Thabiso Tenyane is pumping R100m into Richards Bay FC and is a business partner of Florentino Pérez

He says he does energy business with flamboyant Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez and he is going to make a multibillion-rand gas project investment in Richards Bay in the next three years.

This is Thabiso Tenyane, executive chair of the Phakwe Group, which has signed a R100m sponsoring deal with DStv Premiership side Richards Bay over three years. 

Announcing the sponsorship, Tenyane said Richards Bay will get R20m a year for three years and the remaining R40m will go towards building a world-class training centre for the club. 

Founder and executive chair of the Phakwe Group, Tenyane is an investor and entrepreneur with more than 25 years experience in managing multibillion-rand global businesses in industries that include ICT, the public sector, energy, investments, aviation and engineering. 

Tenyane said he is not going to be involved in the running of Richards Bay but will offer support to transform the club into one of the best in South Africa.

He has also challenged business to support South African football. 

“I am in business and soccer is business. What I will share is my leadership and commitment in resources. I am not coming here to run Richards Bay but I am here to capacitate the chairman of the club to have all the tools he requires to be a winner. 

“People know Florentino Pérez as the president of Real Madrid. He is my partner in energy for 15 years. I am going to fly to him to learn how things are done. The value of soccer in South Africa cannot be lower compared with the English Premier League or La Liga. There is something we are not doing right and it needs to be done right.”