Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila FC during the NFD Promotion/Relegation Play-off match between Royal Eagles and Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila at Chatsworth Stadium on May 15, 2019 in Durban, South Africa. (Photo by Anesh Debiky/Gallo Images)
The owner of Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila, Masala Mulaudzi – a side currently competing in the GladAfrica Championship, which is set to play in the top flight next season as he bought Bidvest Wits – says the takeover of Wits was more of “empowerment” more than an actual sale.
Mulaudzi said he was rather “offered” the oldest football club in the country and is understood to have paid a sum that is far less than what the club is worth.
“It is not really a sale. Bidvest Wits were not on sale, not at all. What happened is that we were in a boardroom talking about other things and they realised the passion that I have for football because I have been in football for some time,” he told Power FM.
“They (Bidvest Group) wanted to empower someone who has got something in football and they wanted someone they could hand over the team to. They said they would love for me to look after this precious asset and look after it and take it to another level.
Mulaudzi said it was his interest that prompted Wits to “offer” him the club.
“I showed too much interest and I said, ‘Can I put an offer to buy this asset?’ although they were not selling it. When I placed the offer they said, ‘We are not selling the club but would like to empower someone. We are giving it to you and back to the community, go and run with this in a different location.’
“They want to assist me in the running of the club, they said I should put the proper management in place and make sure I run it properly. They said they will advise me since I am taking over. Their main objective was to put the club in backhands.”
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