IRICHARDS Bay FC ihlomule izigidi ngomdlali wayo omqoka, uSanele Barns, okuvele ukuthi isimdayisele iStellenbosch FC.
UBarns (26), oyibamba ezinhlangothini naphambili, ujoyine iBay ekuqaleni kwesizini edlule esuka kwi-University of Pretoria kwiMotsepe Foundation Championship ngemuva kokunyukela kwayo kwiDStv Premiership.
Usize iNatal Rich Boyz yazinza kulesi sigaba emuva kokuyishayela amagoli amane, wakha ayisibalo esilinganayo emidlalweni engu-27 ayidlalile. Kule sizini useshaye amagoli amathathu emidlalweni engu-15 njengoba iBay izabalazela ukuvika izembe ngasemsileni we-log yePremiership.
Ezinyangeni ezedlule kusabalale ukuthi uBarns ufunwa yiKaizer Chiefs neCape Town City kodwa lokho kwagcina kuphelele emoyeni. Usihlalo weCity, uJohn Comitis, ukhale ngokuthi iBay imfune itshe lemali ngoBarns ekubeni yena ubezimisele ukukhokha u-R2 million.
Sekuvele ukuthi iStellies ikhiphe u-R4 million ngalo mdlali kodwa uzoyijoyina ekupheleni kwesizini ka-2023/2024. Inkontileka kaBarns neBay ibizophela ngoJuni 2025.
UJomo Biyela, ongusihlalo weBay, uvumile ukuthi bamdayisile uBarns kodwa uzoqhubeka adlale kubona kuze kuphele isizini.
“Inkontileka kaBarns ibizophela ngonyaka ozayo. Lokhu kusho ukuthi ngoDisemba ubezovumeleka ukusayina inkontileka yesibambiso nelinye iqembu. Lokhu kusho ukuthi ubezohamba mahhala. Besingeke siliyeke ithuba lokwenza imali. Ngaphezu kwalokho, akusiphazamisi ngalutho ukumdayisa kwethu ngoba ngeke ahambe manje, uzohlala lapha asisize kuze kuphele isizini. Umfana ujabule, nathi sijabule ngalesi sivumelwano,” kusho uBiyela.
Lo sihlalo uveze nokuthi bazoqhubeka nokuthola imali uma iStellies iqoka ukumdayisela elinye iqembu uBarns.
“Sisayine isivumelwano sokuthi sizothola u-15% wemali azodayiswa ngayo emaqenjini alandelayo. Usemncane uBarns njengoba eneminyaka engu-26, besingeke siyiyeke imali. Siyiqembu elingenabo abaxhasi,” kusho uBiyela.
IBay idayisa uBarns nje emasontweni adlule ivuselele inkontileka kakaputeni, uSimphiwe Mcineka, ngeminyaka emithathu. Kulindeleke ukuthi inqume ngekusasa likaTercious Malepe ozama inhlanhla kuyona. UMalepe, odlala emuva nasesiswini, uhlukane naMaZulu ngoJanuwari.
IBay inengcindezi yokuvika izembe ekupheleni kwesizini ka-2023/2024. Isendaweni ka-15 kwi-log ngamaphuzu angu-13 emuva kwemidlalo engu-17. Kusasa ngo-8 ebusuku iBay izobhekana nabakhaya, iRoyal AM, emdlalweni wePremiership eKing Zwelithini Stadium, eMlaza.