There is a wide jubilation emerging from Bloemfontein as Celtics is said to be back in the PSL as Lebo Mokoena has bought a status.
The Free State born businessman Lebo Mokoena is determined to keep the spirit of Siwelele alive and the spirit of Petrus “Whitehead” Molemela at peace, by leading a consortium of businessmen in reviving Bloemfontein Celtic.
Mokoena addressed supporters of Bloemfontein Celtic at Masenkeng Stadium, Batho Location.
He says he needs just 5 days to conclude a deal with one of the PSL teams and Celtic will be back!!!
Lebo Mokoena, a businessman who’s in a process of buying a GladAfrica status with aims of reviving Bloemfontein Celtics..
He earlier described the sale of Bloemfontein Celtic as a ‘killer of the economy’.
The ongoing meetings behind closed doors are running against time to beat the start of GladAfrica Championship deadline next week.
Behind closed doors, meetings are underway as they race against time to beat the start of the GladAfrica Championship deadline next week.
According to Mokoena, they are in the process of buying a GladAfrica Championship club with the aim of renaming it Bloemfontein Celtic, but only if Royal AM owner, Shauwn Mkhize, better known as MaMkhize, consents to their request. But in case Mkhize refuses to grant them permission, Mokoena said they had other ideas of renaming it either Bloemfontein Celtics, Mangaung Celtic FC or even Free State Celtic FC.
Previous club owner, Max Tshabalala, sold Celtic to Mkhize at a reported R50 million last Friday, and she’s moving the club to Durban, where the team will use Chatsworth Stadium for their home games.
Though not prepared to reveal names of businesspeople in the consortium, Mokoena said they are in the middle of the process of buying a club.
“It’s disappointing,” said Mokoena of the Mokoena Group in Maritzburg.
“I received calls from many people telling me that I must take it easy on myself because I did not fail to secure the club when needed the most. Failure is not a solution, but how you find your way back up is the solution.”
He said they had an agreement with people “we’re talking to behind closed doors” to buy a status and move it Bloemfontein.
“We have to look at all the dynamics of the name of the club whether we can use it or not. But I think it would be selfish if they deny right to use the name,” explained Mokoena.
“It must be a bitter pill to swallow for fans and when things are like this, we have to go back and introspect on what mistakes were done by the previous owner.
“But again, look at the Free State government on what they have done to help save the club. Those are some of the challenges that we might have to deal with.
“You can imagine the hunger that is in Bloemfontein now about small business people who relied on the club for selling their products, and it impacted on tourism.
“Documents are there to be submitted and we have our elders who are there to advise us, like Mato Madlala (PSL acting CEO). The first thing is to find a way to buy the club.”
Mabena Pule, Celtic’s supporters’ chairman, confirmed that all details will be clearer on Monday, as they have a meeting on Friday to meet all stakeholders.
“We do have a consortium and individuals who are interested in reviving the club. It’s true that there’s a Championship club that we are talking to, but for now we can only talk on Monday.”
Rumour
Many have insinuated that Maritzburg United from KZN could be the club of his second option.
Meanwhile, Maritzburg has come out to debunk the claim, demanding they come out and refute the claim Circulating the social media.
Controversy
“The directors of the club would like refute these unfounded ,baseless and false claims and records that there is absolutely no truth that the Team of Choice has been sold.
The claims made by Lebo Mokoena, CEO of the Mokoena Group, circulating on social media that a sale had..”