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Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
EXPELLED Highlanders FC vice-chairman Modern Ngwenya and secretary-general Israel Moyo have bounced back into the club’s executive after the board of trustees overruled an earlier decision to suspend the them on charges of insubordination.
The duo has been on suspension since May after the club’s disciplinary committee found them guilty of insubordination and conduct inconsistent with performance of duties as executive members.
The charges that led to the pair’s expulsion emanated from the decision by the executive not to renew the contract of chief executive officer, Nhlanhla Dube, when it expired on April 30.
“Ngwenya and Moyo are back in the executive. The appeal had nothing to do with the merits or demerits of the case, but was based on what is good for the club. What is key is that the two are back and the decision was made to promote unity within Highlanders. They are expected to work harmoniously with their colleagues for the good of the club,” said Mgcini Nkolomi, who spoke on behalf of club patron, Jimmy Ncube.
The board of trustees is made up of Ncube, Highlanders’ president Ndumiso Gumede, board chairman Luke Mnkandla and Dumisani Sandi.
However, Gumede and Mnkandla could not sit in yesterday’s meeting after Ngwenya and Moyo argued that the two were “compromised” in the matter, while Sandi missed due to commitments.
Board members, Nkolomi and Peter Dube were called in to assist Ncube. Dube also had commitments, leaving Nkolomi and Ncube to deal with the matter.
In July, Ngwenya and Moyo appealed to the board of trustees against the disciplinary committee’s decision and yesterday, the board of trustees ruled in favour of the two.
In appealing, the two felt that the disciplinary committee erred by kicking them out of office as they were “merely practising their democratic right as elected Highlanders officials.”
During their submissions, the two said the club chairman Kenneth Mhlophe “wilfully” participated in the voting process that led to majority of the executive members deciding against the renewal of Dube’s contract.
According to his submissions, Ngwenya’s charges of insubordination came after he held a different view from that of the chairman.
Ngwenya and Moyo were of the view that decisions made by the executive were “collective” and not individual.
—@Zililo
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter