From Wits to Swallows: How PSL clubs have been bought, sold, and erased
Image: Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix
Last week, former league champions SuperSport United became the latest team to sell their PSL status.
For the first time since 1994, the once-mighty Matsatsantsa – a team with a short but storied history, and who at times were the only team able to stand up to Mamelodi Sundowns – are no more.
The news angered many fans and former footballers, shocked that a team which won three consecutive titles between 2008 and 2010 could be wiped out so suddenly.
SuperSport United was bought by Calvyn Le'John, who was later revealed to be the son of Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie. Le'John's plans for the club include relocating it to Bloemfontein, where they will play as Siwelele United.
Get your news on the go, click
here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel.
He is also expected to invest up to R400 million in the project to revive football in the Free State. Soon after, it was reported that Cape Town City, who were recently relegated, were looking to buy someone's status in order to remain in the top flight.
Due to the difficult financial situation TS Galaxy currently finds themselves in, they could be tempted to sell their status in order to keep the Citizens in the Betway Premiership.
IOL Sport takes a look at some of the most high-profile status changes in the PSL.
Moroka Swallows → Marumo Gallants (2024)
Just last year, Marumo Gallants made their way back into the league when they purchased the status of Moroka Swallows, who themselves had only made it back to the professional ranks after buying another club's status.
Bloemfontein Celtic → Royal AM (2021)
One of the most high-profile cases where a status was sold was when Durban businesswoman Shauwn Mkhize bought the status of Bloemfontein Celtic after Royal AM failed in their promotion bid back in 2021. After two years in the league, things didn't go as planned for MaMkhize's team, as they found themselves in a financial hole that got them kicked out.
Dynamos → AmaZulu (2006)
AmaZulu were relegated from the top flight back in 2001/02. They returned briefly in 2003/04 as Zulu Royals, but were relegated again. In 2006, local businessman Patrick Sokhela bought the status of Dynamos, who had finished 13th in the league.
Thanda Royal Zulu → AmaZulu (2016)
AmaZulu were relegated again in 2014, and after failing to gain promotion back to the top flight, they bought out KwaZulu-Natal rivals Thanda Royal Zulu, who had won the National First Division.
Bidvest Wits → Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila (TTM) (2020)
In 2020, the beloved name of Bidvest Wits disappeared from South African football just three years after winning the league. Wits, then the oldest club in the country at 99 years old, sold their status to Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila. The club lasted just one season in the top flight before they sold their status to Marumo Gallants in 2021.
Highlands Park → TS Galaxy (2020)
TS Galaxy made history in 2019 when they beat Kaizer Chiefs in the Nedbank Cup final, becoming the first team from the National First Division to win the competition. The following season, the team struggled in the NFD and could only manage 10th place. However, the following season saw them make the jump to the top division after buying out Highlands Park. They've been in the top flight ever since, but speculation is rife that they might sell their status to the recently relegated Cape Town City.
Mpumalanga Black Aces → Cape Town City (2016)
Cape Town City were founded just nine years ago after the club purchased Mpumalanga Black Aces and relocated the club to Cape Town. Amazayoni, as they were known, had finished fourth in the league during the 2015/16 season.
More status changes
Vasco da Gama → FC Cape Town (2007)
Benoni Premier United → Thanda Royal Zulu (2007)
City Pillars → Mpumalanga Black Aces (2007)
Mbekweni Cosmos → Chippa United (2010)
Bay United → Polokwane City (2012)
Vasco da Gama → Stellenbosch FC (2016)
These repeated status sales raise deeper questions about the integrity and sustainability of South African football.
While club owners may see it as a business decision, it's the supporters and communities that are left betrayed. Unless the PSL re-evaluates its policies around franchise trading and puts heritage and supporter loyalty at the heart of its decisions, South African football risks losing more than just club names – it risks losing its soul.
IOL Sport
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The South African
3 hours ago
- The South African
Don strikes late as Boland sink Cheetahs in 88-minute Currie Cup thriller
Donavan Don scored in the dying moments to hand the Boland Cavaliers a dramatic 37-35 win over the Cheetahs in Wellington. Boland dominated early proceedings, smashing into contact and putting pressure on the Cheetahs at scrum time and the breakdown. Fullback James Tedder slotted two penalties to reward Boland's pressure and maintain the scoreboard pressure against an unsettled Cheetahs side. Ashlon Davids finished a flowing move to score the opening try, with Tedder's conversion pushing Boland into a 13–0 lead. The Cheetahs were punished for sloppy restarts and lineout errors as Boland enjoyed almost complete control in the first quarter. Hooker Marko Janse van Rensburg pounced on an overthrow to grab Free State's first try and shift momentum toward the visitors. Scrumhalf Rewan Kruger darted through a gap to score and give the Cheetahs a 14–13 lead midway through the half. David Brits hit back almost immediately for Boland after poor Cheetahs defence allowed him space out wide to dive over. Gideon van der Merwe was yellow-carded, and Boland capitalised as Davids raced away to score his second of the match. The hosts led 27–14 at half-time, having bounced back from a mini wobble with sharp counter-attacking play and clinical finishing. Despite Boland's strong finish to the half, the Cheetahs showed signs they still had more to offer after the break. Replacement Carel-Jan Coetzee finished a solid phase buildup to get the Cheetahs going early in the second half. Van der Merwe made amends with a powerful try from close range, before Vernon Paulo rumbled over to make it 35–27. Boland's energy dipped noticeably as the visitors took control of possession, territory and tempo midway through the second period. The Cheetahs looked set for victory before Paulo's late yellow card shifted momentum at the worst possible moment. Marcqiewn Titus scored on the stroke of full-time, giving Boland a shot at a miracle comeback win in added time. Boland retained the restart and launched wave after wave of attacks against a desperate Cheetahs defence in added time. Cheetahs tackled bravely but couldn't clear their lines or force a turnover during nearly eight minutes of extra time. Eventually, Donavon Don found space and sprinted clear to score the match-winning try and spark wild celebrations in Wellington. It was a moment of composure, precision and pace as Don read the defence perfectly and finished under heavy pressure. Boland next face Griquas in Kimberley, while the Cheetahs regroup at home ahead of a clash with the Pumas. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
Daily Maverick
3 hours ago
- Daily Maverick
Who will steer the R55bn marriage of MultiChoice and Canal+?
There's a new power couple in African media. After nearly five years of courting, Canal+ has finally put a ring on MultiChoice to form a pan-African content colossus with global ambitions. French media titan Canal+ has secured the final go-ahead to acquire MultiChoice in a landmark R55-billion deal. After years of quiet manoeuvring and regulatory hurdles, the merger is now a question of who controls what. The Competition Tribunal's conditional approval, granted late last week, closes the chapter on a five-year 'creeping takeover' and opens a new era in African broadcasting. Now it's a balancing act weighing foreign capital with national sovereignty on a digital scale with local content. Enter the media monarchy In return for its princely sum, Canal+, owned by the French conglomerate Vivendi, gets access to MultiChoice's 14.5 million Anglophone and Lusophone subscribers, the DStv powerhouse, sports juggernaut SuperSport, and a foothold in streaming via Showmax. MultiChoice, facing rising costs and subscriber declines, finds itself rescued by a suitor with deep pockets and pan-African ambition. Combined, the merged entity will serve more than 24 million subscribers across 50 countries — instantly becoming the largest pay-TV and streaming provider on the continent. However, if Canal+ was hoping for free access, South African regulators had other plans. The deal's approval came wrapped in layers of red tape — not as a deterrent, but as a deliberate design feature. Transformation goals Central to the regulatory conditions is the creation of LicenceCo, an independent company that will hold MultiChoice South Africa's broadcast licence. It will be majority-owned and controlled by historically disadvantaged South Africans and employees. Crucially, Canal+ has no control and no board seats. This structural firewall protects South Africa's legal requirements around media ownership, ensures transformation goals are met and serves as a template for foreign investment in other sensitive sectors. Phuthuma Nathi, the B-BBEE shareholder darling, increases its economic interest in LicenceCo to 27%, with a new employee trust added. The licence, and the local airwaves it governs, stay South African. The R30bn lobola The Competition Tribunal didn't just demand structural separation; it also extracted a commitment package valued at more than R30-billion. This includes: A three-year moratorium on retrenchments linked to the merger; Significant investment in local content production, sports broadcasting, SMME procurement and Corporate Social Investment programmes; Ongoing free-to-air broadcast access for key sporting events, safeguarding the public's ability to view major matches without a subscription; and Local skills development through Canal+'s 'University Programme', to train historically disadvantaged individuals in broadcasting and production. In a media environment where Netflix and Amazon Prime are increasingly dominant, this local-first approach is designed to future-proof South African media. Showmax, SuperSport and scale Behind the regulatory muscle lies a clear commercial imperative. MultiChoice has struggled in recent years, shedding 2.8 million linear subscribers and burning cash to prop up Showmax 2.0, its streaming reboot built on Comcast tech and bolstered by NBC Universal's 30% equity stake. Canal+ brings financial stability and scale. It also inherits Irdeto, MultiChoice's profitable cybersecurity unit, and Showmax's potential to become Africa's answer to global streamers. Vivendi, Canal+'s parent company, views this merger as critical to its own transformation and part of a plan to split into three listed entities, with Canal+ as its global growth engine. Listing Canal+ on the JSE within nine months of deal completion is a further nod to local inclusion, visibility, and capital market confidence. The shiny ring can't cover controversial holes While South Africa celebrates a structurally sound deal with tangible local benefits, not all observers are convinced. Critics warn that Canal+'s track record and the Bolloré Group's 30.4% stake in it come with baggage. Vivendi's past includes one of the largest corporate losses in history and regulatory infractions that still cast a shadow. Vincent Bolloré, the billionaire behind the curtain, faces corruption charges in France and has been accused of turning Canal+'s French media outlets into right-wing political mouthpieces. With Canal+ now embedded in South Africa's broadcasting ecosystem, some fear creeping influence over editorial independence, particularly if there are future attempts to deepen ownership or control beyond the current firewall. Marriage isn't buying a horse Mergers are easy to announce but hard to manage. However, the competition bodies have played their hand cleverly — extracting commitments, safeguarding jobs and setting a precedent for how global capital must behave when it enters South Africa's strategic sectors. The long-term test lies ahead. Can Showmax truly compete with Netflix? Can SuperSport keep its sports crown as global streamers outbid for rights? Will LicenceCo be a transformative force or a regulatory box-ticker? Will Canal+ respect the firewall, or try to chip away at it over time? The merged entity is now king of the hill in African broadcasting, but it's a kingdom that won't run on size alone. Trust, execution and transformation will be the currencies of success. DM
The Citizen
3 hours ago
- The Citizen
Daily Lotto results: Sunday, 27 July 2025
Tonight's jackpot is R400 000! Here are your winning Daily Lotto results for 27 July 2025. Get the Daily Lotto results as soon as they are drawn on The Citizen. Daily Lotto results for 27 July 2025: 14, 17, 25, 28, 32. Here are the DrawResults & Payouts for (27/07/25): #DAILY LOTTO: 14, 17, 25, 28, 32 Congratulations to all the #winners! Players must be 18 years or older, play responsibly. ITHUBA is the proud operator of the National Lottery. — #PhandaPushaPlay (@sa_lottery) July 27, 2025 The winning Daily Lotto numbers will appear below after the draw. Usually within 10 minutes of the draw. You might need to refresh the page to see the updated results. How to play Daily Lotto in SA? If you are buying a ticket in-store: Pick up a betslip in any lottery store. Choose five numbers between 1 and 36, or select a Quick Pick. Entries cost R3 each. You can play a max of R150, but you are allowed to play multiple boards. Select how many consecutive draws you wish to enter, up to a maximum of 10. Leave blank for a single draw. Take your betslip to the teller to pay for your ticket. Write your details on the back of your ticket in case you need to claim a prize. If you do not sign your ticket and it is lost, anyone can use it to claim the prize. If you are playing online: Set up a lottery account here and make a deposit to pay for tickets. Choose five numbers from 1 to 36 or select 'Quick Pick' to generate a random set. Repeat this on as many boards as you want to play. Decide whether to enter a single draw or multiple draws. Confirm and pay for your entry The Daily Lotto draws take place shortly after 9:30pm every evening, and tickets can be bought until 8:30pm. Is there a winner every day? Yes. The jackpot prize money is guaranteed to be given away even if no one matches all five numbers. When this happens, the jackpot is split between everyone who matches two or more numbers. Visit and go to the How to Play Daily Lotto section to learn more.
