Online Reporter
Lovemore Dube
Zimpapers Sports Hub
HIGHLANDERS Football Club is once again embroiled in administrative chaos as finance officer Sihlalisiwe Mnkandla prepares to face a disciplinary hearing, despite the disappearance of key documents for a second time.
Mnkandla returned to work at the start of this year after being suspended in November 2023. Her reinstatement was ordered by the courts when the club failed to bring her before a disciplinary committee due to missing paperwork.
Now, with Highlanders preparing for a second hearing, the charge sheet has once again vanished, forcing the club to reconstruct the case.
Club chairman Kenneth Mhlophe confirmed on Wednesday that the disciplinary documents had gone missing from the office, again.
“I am disappointed that for the second time the papers have gone missing, disrupting attempts by the club to deal with the issue. Something is wrong somewhere and it has to be attended about our office,” said Mhlophe.
Despite the setback, Mhlophe said the club is moving forward.
“The disciplinary committee is now in place and the charge sheet will be finalised soon and she will go through the process. She is guaranteed of a fair hearing, she is as eager as the club to have the case heard and both parties moving on.
“I have met the club lawyers over the matter. It will be resolved soon. As a club, we want a clean image and that is incumbent upon all of us to do good all the time,” said Mhlophe.
The first set of documents reportedly disappeared last year during the tenure of the late CEO Sihlangu Dlodlo. The second set went missing this year while Brian Moyo was in charge, just as the club was preparing to deal with the issue once and for all.
Moyo later left Highlanders under a cloud of allegations, accused of benefiting corruptly from the transfer of two players from Bulawayo Chiefs to Bosso. Andrew Mandigora admitted receiving US$3,000 from the deal and claimed he passed US$2,000 to Moyo.
Never Rauzhi and Malvin Hativagoni moved to Highlanders for US$18,000, but documents exchanged between the two clubs reflected a figure of US$23,000, the amount Highlanders paid to Chiefs.
Mnkandla’s troubles began last year when she was accused of paying herself more than US$700 on separate occasions.
“On an unspecified date, you made out a payment of US$700 to yourself using payment voucher 51853 as per day file copy document. It has been noted that the fast copy of the same payment voucher has an unauthorised payment for airtime for US$5. It is therefore alleged that the payment of US$700 to yourself had not been authorised by any club official and therefore is tantamount to a fraudulent act that prejudiced the club of US$700,” read the original charge sheet.
She was also accused of irregularly paying herself a fuel allowance.
“On an unspecified date you made out two payments of US$50 and US$60 for fuel, giving a total of US$110, as per file copy of payment voucher number 58103. The fast copy of the same voucher number shows a single payment of US$50 only. It is alleged that the additional payment of US$60 was not authorised and therefore a fraudulent act, prejudicing the club of US$60,” Bosso had stated at the time.
For years, club members and office visitors have voiced concerns about mismanagement and a general rot within the Highlanders administrative offices.
Mathew Masinge