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Simba Jemwa, Sports Correspondent
SOUTH African Premier Soccer League side SuperSport United have denied reports that Zimbabwean billionaire, Strive Masiyiwa, is on the verge of acquiring the Pretoria-based club.

Reports circulating on various social media platforms intimated that Masiyiwa had succeeded with an offer to buy the club.

Masiyiwa, the owner of telecoms giant Econet Wireless Group, reportedly had an irresistible bid to buy the club accepted with the ‘deal’ awaiting approval from the South African Premier Soccer League executive committee.

Masiyiwa was said to have reportedly made a ‘successful’ approach to a club that has been linked with a sale for several years, but United denied the reports, stating that no deal had been reached.

What the club did not specify in its statement, however, is whether or not Masiyiwa had made an offer to buy the club.

The club only denied the sale reports and threatened to take legal action against “publications or persons involved in continually issuing these false statements”.

“SuperSport United has been made aware of the old repeated rumours and speculation regarding the potential sale of the club.

Please note that these rumours are completely untrue.

As stated, when these false rumours started in 2019, the club was not for sale.

“The club is seeking legal advice on the publications or persons involved in continually issuing these false statements,” the brief SuperSport United statement reads.

However, reports continued yesterday suggesting that Masiyiwa had offered an unspecified amount to buy the club, saying the deal is ‘almost complete’.

The Pretoria-based side is owned by Muitichoice Group and it was reported that its sale had more to do with cashflow, since the company is now bankrolling the South African topflight, the DStv Premiership.

Masiyiwa has become the latest entrant to the club’s eclectic roster of possible new owners after years of reportedly being on the market.

Despite the spirited denials, sources in South Africa told Chronicle Sport yesterday that the takeover of SuperSport was a ‘done deal’.

When a top football official was asked by Chronicle Sport if it was true that Masiyiwa had bid for SuperSport United, he said: “It’s true.”

Another source close to proceedings also confirmed the ‘deal’.

However, individuals in Masiyiwa’s inner circle rubbished rumours of the ‘deal’.

Sure Kamhunga, a Johannesburg-based writer, communications and media relations consultant with close links to Masiyiwa, said there was no truth to the speculation.

“That was a made-up story as he (Masiyiwa) has never been interested in this or any other sports team in the world.

So, in essence there is no story sir,” Kamhunga told Chronicle Sport from South Africa yesterday.

“Journalism standards seem to have really gone to a deeper gutter.

Someone uses bar talk or unverified information and writes as fact without even confirming with the parties they mention in the article.

Basic tenets of journalism of verification still need to be done no matter the excitement,” he said.

South African journalist Maskepe Matsebane insisted that Masiyiwa was closing in on acquiring the club ahead of the 2022/23 season.

Matsebane added that the move could also see SuperSport United CEO Stan Matthews moving full-time into the same role in the PSL; a position that has been temporarily held by Golden Arrows chairperson Mato Madlala for the past three years. — @RealSimbaJemwa