Motsepe Foundation Championship side Uthongathi FC has been sold and will have new owners as of next season.
Staff members of the club were told during a meeting held on Friday that the club will be relocating to Richards Bay.
FARPost has gathered that the club has been bought by the owners of SAFA ABC Motsepe League side Milford FC run by Dr XBS Pupuma.
For the past three seasons, Uthongathi have always been rumoured to be on sale but nothing materialised. It was alleged last season that the club was on the verge of relocating to the Eastern Cape but the deal collapsed at the last minute.
There were also stories of unpaid salaries at the club towards the end of the season. This publication has also gathered that only six players who still had contracts with the club will be moving with the club.
UTHONGATHI FC SOLD TO NEW OWNERS
All the technical team members including coach Papi Zothwane have been shown the door. This publication reached out to Zwothane who confirmed that indeed he has been informed of the latest developments
“At the moment I don’t have a job. My contract ended yesterday and we were told that the team is no more and we must see where we go. So at the moment, I don’t have a job,” Zwothane told FARPost.
“They said it’s going to Richards Bay, I don’t know where in Richards Bay.”
COACH PAPI ZOTHWANE SHATTERED
“It is disturbing. As a team, we have done very well as Uthongathi. Personally, as Papi, I think I have done well ever since I came back to the team. I was looking to compete seriously this year but unfortunately, things can’t happen the way you want sometimes.
“So you have to accept life and have to move on. So I am disappointed but I am delighted that I have done well for the team,” he said.
The 41-year-old has also offered a message of support to the players that might be affected by the sale.
“A very difficult message to say because you want to have some players as a coach. I just wish them to be strong, nothing else.
“If you are not strong in this game you want to survive. So they must be strong. You never know. Maybe some of them will get clubs soon, so they must just be strong and be patient.”
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