Mamelodi throws weight behind Zifa cleanup bid

Mamelodi, the Fifa development officer for Southern and Eastern Africa, yesterday said a suspension was not an expulsion and should therefore not attract outrage if it was meant to serve the interests of Fair Play.
The Botswana football official said he was pleased with the efforts being made by the Zifa board president Cuthbert Dube to improve the administration of the local game.
Speaking during the official handover of the Fifa Goal Project Phase Two to Zifa by the contractor, Mamelodi yesterday urged Dube to stand firm.
Mamelodi gave a thumbs up to Zifa just ahead of an assembly meeting tomorrow where the association will have to receive, consider and adopt the report on the suspension of board members.
The association will also consider the constitutional review process.
“As Fifa, we are happy that Zifa are now looking at their constitution which is an indication of commitment.
“So from Fifa, we are happy with the interaction with Zifa. We admire your efforts to try and clean up Zifa.
“There have been some outrage after some suspensions but I have to say that a suspension is not an expulsion. If this is the process towards justice, then why should it not be done?” said Mamelodi.
This week, Women’s Football League secretary Samukeliso Silengane was formally suspended from her duties to pave way for investigations.
Silengane had already been suspended from her other duties as chairperson of the Zifa Referees Committee.
She was fingered in the Central Region Division One referees’ scandal.
Last year, the Zifa board also suspended Southern Region chairman, Gift Banda, and Central Region boss, Patrick Hokonya.
In August last year, the Zifa board suspended Solomon Mugavazi (Northern Region), Methembe Ndlovu (board member development) and vice-president Kenny Marange over their alleged involvement in Asiagate.
Mamelodi said he was pleased with the strides made by the current Zifa board to complete the second phase of Goal Project Two such that Fifa were ready to unroll the Third Phase.
“Fifa is pleased with the job that has been done despite the contractor facing some challenges.
“Normally we give a year to evaluate the completed phase of the Goal Project but I am sure Fifa can look into funding Zifa from our meeting in Zurich that is set for March,” said Mamelodi.
The Fifa development officer revealed that they paid US$438 000 to the contractors.
A representative of the contractors, Irene Masiyanise, said they had redone the whole roof, the electrical fittings and furnishing of the complex.
She said parts of the walls also needed under pinning because they were not stable.
The Zifa Village can accommodate 26 people while the facility has two VIP suites, a kitchen, a dining room and a common lounge and is meant to the Zifa’s centre of football technical excellence. However, it seems it will be a long time before the Zifa Village realises its true value as the football pitch is yet to be completed.
Zifa president, Dube, yesterday hinted that they want their Goal Project Third Phase to focus on the completion of a conference room instead of the football field and stadium.
“It has been a long and winding trip for the family of football to complete this project. Football is a sport that calls for dedication, commitment, professionalism and above all, partnership.
“As we reminisce through the files from the past, we tend to rue the missed chances.
“However, the old English saying contends that try, try, try again if at first you cannot succeeded,” said Dube.
Dube said Zifa will soon be recruiting an administrator to run the Zifa Village while Zifa chief executive Jonathan Mashingaidze and his secretariat focus on their core business of running football.
“We are going to have a professional administrator to run the village so that Jonathan will not be overwhelmed.
“I am sure we are also going to improve on the landscaping and that is in the offing,” he said.
Dube paid tribute to Mamelodi for the support he has given to Zimbabwe football towards the goal project.
“Zifa would like to thank Fifa for the support rendered to date and we implore Fifa through Mamelodi to afford Zimbabwe the chance to apply for more Goal Projects.
“We believe that this training centre will be one of our biggest legacies during our tenure as such we cannot afford to misuse the resources for the projects,” said Dube.
Work at the Zifa Village started under Leo Mugabe but successive boards have failed to complete the project while the football pitch and road leading to the centre continue to be in a sorry state.