Mhlophe guns for second term as Highlanders chairman

Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
WHILE the elections to choose three executive committee members for Highlanders are still more than five months away, the club’s chairman, Kenneth Mhlophe has confirmed that he is gunning for a second term in charge of the Bosso executive when his current tenure runs its course at the beginning of next year.

Responding to questions during a virtual Press conference last Friday, Mhlophe said if the members do give him the go ahead, he will seek a fresh mandate.

“Definitely yes, I am standing for re-election, I’ve done my three years, if members so wish for me to stand, I will stand for the last part of my term,’’ Mhlophe said.

Highlanders are, in terms of their current constitution expected to hold elections early next year, with the post of chairman, secretary-general and committee member to be contested for. Mhlophe became Highlanders chairman in 2018 to replace Peter Dube and is eligible to stand for a final three-year tenure together with secretary-general Israel Moyo while committee member Wisdom Mabhena cannot contest again since he has two consecutive three-year terms.

However, former Highlanders chairman, who seemingly has the backing of an influential section of Highlanders members is said to be eyeing a return to the top post which he vacated less than a decade ago while another Highlanders member who has been making donations to the club almost on a weekly basis reportedly has his eyes on the position of committee member.

Meanwhile, Highlanders chief executive officer, Nhlanhla Dube has clarified why they are still giving mileage to NetOne yet the network operator had terminated the arrangement they had signed with the club. Dube said NetOne had exercised their right in terms of the contract to give Bosso three months’ notice, the same way the club could have gone the same route had they secured another sponsor.

“We were not ditched by NetOne, the contract said that NetOne would give us three months intention to discontinue the relationship, we were also allowed to discontinue if we had found someone else. NetOne exercised their rights to give us three months’ notice, they paid out the whole sponsorship amount for the year,’’ Dube said.

He further stated that since what NetOne had given Highlanders had been eroded by inflation, the two parties had agreed that should Bosso find another sponsor, the former was prepared to relinquish their rights.

“The only issue that came to be was that inflation had since eaten into the sponsorship as agreed on the contract, it hadn’t been negotiated to be varied upwards. We were going to carry NetOne as part of the contract for this year. However, had another sponsor come in during the season, NetOne and ourselves had agreed we would go into a conversation where they will cede that right for us to carry them.”

According to the Highlanders head of secretariat, the replica shirts that will be available in the coming weeks are coming without the main sponsor logo while the playing kit has NetOne since it was ordered before the notice of termination of the contract. — @Mdawini_29.