Interest expressed in Pirates takeover

ORLANDO Pirates’ interim management yesterday confirmed that local and international businessmen have expressed interest in a takeover bid after former owner Hendrik Dawids pulled out late last week.

Pirates Supporters Club chairman Immanuel Nawaseb told The Namibian Sport yesterday that a formal announcement on the new plans for the club will be revealed on Monday, adding that he cannot disclose the details of the new deal that is in the offing.Dawids was supposed to make an announcement on the status of the club this week, but nothing has been revealed so far.’We are currently working closely with the former owner (Dawids) and the new interested parties to formalise a deal that will see this club heading into a different dimension before the start of the second round (of the NPL),’ he said.Nawaseb is practically acting as the chairman of the club after the former Management Committee chairman, Michael Gamseb (Dawid’s son), left the operations of the club after his father decided to call it quits.But Nawaseb yesterday confirmed that Dawids was not ‘completely’ out of the equation of the new deal and will ‘most likely’ form part of the new set up.Dawids will not be at the forefront of the team, but will be instrumental in assisting with implementing changes that are due to be effected.Nawaseb said the club supporters can have his word that things will change for the better and that the club is currently in no danger.Pirates fans have been increasingly been impatient with the status of ownership over the past few days and also demanded answers from the members of the supporters club which have since remained tight-lipped.’There is no crisis at this stage. We are well aware of several shortcomings after some misunderstandings with the former owner and we are working on that. Its just a matter of a few days before we are back on our feet again,’ said Nawaseb.He also denied that the club is facing a financial crisis and that the players, coaching staff and some management members did not receive their salaries for the past two months.’That is not the case, we are financially still healthy and the club has managed to honour its financial obligations. We paid all our players,’ he maintained.Dawids won one league title when he took over Pirates three seasons ago and also took the NFA Cup honours with the side which is currently riding high in the premiership. The last time Pirates won the league was in 1990. corry@namibian.com.na