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Sisa Sihwa, Sports Reporter
FORMER Highlanders coach and Cosafa Castle Cup winner with the Warriors, Bongani Mafu has appealed to the Zimbabwe Football Association to intervene on his behalf in his running battle with his Botswana employer, Mochudi Centre Chiefs.
Mafu sent his letter to the mother body last Monday. In an interview with Sunday News, Mafu explained that he had decided to take this route as a consequence of Mochudi’s reluctance to meet their financial obligations. Mafu has a year left on his contract, but has been told by his club to return to Zimbabwe while they “sort out their internal structures.”
“I have asked my association to approach the Mochudi for my dues.” He however, he refused to divulge the full contents of his letter to Zifa, insisting on upholding professionalism.
“I can’t reveal all the contents in the letter as a professional courtesy to both Mochudi and Zifa whom I have asked to intercede on my behalf. The Zifa president speaks of finding value in our clubs and individuals but other countries in our region are diminishing our value by reneging on agreed contracts. They refuse to honour our efforts by holding their end of the bargain and dumping us as and when they call the next hungry Zimbabwean to exploit,” Mafu said.
Mafu revealed that his employer intends to cut his salary in half, removing all bonuses and other working allowances making his survival at the club difficult. No mention has been made of what the club owes him.
“The team wants to cut my salary in half, as well as remove all bonuses and at the same time not pay or even discuss monthly salaries, settlement fees, winning bonuses, car and petrol allowances that they have not paid in a full year,” Mafu disclosed.
Mafu had to seek alternative accommodation after he was locked out of his club-rented apartment in Garabone due to the failure by Mochudi to pay rent.
“They conveniently stopped paying rent which resulted in me failing to secure accommodation. Other property including the stove, fridge, bed and utensils were also locked in,” Mafu said.
The Cosafa national team assistant coach’s efforts to communicate with his bosses who were in office at the time were futile. He said his calls and texts were not and have not been responded to and chances of him going back to the club are slim, as the club has already started work ahead of a new season with other members of the technical team that Mafu left behind, albeit after guiding the club to a commendable top eight finish on the backdrop of playing some matches with players having trained once in a week or not having trained at all. — @J_sihwa
Online Reporter