Bosso90 owes $160k in affiliation fees

Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
Despite enjoying massive sponsorship from a leading energy giant and an Internet provider, Highlanders have not paid full affiliation fees for their developmental and Division One side Bosso90.

Infact, it has since emerged that the only “deposit” which the Bulawayo giants paid towards the 2021/22 Zifa Southern Region Division One affiliation fees was by default after Zifa converted the uncollected Covid relief fund amounting to $60 000 as affiliation fees deposit with the club then reaching a payment plan with the region.

Affiliation fees were pegged at US$2 000 or official bank rate equivalent.

“Highlanders failed to provide us with their banking details last year in order for us to deposit their Covid relief funds so the money remained in our bank account because we had no means to dispose it as a result of their failure to provide us with their bank account for reasons only known to themselves,” said Zifa Southern Region executive member responsible for finances, Tizirayi Luphahla.

“So it’s this money which we then receipted as part payment for affiliation fees and they then made payment plans for the remainder of the balance,” added Luphahla.

Bosso90 now owes the region slightly under $160 000 in affiliation fees balance.

“To my understanding, Zifa don’t register teams if they don’t pay a certain amount of affiliation fee.

Bosso90 is one of the 16 teams registered with Zifa Southern Region Division One,” said Highlanders’ acting chief executive officer Ronald Moyo.

He did not explain why the club did not claim it’s share of the Covid relief fund at a time when it’s financial woes were public knowledge.

The Highlanders junior coaches also went for months without any remuneration.

The revelation comes at a time when the executive and board are in Victoria Falls for a four-day strategic workshop meant to turn Highlanders into a self sustaining organisation post the Sakunda Holdings sponsorship.

The workshop is the brainchild of the energy giant.