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ZIMBABWE’S football champions Nigezi Platinum Stars face a hurricane which could have a significant impact on the club amid revelations that former coach Benjani Mwaruwari has filed a staggering US$1.6 million claim with FIFA for unfair dismissal.
The revelations come in the wake of an order from FIFA that the champions, who featured in their maiden CAF Champions League campaign this season, should pay their former assistant coach, Bongani Mafu, close to US$200 000.
Mafu was Benjani’s assistant at Ngezi when they were sacked a few months after they arrived at the Mhondoro club.
The platinum miners were given up to last week to appeal against the FIFA determination or face a two-year transfer ban up to the second transfer window of 2026.
The FIFA determination on Mafu was reached on August 27.
Sources told H-Metro the Mafu case was likely to be used as a precedent in the Benjani claim and this could likely favour the applicant.
“Ngezi Platinum Stars FC must pay to the claimant (Bongani Mafu) US$196 750 as compensation for breach of contract without just cause,” read communication from FIFA.
“The decision was passed on the 27th of August 2024 by the FIFA football tribunal’s player status chamber.
“The decision was communicated to Ngezi Platinum Stars Football Club, Bongani Mafu, ZIFA and CAF on the 30th of August 2024.
“Should any of the parties wish to receive the grounds of the decision, a written request must be received by FIFA, within 10 days of receipt of notification of the findings of the decision.
“Failure to do so within the stated deadline will result in the decision becoming final and binding and the parties being deemed to have waived their rights to file an appeal.”
However, H-Metro has been told that the bigger storm is the one that is likely to come when Benjani’s claim against unfair dismissal is completed.
“The real storm is the one that is set to come after the conclusion of Benjani’s claims and that is coming soon,” said the sources.
“That is a huge figure we are talking about and it all comes to around US$1.6 million and if he gets everything that he has asked for then it could be the biggest pay out in Southern Africa in such a football case.
“You can say that a precedent was set when Mafu won his case and both Mafu and Benjani are using the same agent who appears to have very good knowledge of such cases.
“It’s an interesting time for Zimbabwe football because I’m so sure that soon we will also hear the likes of Sunday (Chidzambwa), Norman (Mapeza) and Pasuwa also coming up with their claims against ZIFA over unpaid dues.”
The agent is Ndaba Nyathi, who is based in Finland.
Efforts to get a comment from Benjani have been fruitless.
Another former Ngezi assistant coach, Cosmas Zulu, has also been reported to be filing a claim for unfair dismissal.
Recently, he told Zimpapers Sport:
“Mafu tried his best to bring the club to the round table in an attempt to arrive at a compromise. By the principle of pacta sunt servanda (agreements must be kept), but it was all in vain.” – (@H-Metro)
Online Reporter