UNLESS Thanda Royal Zulu Football Club gets better financial and resource support, they may have to sell up the franchise and move away from Richards Bay.
While talks are in progress between loyal major sponsor Bell Equipment, who have carried the club for the past few years, and other corporates with a view to sharing the sponsorship load, this is not the only critical issue facing Thanda FC.
‘The uThungulu District Council and uMhlathuze municipality could do much more, both in terms of improving the infrastructure and getting involved in the financial viability of the club, says Thanda GM, Thabane Gumede.
‘It’s not just for us that will be doing it. We are the hope for local soccer kids who aspire to becoming big international names.
‘That massive Nedbank Cup contest against Orlando Pirates last season showed our ability to produce top-ranking players from the youth of the region.
‘It was an inspiration to our youngsters and an eye-opener for business and the general public to see what promotion to the PSL could do for us,’ said Gumede.
‘We note what the Pietermaritzburg and Port Elizabeth municipalities have done for their locally-based teams, pouring millions of rands into the professional football community knowing it will reap dividends at grassroots.
‘While we have been blessed to get the uMhlathuze Stadium as a home ground, nothing has been done since it was built to bring it up to PSL standard.
‘Not having floodlights counts against us in limiting practice times and we also can’t host Friday night matches like other clubs who get the advantage of extra rest days if they only play the following Sunday.
‘We would hate to have to relocate but we must face the economic realities. If we don’t get help, our chances of boosting local soccer and gaining PSL status are unrealistic.’
It’s so sad how soccer is tossed aside yet it is played by more SA people than rugby. In Mtubatuba a minority, who have leased the rugby club for rugby refuse point blank to allow soccer games to either be played or practised there leaving the soccer players to play on a piece of unmarked ground. This is disgusting. Mtubatuba Municipality should wake up, take back the grounds, and rent out events thereby giving all a fair chance at useage.