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Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
HWANGE Football Club players have threatened not to travel to Harare for their league match against former champions Dynamos if the company reneges on its promise to pay them part of their dues.
The players called off their strike on Wednesday and resumed training yesterday morning after Hwange Colliery Company Limited promised to deposit part of their dues by yesterday afternoon, but they have now threatened not to travel for their fixture against Dynamos if no payment is made today.
Team chairman Joseph Zulu had promised that the company would deposit part of the players’ money believed to be $250 today, resulting in them calling off their strike and returning to training, but they confirmed last night that nothing was deposited into their bank accounts.
“We trained in the morning and evening on the basis of the chairman’s promise that the money will be in our accounts today (yesterday), but there is nothing. If the same happens tomorrow (today), we are not travelling,” said one of the players.
He said they usually left Hwange town on Friday afternoon for Sunday games in Harare, but the time of departure would be determined by partial payment of what they are owed.
The players revolted on Tuesday and refused to train over unpaid bonuses and signing on fees, which stretch back to 2015. The players are owed $2 050 in winning bonuses over a two year period and about $8 000 in signing on fees for the same period.
Zulu, in the company of Estate manager Malvin Maseko, addressed the players on Wednesday afternoon and promised to “deposit something” into your accounts by yesterday afternoon.
Zulu was, however, non-committal about the developments yesterday and only confirmed that he had met with the players.
“I addressed the players yes, that’s all I can say,” said Zulu.
Hwange players have been receiving what is popularly known as “amakeep going”, which is $10 allowance for home games and $20 on the road.
The strike received a thumbs up from the International Federation of Professional Footballers (Fifpro), a body that represents the interests of over 65 000 professional football players worldwide, who called upon the Premier Soccer League and Zifa to take action.
Questions have been raised about how money from the team’s home gate takings is used as Hwange always records good attendances.
Online Reporter