adminRicky Zililo Senior Sports Reporter
ZIFA Southern Region Division One Soccer League club Portland Cement FC is on the brink of collapse due to lack of funding with reports that their parent company PPC is not keen on financing them.
The Cement Siding-based club which won promotion into the regional league after being crowned as the 2013 Zifa Bulawayo Metropolitan Province Division Two champions were last in action on May 31 when they lost 0-3 to Tsholotsho at home.
After that, they were walked over by Plumtree Chiefs after failing to fulfil their encounter at White City Stadium and last weekend they had their game against New West postponed as their crisis deepens.
Tomorrow they are supposed to travel to Hwange for a date with Mpumalanga but again the league has put on hold the fixture.
Portland Cement FC chairman Givemore Kalumu confirmed that they were facing funding challenges.
“We do not have a sponsor and we are still looking around. I can not say much or what the future holds for the club but as long as we don’t have a sponsor, it is difficult to fulfil matches.
“I understand the Zifa Southern Region leadership visited the company on Wednesday but I don’t have the details of the visit,” said Kalumu.
PPC, a stock exchange listed company, is actively involved in other sports codes like hockey where they advertise and athletics through the Matopos 33 Miler but seem to have taken a backseat in financing football which is a sport for the masses.
Most clubs that have survived the economic challenges facing the country are company sponsored but it seems the story is different with Portland Cement FC.
If there is no solution to Portland Cement FC problems, it means the Musa Mandaza led Zifa Southern Region Division One Soccer League will be left with 13 clubs after losing Zimbabwe Saints and Kabwe Warriors who failed to pay affiliation fees.
Mandaza confirmed that his board has been to Portland Cement FC.
“It is true that we had a delegation that visited Portland Cement but I cannot divulge the contents of the meeting now as they are having a meeting and are yet to come back to us,” said Mandaza.
Meanwhile, in the fixtures for the weekend, Agent “Ajila” Sawu’s Ntabazinduna take their act to the resort town of Victoria Falls where they will meet Trumus tomorrow.
Plumtree Chiefs today have a tough home game against Technosphere who held championship contenders Tsholotsho to a goalless draw last week.
Another blockbuster encounter is on the cards this afternoon when Tsholotsho plays host to ZPC Hwange.
Fixtures
Today: Mpumalanga v Portland Cement (postponed), Tsholotsho v ZPC Hwange (Tsholotsho), Plumtree Chiefs v Technosphere (White City), Old Nic Mine v Elephants FC (Old Nic Mine), New West v Black Boots (Barbourfields Outside grounds)
Tomorrow: Trumus v Ntabazinduna (Victoria Falls)
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