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This follows revelations by The Herald yesterday that the way Khumalo was fast-tracked into the Warriors’ set-up, against a background of his criminal conviction for swindling Zifa, appeared suspicious.
Khumalo served a jail term for swindling Zifa in 2006, but somehow managed to bounce back into the structures of the Warriors to land the post of kit manager.
He was part of the Warriors who travelled to Egypt for a 2014 World Cup qualifier and was also part of the technical team when we hosted the Pharaohs here. Interestingly, Fifa on Thursday provisionally suspended the Cameroon Football Federation following the re-election of the outgoing president of the federation, Iya Mohammed.
Fifa says Mohammed cannot hold such a post in the game following his imprisonment for alleged misappropriation of the Cameroon Football Federation funds.
Khumalo was left behind, during the trip to Guinea, after Zifa experienced serious challenges in funding that tour of duty.
Zimbabwe international midfielder, Hardlife Zvirekwi, lost his passport during the flight from Harare to Nairobi and could not proceed with the final leg of the journey to Guinea. Yesterday, Zimbabwe’s Embassy officials in South Sudan advised The Herald that Zvirekwi’s passport and bag was delivered to the embassy by someone who had picked the luggage on the Kenya Airways flight from Harare to Nairobi. “A Sudanese man picked the bag on that flight and, from what we know, he only realised that it wasn’t his bag when he got home in Juba and when he saw a Zimbabwean passport, he notified us and the bag and its contents were delivered to the embassy,” an embassy official said.
“We only got the bag yesterday and there is a wallet with some money, US$140, and some other stuff. We feel the Sudanese guy was honest and this was just a mistake otherwise there was no need for him to deliver these items here. We are sending the bag back to Harare and the player should be able to pick up his passport on Sunday.”
Zimbabwean referees Norman Matemera and Tapfumanei Mutengwa have received a vote of confidence from regional body Cosafa as they have been included among the officials who will be on duty during the two-week football jamboree that begins in Zambia today. Both officials have been on the Fifa panel since 2010.
Matemera, who was recently at the centre of the storm for the stoppage time that allowed Dynamos an equaliser in a super-charged Premiership match against Highlanders, is one of the three centre referees recognised by Fifa alongside Thabani Bamala and Ruzive Ruzive. Mutengwa also appears on the list of assistant referees.
Zifa communications manager Xolisani Gwesela yesterday confirmed the duo’s participation at the tournament.
“It’s good that we have two of our referees being recognised to take part in the officiating of the matches at the Cosafa tournament.
“They are already in Zambia for the tournament and they were confirmed after passing a fitness test yesterday (Thursday),” said Gwesela. Meanwhile, the Zimbabwe national team is expected to begin camp on Monday before their scheduled departure on Wednesday. The Warriors will leave with a delegation of 25 people as they hope to launch a successful campaign in defence of their title.
Online Reporter