Royal AM Football Club is back on the market after South African Revenue Services (SARS) nullified businessman Chockalingham ‘Roy’ Moodley’s bid at auction.
News publication Soweto LIVE reported that this is after the Durban business mogul failed the SARS vetting process, according to sources close to the bidding process.
The bidders were required to deposit a refundable deposit of R1 million into the guardian’s trust account of the property’s legal representatives to recoup the R40 million owed to SARS by club owner Shauwn Mkhize.
The auction took place this month, and Roy tabled the highest bid. However, SARS curator Jaco Venter is believed to have found information that makes the Durban businessman unfit to take over. He apparently does not have a good record with SARS, which automatically nullified his winning bid, according to the above-mentioned publication.
The publication’s source said: ” Apparently Moodley’s background paints him as someone who doesn’t have a good record with SARS, so they decided to nullify his winning bid.”
The future of Twihli-Twahla remains in limbo, as it has not been cleared if it will be back on the market, or be given to the second highest bidder. The Durban team has seen a lot this season from lacking funds to pay their staff members and players, to later being removed from the Nedbank Cup and the sale of the club.
This comes after a tussle between Shauwn and the state after she was embroiled in a tax battle with SARS. According to the reports, several bidders, including David Skhosana and some from Russia and Greece, have expressed interest in buying the team.
