Ex-Kaizer Chiefs coach speaks out on PSL club sales and lost identity

Former Kaizer Chiefs head coach Gavin Hunt has voiced strong opinions on the prevalent trend of Betway Premiership clubs selling their statuses, a phenomenon that has directly impacted four of his former teams.

Hunt recently took the helm at Durban City FC after a three-month hiatus following his departure from SuperSport United. Notably, SuperSport later sold their Betway Premiership status to Siwelele FC. During his first tenure with Matsatsantsa, Hunt famously led them to three league titles and the Nedbank Cup.

In 2020, Hunt found himself without a club when Bidvest Wits, then his employer, was sold to Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila and relocated to Limpopo. With “The Clever Boys,” Hunt had previously secured a league title, an MTN8, and a Telkom Knockout Cup.

The list of Hunt’s former clubs whose statuses were eventually sold also includes Moroka Swallows and Hellenic FC. Swallows’ status was acquired by Marumo Gallants in 2024, leading to their relocation to Bloemfontein. Hellenic, meanwhile, was sold in 2004 to the Gauteng-based Ndlovu family, who subsequently established Benoni Premier United.

Hunt’s Stance: Preserve Club Names and Locations

Having witnessed the disappearance of significant footballing history he was a part of, Hunt firmly believes that when clubs are bought, their names should not be changed, and they should remain in their original cities.

“A club name shouldn’t change. When people buy clubs, the name should stay and they should remain in the city where they’re from,” Hunt stated. “You cannot build the support base, the stadium, or training facilities. All these types of things, that’s just my opinion.”

He drew parallels with international football, emphasising, “Whenever somebody buys a football club, they should buy the club and where it is. When the Arabs buy Manchester City, when Americans buy Manchester United, when they buy Liverpool, the name remains, not this thing of changing names.”

Hunt argues that altering names leads to a loss of identity in South African football. “If you do that, there’s no identity anymore, you’ve lost identity in South African football. So, people can’t align themselves to… AmaZulu have a great history, thanks God they have kept it. Durban City have come back now, at least it’s in Durban, and the club has great history too. When names are changing, it’s very sad.”