
// ADD this line below it...
$content = ereg_replace('<' . '% +else_if +([A-Za-z0-9_]+)\\.([A-Za-z0-9_]+) +%' . '>', '<? } else if($item->obj("\\1",null,true)->hasValue("\\2")) { ?>', $content);
Keep in mind this changes core code. Any upgrades to SS will erase these changes. By then this bug might be fixed anyway :). I will try to look in the bug reports to see if it's there already, and if not add it.
Oh, and Willr's suggestion works for me, I just wanted to have the ability to make my templates a bit more readable.
-Billy