adminLovemore Zigara Midlands Sports Correspondent
FORMER Premiership outfit Shabanie Mine’s participation in the Zifa Central Soccer League hangs in the balance after it emerged that the club owner and principal sponsor, Shabanie and Mashava Mines are abandoning it due to financial constraints.
Shabanie Mine was relegated from the top flight last season after an indifferent season.
Seven first team players who include Marvellous Dikinya, Zvikomborero Bizeki, Ashley Mukwenya, Hardlife Mavundi, Nigel Hunga, Frank Bushiri and Nelson Merson left the Chinda Boys for different clubs during the July transfer-window mainly due to remuneration challenges at the club.
This contributed significantly to the asbestos miners facing the dreaded chop at the end of last season. A meeting was held on Saturday to map the way forward on the future of the club but could not come up with a solution and another indaba has been set for Friday which will seal the fate of the club.
Club president, Gregory Mataka confirmed the developments and said the economic challenges being faced by the asbestos miner have had ripple effects on the existence of the oldest football team in Zvishavane.
“It’s true that we’re facing financial challenges in the running of the club and our aim is to ensure that there is community involvement in the running of Shabanie Mine.
“There’s still some discussions which are going on whether the mine can still afford to fund the activities of the club. We will know by March 27 on the way forward with regards to the future of the club,” he said.
Sources close to the goings-on at the club said the business community has been roped in to save one of the biggest brands in the domestic game.
Businesspeople in Zvishavane such as Samson “Sam Dread” Gondwe have been directly or indirectly involved with the club in recent years.
Bongani Moyo
Online Reporter