Why Orlando Pirates icon Sono won't spend 'R80 million' buying PSL status as Jomo Cosmos seek promotion back to the elite league

Jomo Sono has been out of professional football since the 2021/22 season when his team, Jomo Cosmos, was relegated from the Motsepe Foundation Championship. They have since struggled to secure promotion, with their current campaign in the ABC Motsepe League offering no realistic chance of a return, as former PSL side Highlands Park leads the standings and looks set for the playoffs.

While South African football has seen clubs frequently bought and sold, the former Orlando Pirates legend has ruled out purchasing his way back to the elite level, believing team prices are inflated and not worth the investment.

Known as "The Black Prince," Sono has built a legacy of unearthing top talents, including Aaron Mokoena, who became Bafana Bafana’s youngest captain, and Zimbabwean star Benjani Mwaruwari, who went on to play for Manchester City. Locally, he won the Coca-Cola Cup and even coached Bafana Bafana at the 2002 Fifa World Cup in Korea and Japan.

“No, I would never buy a status because you buy a status with R80 million only to get relegated, what are you going to do?” Sono rhetorically asked as reported by Farpost.

“And you know that in the PSL, you survive with the grant and you know that not every team has a sponsor which is bad. So I will never buy a status.”

Jomo Sono remains a towering figure in South African football, but the future of his club, Jomo Cosmos, remains uncertain as he refuses to buy a PSL status.

His commitment to earning promotion on merit reflects his deep-rooted football values, but with the changing landscape of the local game, this approach may keep Cosmos stuck in the lower divisions for years to come.

While Sono’s legendary status is unquestionable, the club’s financial struggles and the competitive nature of the league make a return to the top flight increasingly difficult.

Jomo Cosmos are out of the title race, which would have secured them a spot in the ABC Motsepe national promotional playoffs.

They sit in 12th place with only six wins and now face Tshwane South College, who are one position below them and two points behind Ezenkosi.