admin Raymond Jaravaza
ZIFA Southern Region clubs a�� existing and defunct a�� owe the league $45 823,09 dating back to as far as 2014 in affiliation fees, B-Metro Sport can exclusively reveal.Currently, new clubs that join the Southern Region league fromA� division two through promotion must pay $3 000 while old clubs part with $2 500 at the beginning of each year.
B-Metro Sport has in the past months reported in articles that clubs owe the league in affiliation fees in full while others were paying in instalments.
But a financial statement for the league from January to June shows that the league is owed a substantial amount by current clubs, some that have been demoted to division two and even clubs that have gone defunct.
Trumus a�� who relinquished their status and opted to play in division two, yesteryear giants Zimbabwe Saints, now represented in the local football fraternity by an academy using the same name and now defunct Old Nic owe the league.
League finance board chair Brighton Malandule, although he was first at pains to explain the debt because the financial statement in the possession of B-Metro Sport was not for a�?public consumptiona�? said the league was owed monies dating back to 2014.
a�?The debt backdates to 2014 when we took over running of the league after elections. Current clubs owe the league in affiliation fees while clubs such as the now defunct Old Nic, Saints and Trumus both now playing in lower league also owe us monies.
a�?I cannot go into detail on how much individual teams owe but can confirm that the figure you (B-Metro Sport) have is the correct total amount,a�? said Malandule.
He went to say that the league could choose to exercise its legal right to ban all teams playing in lower divisions affiliated to Zifa unless they pay what they owed the Southern Region but the league would be viewed by the public as an anti-football entity.
a�?We are all operating in a challenging economic environment and banning teams until they settle their dues will be viewed by some people as an anti-football move. We hope the clubs will act in good faith and settle their debts without the league taking the legal route,a�? he said.
In cases where defunct clubs owe the league, the Southern Region has been forced to write off the debts.
Online Reporter