JOHANNESBURG — Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates are still locked in negotiations over new sponsorship deals, KickOff.com can confirm.
Both clubs’ current deals expire at the end of the season and cellular giant Vodacom is expected to offer the Soweto clubs a five-year sponsorship each worth R250 million over five years, which is a staggering R50 million a year to each club.
Chiefs’ football manager Bobby Motaung declined to comment on the basis he was not part of the negotiating team.
Kaizer Motaung and Irvin Khoza were apparently negotiating on behalf of Chiefs and Pirates respectively and the talks are now at an advanced stage.
Owing to confidentiality, Vodacom won’t comment at this stage until the paperwork was signed and sealed.
Amakhosi and Bucs have been receiving R30 million a year each from Vodacom for the past five years. Chiefs has the highest number of Zimbabwean players in the top flight with Tinashe Nengomasha, Willard Katsande, Lincoln Zvasiya, Thomas Sweswe and new recruit Brian Abbas Amidu, who replaced Knowledge Musona, now in Germany.
Keep Reading
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Meanwhile, Vodacom parted ways with the South African Football Association recently after 14 years of sponsoring the Vodacom League.
Malawian striker Esau Kanyenda has resurfaced in the country — a year after his move to Moroka Swallows fell aside — with the intention of continuing his playing career in the domestic league.
The former Jomo Cosmos gunman had agreed to a deal with Swallows early last year, only for Russian club FC Kamaz to scupper the deal by insisting he was still under contract with them, despite having spent the previous season on loan at FC Rotor Volgograd. — Kick Off /Sports Reporter