OPINION: Swallows sale to Gallants makes no sense

It almost defies logic that a team which finishes 11th in the second-tier Motsepe Foundation League are now suddenly elevated to the top-flight by buying a DStv Premiership franchise. But logic doesn’t always prevail in our football space.

OPINION: Sale of Swallows making a mockery of the league

The mere fact that Marumo Gallants ended 11th in the National First Division (NFD) suggests they struggled their way through the season.

In steps Polokwane businessman Abram Sello and his backers, waves money at the Swallows owners and his club (Gallants), previously relegated from the DStv Premiership in 2022/23, are back in the top-tier in the time it takes literally to warm a sausage in a microwave oven.

Sello had originally dabbled in this practice before. He bought TTM, who in turn bought the 100-year-old Bidvest Wits and regained Premier League status in 2020, again with PSL permission.

The PSL has approved the latest change and Gallants are set to re-locate to Bloemfontein. Another club rich in tradition and history, known as the Dube Birds to their loyal flock of supporters, have ceased to exist – again!

“As the league we can’t stop these deals. What they are doing is just selling their companies, that’s all,” PSL official Prof Ronnie Schloss told Kick-Off magazine.

Although it is common practice, under no circumstances should name or location be allowed to change. Swallows were already in their second reincarnation prior to their current demise.

The club, like so many before them, fell on hard times financially, primarily it has to be said due to poor management and owners who have extracted the cream and left the sour milk behind.

I am told the official line was that the club failed to secure a primary sponsor, who were deemed to be in competition with one of the PSL sponsors.

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Yet, the controversy surrounding the sponsorship deal Cape Town City (another re-named club which killed off Mpumalanga Aces) concluded with one of the country’s banking giants, seems to have blown away.

Not to mention that two of the biggest teams in the country are also sponsored by one of southern Africa’s mobile phone giants. 

Hamba kahle mighty Dube Birds!