Mnkandla lands Bosso job

Lovemore Dube, Zimpapers Sports Hub

HIGHLANDERS have turned to a proven winner in their search for a fresh chapter.

FC Platinum administrator Denzel Mnkandla, will officially take over as Highlanders’ new chief executive officer on August 1, bringing with him a track record of success and a reputation for getting things done.

Mnkandla beat two other shortlisted candidates, Nomvelo Mlotshwa, a Zimbabwean based abroad, and Nkululeko Ndlovu, a Bulawayo-based business consultant, after a rigorous interview process involving both the club’s board and executive.

During his tenure at FC Platinum, the Zvishavane side won four Premier Soccer League titles, establishing themselves as a powerhouse in domestic football. Highlanders now hope he can channel that winning mentality to end their 19-year league title drought.

“We have settled for Denzel Mnkandla to take over as chief executive of the club. We would like to congratulate him and wish him a successful stint with us. He brings a lot of experience given that he is from a successful club during his tenure,” said Highlanders chairman Kenneth Mhlophe, finally ending weeks of speculation over one of Zimbabwean football’s hottest executive seats.

Highlanders haven’t won the league since 2006, and while their brand remains one of the strongest in the country, with the biggest crowds and an unmatched history, they’ve struggled to translate that into trophies or financial stability.

Successive leadership teams have failed to craft a viable business model. Despite their loyal following, Bosso have often relied on free agents and unpolished youth talent from lower leagues, unable to attract the calibre of players needed to mount a serious title charge.

Now, all eyes will be on Mnkandla to not only break that cycle on the pitch but to revive Highlanders off it, transforming the club into a commercially sound, self-sustaining institution.

He steps into a role that has often been reduced to that of an overglorified administrator, with real power sometimes diluted by overreach from the board or executive.

But this is a man used to structure, used to winning. And Highlanders, desperately, need both.