Bosso on meeting councillors

HIGHLANDERS executive secretary, Morgen “Gazza” Dube, met with over 20 Bulawayo City councillors on Tuesday as part of their stakeholder engagement process.

The meeting was arranged following a leaked letter from the city council regarding an $890,11 shortfall in stadium hire fees for the league match between Bosso and ZPC Kariba at Barbourfields Stadium about a fortnight ago.

Despite Highlanders having the country’s largest stadium-attending fan base, their match against ZPC Kariba was played in front of an almost empty Barbourfields Stadium, as most fans opted to attend a fundraiser at the clubhouse. Consequently, the city council wrote to the club to highlight the shortfall from the match.

However, the letter, believed to have been poorly crafted and leaked to the public, caused dissatisfaction among most of the club’s fans and hierarchy. Highlanders subsequently wrote to the city council expressing their frustrations.

In the letter, dated October 10, the city council stipulated that clubs sign a leasing agreement at the beginning of each season and take possession of council stadia, which are hired based on reduced conditions. The agreement requires the council to receive 15 percent of gross gate receipts or hire fees, whichever is higher and warned Highlanders about recurring shortfalls.

“The fact that prevailing conditions of hire are favourable to the club, to this end, Council least expects a recurrence of the same that might compel it to invoke unfavourable conditions of hire that will exacerbate the lack of fiscal space that clubs are facing,” reads part of the letter written to Bosso by the city council.

However, the two parties seem to have found each other in their meeting.

Without giving much into what was agreed on, Dube gave an insight into what was topical in the meeting.

“It was and is part of our key stakeholders’ engagement process. We felt that BCC is a key stakeholder in football in general, and Highlanders in particular. They provide the facility to Highlanders for a fee,” said Dube.

“There are so many things that can be improved at the facility and our recognition of the City Fathers and Mothers allows us to highlight them for us to provide better service to our fans during our matches.”

Bosso indicated that US$5 934 was raised from ticket sales at the clubhouse where 1 785 people turned up for the fundraiser and boycotted the league game against ZPC Kariba.

Additionally, the club’s United Kingdom supporters chapter raised US$970, South Africa chapter (US$707), Harare chapter (US$610), Victoria Falls chapter (US$317), Botswana chapter (US$250), Beitbridge chapter (US$243), AmaNdebele aseUK (US$221), Gweru chapter (US$190), Hwange chapter (US$119), Dubai chapter (US$105), Poland (US$100), Cowdray Park (US$34), and Donations (US$100).

Some Dynamos supporters also bought tickets to support their traditional rivals’ fundraiser-cum-protest. – @innocentskizoe