Online Reporter
Innocent Kurira, [email protected]
HIGHLANDERS’ ongoing boardroom turmoil has taken a dramatic legal twist after chief executive officer Denzil Mnkandla consulted his lawyers, who have since contested his suspension and called for his immediate reinstatement.
The development marks a significant escalation in the standoff between Mnkandla and the club, effectively shifting the matter from an internal administrative process to a legal confrontation.
Mnkandla’s move to involve his legal representatives comes at a time when the club is still awaiting a report from him over what transpired during a recent trip to Botswana. He is yet to submit the report, which allegedly will be followed by his official suspension letter.
However, by engaging lawyers to challenge the process, Mnkandla has thrown the club’s intended course of action into uncertainty, with the dispute now set to be tested through legal channels.
Mnkandla, a former FC Platinum administrator, was reportedly given a verbal suspension notice on Tuesday, with club chairman Kenneth Mhlophe expected to issue a formal written suspension letter, which is yet to be delivered, in line with an executive resolution.
Sources within the club said the suspension is intended to allow for investigations to proceed without interference.
But the legal intervention could stall or complicate those proceedings, as questions are raised over the procedure followed by the club.
“The club has received correspondence from Mnkandla’s lawyers challenging the process and calling for his immediate reinstatement. The club is also expected to rope in its lawyers, and the matter is now being handled through the proper legal channels,” said a source.
According to other sources, Mnkandla has also sought a severance package. A severance package is money and benefits offered by employers to employees upon involuntary termination.
The dispute stems from allegations surrounding the club’s Botswana trip, which has come under scrutiny over possible financial irregularities.
It is alleged that the total bill for the Botswana trip was inflated by as much as US$20 000.
The amount is believed to have been commissions for the agents.
Reports indicate that middlemen were introduced to Mnkandla by a senior member of the executive to facilitate some of the arrangements.
Further allegations suggest that standard procurement procedures were not followed, as there were no three quotations obtained from service providers — a requirement under club policy.
Despite this, it is understood that Mhlophe and the board member responsible for finance, Nkani Khoza, approved the figures.
In doing so, they are said to have disregarded established club guidelines, which mandate a minimum of three quotations for any procurement process.
With lawyers now involved and positions hardening on both sides, the Highlanders CEO saga has clearly moved beyond internal processes, setting the stage for a potentially protracted legal battle.
As the situation unfolds, the focus will be on how the legal challenge shapes the outcome, with the club’s leadership and Mnkandla now seemingly headed for a confrontation that could have lasting implications for governance and stability at Bosso.
Bongani Ndlovu