This follows months of protests, marches and match boycotts by supporters, who want the owner Max Tshabalala to sell the team to a consortium led by local businesswoman Sinki Leshabane. The team has been facing financial difficulties in the last few years, which prompted Tshabalala to put the team up for sale, much to the dissatisfaction of some supporters, who took to the streets protesting the sale of the team.

Tshabalala, Leshabane and the task team comprising government officials, who have been facilitating the process, will meet in what they call "a make or break" meeting at the OR Tambo building this afternoon.  The negotiations between all the parties have been going on for the last few weeks and the deal is scheduled to be finalised today.

According to the head of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation, Stanley Malope, who is a member of the task team, the sale of the team is likely to take place today when all parties converge to conclude negotiations. 

Malope says they met both parties last  week and both are prepared to sign the deal, provided  that all documents required are made available. These include tax compliance certificates from SARS, CK 1 documents and disclosure of debts from Tshabalala.

"We are meeting with both parties today in what we hope to be the final lap of negotiations. We are at an advanced stage of the negotiations and we are confident  that both parties will reach an agreement, because  they are both keen to close the deal.

We have  asked other members of the consortium to be present at the meeting  so that we can finalise the process this week," Malope said.  

Leshabane  briefly managed  the  team early last year before learning that Tshabalala owed SARS over R40 million. She later withdrew her bid to buy the club until Tshabalala settled the debt.  She and her team nonetheless continued  to show interest in buying the team and says she is excited that a deal could be struck today.

 Tshabalala  told the task team that he had made arrangements with SARS to pay the debt. Leshabane told a suppoters' meeting  on Sunday  that they are ready to sign, provided all documentation is made available. 

"Yes, we held meetings with Tshabalala and the task team and we are awaiting all the paperwork. We can't make an offer to purchase without all those documents, but we are confident that the deal will be sealed this week,"  she said.

Meanwhile, supporters said that should the deal not go ahead on Wednesday, they would intensify their boycott and create a total shutdown in Bloemfontein. 

Michael Tlhakudi