Richards Bay have confirmed the signing of six new players ahead of the upcoming DStv Premiership campaign.
Vusumuzi Vilakazi kept the Natal Rich Boyz in the South African top-flight via the relegation/promotion play-offs after ending last term in 15th place.
The club have has moved to strengthen their ranks with the capture of a number of experienced players, including Siyethemba Sithebe, Thabiso Kutumela, Keegan Allan, Tlakusani Mthethwa, Fezile Gcaba and Sbani Mntungwa.
Sithebe is a former Kaizer Chiefs midfielder, while Kutumela was most recently on the books of Mamelodi Sundowns but played last season on loan at Cape Town City.
Allan was let go by SuperSport United, Mthethwa was with Moroka Swallows, while Fezile Gcaba and Sbani Mntungwa join from ABC Motsepe League side Mkhumbane Classic.
The new signings were unveiled alongside the announcement by chairman Jomo Biyela of a three-year partnership deal worth R100-million with Phakwe Gas.
Biyela stated in the Citizen: “R20-million per season goes straight to the sponsorship, which is 60 (R60-million) and 40 (R40-million) is the amount that we want to utilise [for community upliftment].
“Obviously, it won’t come to the club, I think we must clarify that before you say I’m walking around with R100-million. It’s R20-million per season, over three seasons. The R40-million is the amount that we want to use to build sports facilities, a gym, just like a village. [The R40-million] It’s budgeted for us, but we’ll only get the R20-million per season as the club.”
