adminMzingaye Sibanda Sports Reporter
STRUGGLING Zimbabwe Saints FC could find themselves back in the Zifa Southern Region Division One league after a Harare company pledged $5,000 towards paying their debts. But the club would need about $10,000 a month to sustain itself. The company’s gesture was announced yesterday at a meeting attended by 28 people who included former players, executive members, interested parties and sympathisers.
DW Mhiribidi and Company are keen to help Saints get back to the league after the club was kicked out for mounting debts and unpaid levies.
Saints members called an emergency meeting yesterday where it was made clear that the continued presence of the executive was unwelcome at the club.
Officials said there was a possibility that they could be admitted back to the league if they paid the $6, 644 which the club owes to the motherbody.
On Wednesday club officials are said to have met a senior Zifa member and presented their plea for leniency.
Club member Vincent Pamire said they would not let Saints disappear from the football scene.
“We will never let Saints die. We represent a lot of people and we have been receiving calls from Harare as people are wishing to help and see this club become vibrant again,” said Pamire.
Chauya Chikwata as Saints are popularly known, have fallen on hard times under the Gibson Homela and Jabulani Chinyangarara-led executive.
Those who attended the meeting called for a fresh start.
“Let’s start afresh and get it right. We have done it before, we can do it again, we can’t have people like Chinyangarara being a Zifa board member and running Saints, honestly it’s wrong. We also need transparency going forward because we can’t pour money into dead rubber,” said one of the disgruntled fans.
Pamire called on all Saints members and sympathisers to attend the emergency meeting set for Sunday to map the way forward and elect an interim body.
“The feeling was to disband the old system and start afresh, so we are going to have a meeting on Sunday so that everyone will be there and we do it right.
“People want structures and proper administration so we are calling on all those who call themselves Saints supporters, to come and map the way forward,” he said.
Zifa Southern Region chairman Musa Mandaza declined to comment on Saints’ fate.
“I cannot comment at the moment because there are procedures to follow, so as it stands the board has taken a decision,” said Mandaza.
Saints have been a feature in Zimbabwe football and are the second most successful club after Highlanders in the last 40 years in Bulawayo.
derick.khumalo