Maritzburg United fans have aired their grievances, insisting that the club was unfairly treated of being removed at Harry Gwala Stadium and Msunduzi mayor Mzimkhulu Thebolla has said nothing.
The Team of Choice was relegated from the DStv Premiership last season, thus losing a commercial partnership with Msunduzi municipality.
The club also lost the rights to play at Harry Gwala Stadium, which has gone to Royal AM.
This has led to the club to be playing in Durban, which sees the Team of Choice’s fans travelling, costing them arm and legs in expenses.
“We the passionate supporters of Maritzburg United express our feelings herewith the mayor must be honest in our many enquiries as to the future of our team in the city of choice,” said the statement to the iDiski Times.
“One, the mayor, as the face of the city, strategically chose to pass the buck onto other individuals like the municipal manager, and his senior management.
“We believe it was a ploy to avoid accountability to the city and its thousands of supporters and further frustrate the club.
“Two, the mayor is always evasive when supporters reach him to raise pertinent matters regarding our home ground and assistance for transport to Durban. We as fans cannot afford the travel costs regularly to Durban.
“Three, at no stage our mayor was vocal publicly to support the team to make a quick return to the PSL, this after the club gave us the entertainment and economic value for twenty years.
“No doubt the mayor has failed us supporters and the city…
“As the stadium issue unfolded, the mayor expressed his concern that the club must not be relegated from the ABC Motsepe league and eventually lost in the wilderness like a few of the former PSL Teams.
“We perceive this statement as his wish to avoid further problems in the event the team gets promoted.
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“There has been an expectation that all MUFC supporters will be converted to the new team using HGS (Harry Gwala Stadium). SORRY MSUNDUZI, THIS IS football and sport, supporters are passionate about our team like many who support the Soweto giants.”
However, Maritzburg, under coach Zipho Dlangalala, have not shown signs of demoralisation by their demotion. They have won two, drawn two of the four matches played, lying third in the Motsepe Foundation Championship with eight points.
