Platinum Stars owners may be forced to sell club

PLATINUM Stars fans’ worst fears could be realised in the coming days after it emerged yesterday that members of the wealthy Royal Bafokeng Nation (RBN) in Phokeng‚ North West‚ are seriously considering selling the club.

Insiders said high-level discussions had taken place at the Royal Bafokeng Supreme Council, and if creative and cost-effective ways of running the club were not found in the coming days‚ they mught be forced to sell.

“It is an undeniable fact that there have been discussions at a higher level of the Supreme Council, but nothing concrete has been decided on the way forward‚” the insider said.

“This is a sensitive issue for the leaders in the area because there are many serious things related to social welfare of the people like water‚ sanitation‚ health‚ infrastructure and education which are top priority for them.

“In all honesty‚ RBN would not have a problem continuing to run a professional football team, but they are under pressure because their mandate is to look after the interests of the people in the communities.”

The insider said that the escalating costs of running the club were taking their toll on the RBN’s coffers.

The RBN have an ambitious Vision 2020 plan to uplift people in the area and motivate them into becoming economically self-sufficient participants in the regional and national economy.

“It is not a secret among highplaced people in the authority that they are looking at creative ways in which they can continue to own and support the club without spending too much money.”

If they are ultimately forced to sell‚ they will plead with the buyer to keep the club in the province because they still believe it has a role to play in the upliftment of the people.

Contacted for comment yesterday‚ Stars chief executive Cliff Ramoroa said he was out of the country and did not reply to follow up text messages on the issue.