Former Bidvest Wits midfielder Josta Dladla calls the sale of the club’s purchase as an injustice to South African football, saying the move to relocate to Limpopo is not just a loss to Gauteng but to South African football.
Dladla is one of the players that broke into the professional ranks under the club with the likes of Jethro Mohlala, Bradley Carnell as well as Stanton Fredericks, and the former Mamelodi Sundowns and Kaizer Chiefs playmaker is now calling the sale a sad day for the game.
The Braamfontein-based club is set to move to Thohoyandou next season following the confirmation of the purchase by the National First Division (NFD) outfit’s owner Masala Mulaudzi and the 40-year-old reacts to the deal.
“It’s a big club and one of the oldest clubs in South African football. It has a rich history and I mean this thing is deeper than we can think,” Dladla told Goal .
“I think from the development of the club as a whole, you mention big names in the game such as Junaid Hartley, Stanton Fredericks, Lovers Mohlala, Kaizer Junior and the list goes on, and what I know of Wits University is that the club has been part of South African history.
“The team has produced good players. Whoever was not in the club can also attest that the club has done tremendously well for the country in terms of football development.
“So, I think there is a lot of quality players that were produced by the club and so for me, it’s very sad. This is the club that gave me the lifeline and we all know Josta now because of Wits. Every player like Mohlala, [Ashley] Makhanya, Hartley, Carnell because of Wits.
“All of that history is just going to disappear and go like that, I don’t know what were the negotiations, we were not part of it but I don’t know what, whoever is taking over will have to think about the staff. That is one of the oldest clubs [formed in 1921] when we also count Orlando Pirates [1937] and AmaZulu [1932].
“When you look at it, there was apartheid, this is one of the clubs that gave players [a chance]. So, it’s got so much history. What can I say? I’m just a player. There are so many players even in the apartheid era [Mike Mangena and Absalom Thindwa], they made their careers at this club."
As one of the oldest clubs in South Africa, the 2017 Premier Soccer League (PSL) champions were rapidly growing their numbers on the stands and the Soweto-born legend says he feels for the players that are set to be without jobs.
“As it is, you can see the club management was starting to bring in good people in terms of marketing the club. The support base was growing," he added.
“I still remember during our days, we could hear the supporters, I mean people from the kitchen laughing at the stands and the likes of Fredericks can tell you.
“I think they were doing much better in rebranding the club and taking it to the masses. So, it’s a great loss for Joburg [Johannesburg] as a whole, not just for the students and the [Wits] University.
“But for the players that were coming to study there and also get a chance to further their careers in the field of play. There are lots of players that broke into professional football whilst studying. So much talent is going to be lost. I don’t know if they will be joining the new team but it’s a sad day for South African football.
“The guys that are taking over will have to decide on the players, I don’t think they can have some of these players. It’s really sad because the players are now frustrated, anxiety is creeping in on concerns about their careers.
“I feel for them and I wouldn’t like to be in their shoes. I feel for everybody that has been part of the club. But I doubt they will absorb everybody.”
