Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie’s close family member, Calvin Lee John, will be unveiled as the new owner of SuperSport United, after buying the status of the club. Information reaching Sunday World is that ‘McKenzie and his family’ were key in the acquisition of the PSL club.
An official announcement is expected to be made later today after a series of meetings between the two parties were held this morning (Thursday). It is reported that the new owners spent in the region of R50-million to purchase the club.
The energetic McKenzie has never been shy to mention that he was working with a consortium to revive Bloemfontein Celtic and to bring back professional football to the soccer-mad province in the Free State.
New name
The club will now be known as Siwelele Football Club. The new entity will remain in Johannesburg and continue to train at Megawatt Park. They will play their matches in Bloemfontein and Gauteng and also honour their agreement with the Polokwane Municipality to play some of their home games at the Peter Mokaba Stadium.
SuperSport former boss Stan Matthews will remain as the Chief Executive Officer of the new franchise. They will also honour the contracts of employees contracted to the club, according to the rules of acquiring a club franchise.
A well-placed insider has revealed that the sale of the club is now official. This was cemented after an application for the transfer of ownership was submitted to the Premier Soccer League (PSL).
“It’s a done deal and someone very close and related to Minister McKenzie will be the new owner. They are just waiting for approval from the league. They have agreed on the club’s logo and crest, the green and white colours. And all that is required from them in terms of the PSL handbook,” said the insider.
MultiChoice financial woes
The historic club is being sold because of the financial struggle faced by the MultiChoice Group. The group is cutting its losses, selling non-profitable properties, including the soccer club. They are also doing away with shares from rugby franchises Sharks and Cheetahs.
But this sale is likely to be met with resistance with popular Free State businessman Bra Eddie Modise. He is claiming that he owns the Bloemfontein Celtic naming rights.
Modise bought the naming rights (Bloemfontein Celtic) from Max Tshabalala, the former Celtic owner. Tshabalala sold the status of the club to Shwaun “MaMkhize” Mkhize. She later renamed the club Royal AM. Modise spent in the region of R5-million for the name.
Ex-owner decries name change
“If people doubt my legitimacy over the Bloemfontein Celtic ownership they can check with CIPRO [state company registration entity]. I am the owner 100%. I have been reading the stories and I do not know who these people are. And I was not even approached by people with a common goal,” Moise told Sunday World.
“If I was approached, I would listen. And I am willing to negotiate for the sake of the football loving people of the province, I would not hide. I am told that the people are in a consortium with the honourable Minister McKenzie.
“But I say they cannot bring back the club without the name. What they are doing is not honourable, there are so many names they can call it. Why do they want to call it Celtic United. This is not done in good faith,” he added.
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