Moodley: My Attempts to Achieve SuperSport Status Fell Short…

Durban politician Roy Moodley has disclosed his attempt to acquire the status of SuperSport United, noting that he was “a bit late” since it had already been secured by the son of Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie.

This highlights another bid by Moodley to become an owner of a Premier Soccer League (PSL) club, following his previous unsuccessful endeavor to obtain Royal AM’s status last season, which faced numerous challenges.

Moodley expressed interest in taking over Royal AM but included specific conditions in his proposal. He sought an extension past June, arguing that closing out the remaining 19 matches in April would be too late.

One condition was that the club should avoid relegation by the end of the season, as he believed it would be unrealistic to manage 19 matches in six weeks without risking demotion, particularly after proposing an investment of R50 million.

Nevertheless, the PSL Executive Committee (Exco), chaired by Irvin Khoza, dismissed all of Moodley’s terms. Consequently, the deal fell apart, Royal AM remained unsold, and the club ultimately lost its league membership.

Royal AM, owned by the controversial Durban entrepreneur Shauwn Mkhize, faced this situation following allegations from the South African Revenue Service (SARS) that she purportedly owed R40 million in tax liabilities.

A change in ownership became essential for the club’s survival, leading SARS to appoint Jaco Venter as curator to oversee the transition and find a buyer.

However, Venter was unable to finalize a sale, including to Moodley, as his last-minute bid was undermined by the PSL Exco’s rejection of his conditions.

While Moodley has remained on the lookout for opportunities, he learned that SuperSport’s status was up for grabs. Sadly, by the time he acted on making an offer, it had already been taken by McKenzie’s son, who secured the tender to establish Siwelele Football Club.

“We were also trying for the club now, SuperSport. We wanted to buy SuperSport because they were facing challenges and things like that, but I think it was already sold to someone with more influence,” Moodley told Sportswire.

“And that is the minister of sports’ son, or something.”

In light of the ongoing transfers of club statuses within the PSL, Moodley hopes that the Exco made a sound decision in approving the SuperSport sale, as he predicts that clubs will continue to exchange statuses each season.

He emphasized the importance of selecting capable leadership: “Our people must remember that they need to choose the right government because, ultimately, if they fail to make the right choice, they will encounter the same failures.”

He further underscored the necessity for leaders to possess a solid foundation in business and financial management: “You need to choose a government with a proven business track record. You can’t appoint someone to govern the country without financial management experience. If you run a business and don’t yield results, you can’t remain in operation, or it will lead to failure; your performance determines my success or failure.”

While Moodley has yet to secure a notable PSL status, he is currently focused on giving back to the Durban community by launching his own football tournament, the Roy Moodley Legacy Cup. The inaugural edition is set to commence later this month, with Hoy Park in Durban North as a potential venue.