Khoza issues ultimatum to Gauteng MEC Panyaza Lesufi and his Swallows consortium

20 July 2016 - 19:29 By Mninawa Ntloko

Premier Soccer League (PSL) chairman Irvin Khoza has warned that South African football could suffer irreparable damage if Gauteng Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi’s attempts to facilitate the return of Moroka Swallows back to the premiership fail. Lesufi is leading a consortium of unknown investors who are trying to fast-track the return of the relegated Swallows back to the top-flight through the purchase of the premiership status of Free State Stars in a deal worth north of R55m.The Gauteng MEC has made numerous comments about the deal on radio and in newspapers over the past few weeks and Khoza said they are disappointed that he made utterances before the matter could be concluded. Khoza issued an ultimatum on Wednesday and said Lesufi‚ Swallows and Stars have until the end of the week to finalise the deal or else the PSL will not entertain it.‘‘I tried to speak to MEC Lesufi and he apologise‚” Khoza said.‘‘But I am hoping that he fulfils his promise because I do not think that this will be good for brand Lesufi if this deal is not concluded.‘‘That is why we said by the end of this week we should know what is happening. We cannot wait for too long because this is not fair to anybody‚ it is not fair to Free State Stars.‘‘You can imagine the psychological trauma that Free State Stars players are going through. Their management‚ their families‚ you know‚ there is a lot of disruption that is taking place right now. What message are we communicating to the sponsors right now?”The prolonged uncertainty over the deal has already had an impact on the release of premiership fixtures for the coming season and Khoza warned that South African football may not recover if the sale is botched. ‘‘I just want to appeal to MEC Lesufi that this kind of a situation has never happened in the history of the PSL. I know that it was difficult for him also to get everybody on board‚ in particular the (Swallows) minority shareholders.”Lesufi‚ who is a staunch Swallows supporter‚ addressing a large crowd at the Ipelegeng Community Centre in Jabavu on Sunday and said the deal would be concluded by Wednesday.Given that a deadline that he set himself was not met‚ it is perhaps for this reason that the PSL moved swiftly to take control of the situation.‘‘I am told that there was a big meeting on Sunday (at Ipelegeng Community Centre in Jabavu) and people went out of that briefing highly inspired and hopeful that the Birds will fly again‚” Khoza said.‘‘That is why it is my wish and the wish of the (PSL) executive committee‚ if it is Swallows of course‚ that he (Lesufi) gets the strength and support from the Trust members who are involved with him to provide the necessary funding and try and avert the irreparable damage that will be caused to brand Free State Stars‚ brand PSL‚ brand football South Africa and the brand Lesufi.‘‘He is a brand in his own right and I can’t image the impact of non performance is going to be.”Khoza said should Lesufi and his consortium fail to meet the ultimatum‚ they will assume that the deal fell through and Stars would go into next season’s fixture list.‘‘We have got the team Free State Stars‚ our member is Free State Stars. Until conditionalities are fulfilled. That is why all out communication is addressed to Free State Stars.”Lesufi could not be reached for comment and his mobile went straight to voice mail. - TMG Digital..

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