Sport, arts and culture minister Gayton McKenzie has expressed his gratitude to his son, Calvin Le John, for purchasing SuperSport United and rebranding it as Siwelele Football Club.
SuperSport was sold to a Bloemfontein-based consortium, with Le John part of the team that secured the R50m deal. The sale awaits approval from the Premier Soccer League (PSL) executive committee.
In a Facebook post, McKenzie thanked his son, highlighting the emotional connection his family has with the “Siwelele” name, which was the nickname previously associated with Bloemfontein Celtic.
“You were born five hours after I was jailed for 17 years,” McKenzie said. “You grew up seeing me through jail bars. You never visited me on the weekends of the home games of Siwelele because you and your grandpa would go and watch the games religiously, just like me and him when I was young.
“I remember you told me that it brings you closer to me emotionally, knowing that you are doing the same thing I did with my father and your grandfather. You suffered growing up without your dad. I thank God for a powerful mother who stood in the gap. You are the main reason I behaved better because I wanted to come out and didn’t want to see you grow up behind jail bars forever.”
Concerns were raised about McKenzie's possible involvement in the purchase of the club. However, he said his son had taken full control of the businesses.
“I have dedicated my entire life to the Patriotic Alliance. You have taken full control of the family businesses; you move differently than I do. You are taking the businesses in another direction, and I trust you. I don’t always agree, but I trust you.”
He expressed his support for the purchase of the club.
“I fully agree with your purchase of SuperSport because we both stood at the deathbed of my father and your grandad, and we promised that we would always look after Siwelele.
“To the people of the Free State, Siwelele is not just a team; it’s our heritage, our culture, and part of our soul. My friend Jessica Motaung tried everything to make me a Chiefs supporter, but I steadfastly refused because Siwelele is in my bone marrow.”
McKenzie appealed to the Free State community to trust Le John to steer the team in the right direction.
“Masele, please look after my son; he is yours now. He is a good kid with good intentions for the team.”
TimesLIVE
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