Lovemore Dube, Deputy Sports Editor
HIGHLANDERS are undertaking a 91-day strategic review of their operations as the Bulawayo giants seek to build a commercially sustainable, efficient and better-organised institution ahead of their second century.
Club executive member Sindani Mathafeni Khumalo, whose portfolio is marketing, said the review would examine governance, policies, agreements, assets, systems, human resources, financial controls, football operations and stakeholder engagement.
Khumalo was among the executive members co-opted following the deaths of club chairman Kenneth Mhlophe, his deputy Fiso Siziba and board member responsible for finance Nkani Khoza in July.
In an interview with Zimpapers Sports Hub, Khumalo said the review should be viewed as an opportunity for improvement rather than an indication that something was wrong at the club.
“It is a comprehensive review of how Highlanders operates. We are looking at governance, policies, agreements, assets, systems, human capital, internal processes, financial and operational controls, football operations and stakeholder engagement — with the objective of building a stronger, more sustainable Highlanders,” he said.
Khumalo said the club was using its centenary celebrations as a point of reflection, with the aim of identifying areas that needed improvement and laying the foundation for the next 100 years.
“I would rather call it an opportunity than a problem. Any serious institution must periodically examine itself. We are using the Centenary as a point of reflection — asking what has worked, what needs improvement and how we can build Highlanders for the next 100 years,” he said.
He said the ultimate goal was to improve efficiency, strengthen accountability, make better use of resources and establish a sustainable, results-oriented football business anchored in Highlanders’ values and Ubuntu.
The 91-day period, he said, would allow the club to identify operational gaps and opportunities before developing practical interventions.
“It gives us a defined period to interrogate the Club’s operations, identify gaps and opportunities, and develop practical interventions. It is about moving from discussion to action,” Khumalo said.
He stressed that football remained central to Highlanders, but argued that the team’s success depended on the strength of the institution supporting it.
“Football remains at the heart of Highlanders. The review includes football operations, but it also recognises that a strong football team requires a strong institution behind it — commercially, administratively and operationally,” he said.
The review comes as Highlanders mark 100 years, with the club seeking to use the milestone to strengthen its brand, grow its membership and establish more sustainable revenue streams.
Khumalo said the centenary programme was intended to go beyond celebrations and create opportunities for community engagement, membership recruitment and commercial partnerships.
“We want to turn the Centenary from a once-off celebration into a long-term platform for brand growth, membership growth, revenue generation and stronger stakeholder relationships,” he said.
Among the planned activities is the Highlanders-Dynamos Centenary Exhibition Match, which Khumalo said would celebrate the history and heritage of two of Zimbabwe’s biggest football institutions.
The club will also host a Centenary Family Fun Day at Highlanders Sports Club on 24 October, incorporating a half marathon, fun run and fun walk.
Khumalo said the event was designed to bring together supporters, families and the wider community, with free entrance intended to make it accessible to more people.
“Because Highlanders is bigger than the 90 minutes of football. We are a community institution. The event allows families, children, supporters and the wider community to experience Highlanders in a different way,” he said.
A Centenary Music Gala will provide another platform for bringing together supporters through music and culture, while creating opportunities for sponsors and commercial partners.
Khumalo said the events were part of a broader strategy to expand the Highlanders brand beyond matchday football.
“Absolutely. Every major activation must create value for the Club. We want to build audiences, strengthen our brand, attract partners and create sustainable commercial opportunities — while still giving supporters a great experience,” he said.
Membership drive targets 100,000
A key component of the club’s commercial sustainability strategy is a target of 100,000 members, which Khumalo described as ambitious but achievable if Highlanders can convert its extensive supporter base into formal membership.
“Because membership is the foundation of a strong football institution. We want to build a large, active and paying Bosso community that gives the Club a more predictable and sustainable revenue base,” he said.
The club’s membership categories include Bosso Junior, Bosso Supporter, Bosso Diaspora, Bosso Gold, Bosso Platinum/Life and Bosso Corporate, catering for children, ordinary supporters,
Zimbabweans living abroad, premium members and businesses.
Khumalo said the diaspora was an important target market, with Highlanders seeking to reach supporters in South Africa, the United Kingdom, Australia, the United States, Canada and other parts of the world.
The membership drive also includes a raffle in which every US$10 in membership subscription value earns an entry into a draw. The prizes are a fully built house, a 600-square-metre residential stand and a 300-square-metre residential stand, all in Bulawayo.
However, Khumalo said the raffle was an incentive rather than the primary reason for joining the club.
“No. The raffle is an incentive, but the real reason is belonging and ownership. We want people to become members because they want to participate in building the future of Highlanders,” he said.
He said a larger membership base would provide recurring revenue, improve communication with supporters and strengthen the club’s appeal to sponsors and commercial partners.
“We want to turn supporters into members, members into participants, and participation into sustainable value for the Club. That is modern football administration,” Khumalo said.
He added that the club wanted to record measurable progress by the end of 2026, including stronger membership, improved systems and accountability, increased commercial activity and a clearer roadmap for its second century.
Khumalo said the centenary activities and operational review were connected by the common goal of building a stronger Highlanders.
He dismissed suggestions that the events could distract from the club’s institutional challenges, saying they could contribute to the solution when properly managed.
“No. They are part of the solution when properly managed. Events create engagement, visibility, commercial opportunities and revenue, while the 91-day review addresses the underlying institutional systems,” he said.
Khumalo said the end of the 91-day period on 31 December would mark the beginning of implementation rather than the conclusion of the process.
“The review is not the destination. It is the beginning of implementation. The real measure of success will be what we do with the findings and how consistently we execute the resulting strategic priorities,” he said.
He urged supporters to participate in the centenary programme and join the club as it prepares for its next century.
“This is your Highlanders. This is our Centenary. Let us celebrate it, but let us also build on it. Join the Club, attend the events, support official Highlanders initiatives and become part of building a stronger Bosso for the next 100 years.”
