adminFrom Ray Bande in Chiredzi
SUGAR manufacturing concern Tongaat Hulett have been given until Wednesday to decide whether they can cede the Hippo Valley franchise to the community in order for the recently promoted outfit to partake in the top flight league.
Tongaat Hulett, owners of Hippo Valley and Triangle football clubs, announced that they will not be able to bankroll the Hippo because it would strain their budget given that they are already sponsoring Premiership side Triangle United.
The company management is on record saying with a budget of US$580 000 per annum needed to sponsor one team, having two would be stretching their resources rather too much. A somewhat sombre atmosphere engulfed Hippo Valley’s home ground of Chishamiso Stadium on Saturday during the Sylvia Dube Memorial tournament final with angry fans demanding explanations on the abrupt disbandment of the club they dearly loved and supported all the way to the top flight league.
Not even the usual crowd that used to throng Chishamiso during Eastern Region Division One league matches were present during the Sylvia Dube Memorial tournament final as soccer fans in the south eastern sugar farming town appeared to be fed up with the confusion synonymous with our football.
However, community leadership representatives, led by the sugarcane farming workers union, have stepped up their efforts to take over sponsorship of the club.
Zifa Eastern Region chairman Fungai Chihuri said representatives of the community had approached his executive with a proposal to take over the club if Tongaat Hulett insist that they can no longer take care of the financial needs of the team.
Chihuri also confirmed that his board had given Tongaat Hullet an ultimatum to decide whether they cede the franchise to the community. “As the Eastern Region board we are equally disappointed by this development. Accordingly we deliberated with the Hippo Valley community leadership, which is proposing to take over the sponsorship of the club.
“We are of the fact that the issue is still an Eastern Region matter hence these deliberations. One thing that I have noted is the commitment by the community representatives to take over sponsorship of the club. What we have done is that we have given the owners of the franchise Tongaat Hullet the prerogative to decide whether they are willing to give the community the onus to sponsor the club and that has to be done by Wednesday so that we can move forward. “If the community is keen to take over the financial burden of the club I do not see why they could be denied the chance,” said Chihuri.
Online Reporter