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Nathan Shoko, who led the club in its first two seasons in the Premiership and has been widely praised for laying a firm foundation, has passed on the presidency baton to George Mawere, who was his immediate lieutenant in the past two years.
The handover ceremony was performed at a colourful function at the Platinum Lounge, one of the big investments that the outgoing leadership made during their tenure of office, where the club held its end-of-year awards ceremony on Saturday.
Shoko will remain as honourary president of the club.
Changes are set to be effected down the management ladder and sources revealed yesterday that club chairman, Thadson Zhou, and secretary-general, Phil Muvengwa, will be moved from their positions.
Zhou is unlikely to retain any role in the club’s management structures while Muvengwa will be moved to the new post of Business and Development Officer where he will manage, among other club properties, the Platinum Lounge.
Zhou was now the PSL board member, in charge of finance, and if the changes are effected at club level, it could see him also losing that post.
Dumisani Sisale, a stores manager at the company, is set to become the new FC Platinum chairman while Benson Wirimai, who was the protocol officer, comes in as secretary-general and club spokesman.
Sisale has vast football experience as he used to be part of the management team at Sabi Football Club.
He used to be a big Highlanders’ fan in the past although that could change given his new role, when the confirmation comes along.
Petros Ngorima will now take care of the club’s finances as treasurer, replacing Elton Nyoka, who has also been left out in the cold.
Smartfin Techu is the new protocol officer while his friend and workmate Rodwell Mazambara comes in as a committee member and Lloyd Shirichena survives the changes by clinging on to his old post as committee member.
FC Platinum president, George Mawere, told The Herald that they had not yet put in place a new executive.
“The executive appointments are not done here but in Harare and we hope to have a new committee in place by the end of the month. It is something we are working on and once we have finished we will inform you and whatever you might have heard can be just rumours,” said Mawere.
Unlike the previous committee, the new executive has no posts for the vice-president, vice-secretary and vice-chairman.
The Mandava community, which rallies behind the team in a town were there is fierce rivalry with Shabanie Mine, has been left out as they were not considered in the new executive. Only mine employees from the Human Resources Department were thrust into the posts.
FC Platinum failed to reach the dizzy heights they scaled last year when they finished tied on points (58) with champions Dynamos only to lose the championship on goal difference.
But the leadership, under Shoko, was credited with running a professional club and they completed renovating Mandava, which they turned into a modern football ground, to secure a very good base for the club.
FC Platinum also played in the Champions League and became the first team in Zimbabwe to bring Champions League football to a town outside Harare and Bulawayo.
Online Reporter