Linksfield-based soccer side Highlands Park is no more

Highlands Park Football Club has finally fallen to the mighty purse of the highest bidder, that being the Kwandele-based GladAfrica Championship side TS Galaxy.

The sale of the club, which was founded in November 1959 but folded in February 1983 and later resuscitated in June 2003, was confirmed by TS Galaxy owner and founder Tim Sukazi. The former football agent and now club owner said he forked out something in the region of R60 million for the status of Highlands Park and described the deal as ‘signed and sealed’ but that it was just awaiting ratification by the Premier Soccer League.

“I can safely confirm that this deal is signed and sealed as per letter from the league which indicated that they would approve the sale and we could starting opening the champagne bottles,” he said.
Sukazi added that he had already sold his GladAfrica Championship status to Cape Town All Stars which had previously sold him its status in then then National First Division, which is now the GladAfrica Championship.

“They say in English a good deed deserves another and this is what I have done for Cape Town All Stars and friend Lunga Ncwana. As a good friend, Ncwana sold me the status of his side in the National First Division and I have repaid him,” Sukazi said.

Highlands Park co-director Brad Kaftel, who had indicated before the resumption of the 2019/20 season that he had ‘put the club on sale to the highest bidder’, said he and his co-directors had been battling to keep the Lions of the North afloat. “It’s not easy to part ways with an asset such as Highlands Park with its magnificent and colourful history but when the ship appears destined for a sunken life, it would be a wise captain that saves both his crew and those on board,” he said.

TS Galaxy, better known in KwaNdebele as The Rockettes, made waves last year when they became the first club from the lower division to win the Nedbank Cup, which has become popularly known as the ‘David versus Goliath’ Cup.

They became the first ‘David’ to lift the trophy after putting ‘Goliath’ in the form of Kaizer Chiefs to the sword, and also made history by becoming the first team on the continent outside of the professional ranks to represent a country in a continental Caf Confederations Cup.

After beating the former cup kings of SA football in a cup final, all eyes will be on them to see what sort of star performances they can produce in their maiden season of professional football.