Siwelele FC chairman Cavin Le John has confirmed the Betway Premiership club has acquired shares in the Toyota Cheetahs in a move aimed at strengthening sport in the Free State.
The announcement marks one of the rare occasions in South African sport where a professional football club has invested directly in a rugby outfit.
Having revived the Siwelele name after purchasing the top-flight status of SuperSport United ahead of last season, the club is now looking to restore pride across the province. Le John said the decision was driven by a desire to ensure one of the Free State’s most recognisable sporting institutions remains competitive.
“Historically, Siwelele FC and the Cheetahs have had that unifying bond because we are teams of the Free State,” Le John told FARPost. “So we’ve decided as Siwelele that we are going to make things official. The Cheetahs and Siwelele are one.
“They have allowed us to buy shares in the team and for that we are thankful. We are going to make a meaningful impact in this partnership of ours.
“I’d like to make a commitment as well to the people of the Free State. We will try, and they are receptive to it, that they not only play in Toyota Stadium anymore. They, too, must play in Bethlehem and Dr Molemela Stadium. The Cheetahs belong to all of us.”
‘WE CAN’T WATCH THEM SUFFER’: CAVIN LE JOHN
Le John had earlier underlined the motivation behind the investment while addressing Siwelele fans. “We have bought shares in the Toyota Free State Cheetahs because we cannot watch them suffer when we’re here.”
The partnership brings together two of the province’s biggest sporting brands. Siwelele are preparing for their second season back in the Premiership after purchasing SuperSport United’s top-flight status to return one of South African football’s most iconic names to the elite. They open the new campaign with a clash against TS Galaxy at the Toyota Stadium on Sunday.
Once a regular feature in Super Rugby before the competition’s restructuring, the Bloemfontein-based side now competes in the Currie Cup and the European Challenge Cup, having endured years of financial and structural uncertainty despite remaining one of South Africa’s traditional rugby powerhouses.
Cheetahs executive manager Kevin Musikanth welcomed the partnership, describing it as a groundbreaking moment for South African sport.
“You’ve heard the big story about the best supporters in the world. If the Cheetahs were to succeed, we have to join Siwelele.
“We open our arms for the first time in South Africa’s history, football and rugby together in one region.”
The agreement also carries a broader ambition of taking elite rugby beyond Bloemfontein, with both organisations exploring the possibility of staging Cheetahs matches in Bethlehem and at Dr Molemela Stadium to reconnect with supporters across the province.
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