Former Chairman of Wits University for 25 years, Raymond Hack on the sale: "Probably the saddest day I've ever experienced in football. I still can't get over it, the manner in which it was done. There was no thought . Wits was turning 100. There's no club in SA with that history
"When I think of players the club has produced, yesteryear/current players, its heartbreaking.When we established Wits as a professional club,we did it in a way that the University would never lose control.We made it into a Section 21 company.Only a portion was sold to sponsors.
"At the time they had 49 percent and the University always had 51 percent. I don't know how it happened because now Bidvest ended up with 60 percent and the University with 40 percent. Bidvest now controlled the budget, controlled everything"
"I understand from a commercial point of view, they are saying its too expensive to run. But if its too expensive, then come back and say. Over the last 4 days I've been told what happened. The players haven't even been told, but have been sold.
"When I spoke to the General Secretary he said, nobody has even spoken to the players, they're hearing about it through the media. That's not the way to deal with people who have served the game. Communicate with them.
"I've heard the terms that have been mentioned. For me what the club went for is a garage sale. Its nowhere near what its worth. The other important thing is there are over 40 players that were on bursaries. The way this was done was incorrect"
"This is just my opinion. Obviously i don't pay the salaries, Bidvest have their own reasons why they sold it, but this is just sad. We haven't lost the Academy, but for a young player, now there is no goal because the goal was always to play in the PSL.
"I received a lot of calls to ask can we not save the club, because there is a history. I'm not saying anything against the people who bought it. I wish them success and I'm sure it's great for Limpopo. But this is Wits University, not just a team that goes up and down"
"But I think the sale and relocation of the club could have been avoided. There are other ways to run a club. Please don't get me wrong, this has nothing to do with TTM. But if someone had come to us to say there's a problem, I'm sure we would have been able to resolve it"
"You know, I look at someone like George Mogotsi who has given his life to this club. He was there as a ball boy when i was there. He then rose to the position he's in now (board member). Even his family helped out at the club. You don't just take history and throw it away"
I understand this had to be done in a commercial way and maybe Bidvest weren't getting the returns they wanted or it was costing them too much money. But to me, the value of the players is more than what the club was sold for"- Raymond Hack on @SAfmRadio #SAFMSportOn
PODCAST : Here is the full interview with Raymond Hack. We also spoke to TTM who are "over the moon"... SA Football Players Union also weighs in on what this means for the players and who's now obligated to honour contracts. iono.fm/e/876705
