The end of SuperSport United! Sale of Matsatsantsa confirmed as Siwelele FC's links to Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie's 'close family member' revealed

The sale of SuperSport United to Siwelele FC has been confirmed, but subject to approval by the Premier Soccer League.

According to Sunday World, Calvin Le John, a close family member of Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie, won a 'closed bidding process' to purchase Matsatsantsa.

It is reported the new outfit will still retain Stanley Matthews as their chief executive officer and will continue training in Johannesburg while switching their home games between Bloemfontein, Gauteng and Polokwane.

SuperSport International CEO Rendani Ramovha explained why they sold Matsatsantsa.

“The sale of the club comes as SuperSport makes strategic shifts to allow us to remain the biggest broadcaster in Africa and a leading global competitor," said Ramovha.

"Shifts in the market, as well as the need to innovate in accordance with our core business, have necessitated focused direction to allow SuperSport to remain the best sports content provider on the continent and a leader in broadcast innovation.”

"As Siwelele FC, we are privileged to have been given the responsibility of continuing with a rich winning tradition in the PSL," said Le John.

"SuperSport and the MultiChoice Group laid an incredible 30-year platform that we wish to build upon, should we get the final vote of approval from the PSL Executive Committee.”

According to a post from noted broadcaster Robert Marawa:

The latest development marks the end of SuperSport's 30-year existence after breaking into professional ranks by purchasing the franchise of Pretoria City.

They then went on to establish themselves as a fiercely competitive side in South African football, winning the PSL title three times in a row between 2008 and 2010 under Gavin Hunt.

This is a team that won the Nedbank Cup five times, MTN8 thrice and are one-time Telkom Cup winners.

Matsatsantsa also reached the 2017 CAF Confederation Cup final and lost to TP Mazembe with Eric Tinkler in charge.

Should the PSL ratify the sale of SuperSport, Siwelele FC will need to get stuck into their transfer business quickly to improve the quality of a squad that narrowly avoided relegation last season.

They will also be looking for a permanent head coach to replace Hunt who was fired in March earlier this year after the club found themselves in 15th on the log with just 21 points from the same number of games.

Andre Arendse was appointed as the interim coach and ultimately steered the club to safety on goal difference over Cape Town City who dropped into the play offs where they were relegated.

Whether the former Bafana goalkeeper is the right man to take on the club under their new name, remains to be seen.