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Raymond Jaravaza, Sports Correspondent
HIGHLANDERS’ chief executive officer Ndumiso Gumede remained defiant yesterday, insisting he was a Bosso employee and Zifa couldn’t kick him out of football as he was not seconded to the Bulawayo giants by the national association.
Zifa made a shocking announcement on Monday saying Gumede had been suspended from local football for allegedly violating domestic football’s governing body rules and regulations.
Gumede also stands accused of writing to the Fifa regional representative Archford Mamelodi “peddling falsehoods” against and seeking to have the Zifa executive committee led by Philip Chiyangwa dissolved.
Gumede was suspended together with Bosso chairman Peter Dube, who was charged with causing mayhem, incitement and attending a Zifa Assembly meeting as a Highlanders’ representative, among others.
“I have not received a letter of suspension which under normal circumstances should come via my employer, in this case Highlanders FC. I was employed by Highlanders and not seconded to the club by Zifa, so they cannot ban or suspend me. I’m employed by the club and if it happens that my contract is terminated then someone will have to pay me something, a token of appreciation,” said Gumede at the club’s weekly Press conference yesterday.
Gumede and Dube had still not been served with official suspension letters by yesterday afternoon.
“Surely there is something wrong when people are fired through social media. Such decisions are typical of kangaroo courts where things are done without following due procedure,” Gumede said.
The veteran football administrator said he had no regrets about writing to Fifa highlighting the state of football in the country. He said he sleeps peacefully at night knowing that he was fighting for the plight of former Zifa workers that have not been paid in years and run the risk of never getting their dues.
“Remember I was once an employee of Zifa, so I have kept in touch with some former employees, a majority of whom are based in Harare. The workers got together and compiled a document and then wondered who could best represent their interests and they came up with the name Gumede. I obliged to carry their torch and I do not regret that decision.
“I think Fifa will sooner rather than later respond to these matters. Fifa chose to listen to me maybe because I serve in the Fifa Interpol match-fixing committee and I’m still in their books,” Gumede said. — @RaymondJaravaza
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