Red Disa Consortium a DHL Stormers game changer
The Le Roux family, life-time DHL Stormers and DHL Western Province supporters, are pleased to have played a pivotal role for the Red Disa Consortium in its equity deal to secure a controlling shareholding in WP Professional Rugby (Pty) Ltd.
Our new owners sat down with Rugby 365’s Jan de Koning following a majority vote in favour of the deal by the clubs that constitute the WP Rugby Football Union (WPRFU) General Council in August and approval by the South African Competition Commission in December, the equity deal for 74% shareholding in WP Professional Rugby (Pty) Ltd was concluded this week.
The consortium is made up of Cape Town-based investment holding company Fynbos Ekwiteit and Ardagh Glass Packaging, a global business with a strong South African presence. The Cape-based personal investment company Marble Head Investments completes the consortium.
Le Roux of Fynbos Ekwiteit is a self-confessed DHL WP fan and he touched on how a meeting with DHL Stormers Head Coach John Dobson, following contact with his father Michiel, founder of Capitec, that encouraged him to get involved and help stave off liquidation.
“Initially, we recognised WPRFU’s need for an equity partner,” Le Roux told Rugby365. “He [Dobson] understood the asset’s value to the Cape community,” Le Roux stated. “The equity process didn’t lead to a deal and John saw the writing on the wall for WP. He wanted the asset to land with someone who could take it forward.”
Le Roux emphasised the need to avoid a liquidation process similar to the 2016 Aerios issue at all costs.
“It was a thought, as a Western Province fan, that I could not stomach,” he said.
Le Roux explained how linking with Ardagh, and the facilitation of André van der Veen of Marble Head Investments, bodes well for the community impact of the equity deal.
“We decided that it was not a commercial investment. On the philanthropic side of the family’s balance sheet, we were happy to look at it.
“They saw it as a community project. We decided to partner with Ardagh and that is where [Red] Disa was formed.”
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