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. Raymond Jaravaza
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A ZIFA top official was dragged to court by a 65-year-old widow over unpaid rentals and utility bills amounting to $3 700.
Samukeliso Silengane, the Zimbabwe Women Soccer League vice chairperson, rented a three bed roomed house at number 10 Bedford Road in the leafy suburb of Hillcrest. The property is owned by a United Kingdom based woman, Sharon Mpofu.
Mpofua��s mother Mavis Phephetha, who resides in Lobengula West suburb in Bulawayo, has power of attorney over the property and collected rent paid by Silengane since she started living at the house.
Things allegedly got to a head between the landlady and tenant when the football boss failed to pay rent for six months as well as electricity and water bills.
In court papers seen by B-MetroA� Silengane is alleged to have paid $110 instead of the agreed $350 per month in February 2016. She allegedly never paid a single cent from March to August before being kicked out of the property through an eviction order.
She also allegedly accumulated $792 in water bills and $588 in electricity usage.
The landlady then hauled Silengane to court to recover her monies.
The matter was heard at the Bulawayo Magistratesa�� Court under case number 1751/ 16 in October last year and the Zifa official agreed to work out a payment plan with Phephetha starting with the clearing of utility bills then ultimately paying the outstanding rent.
But Silengane allegedly reneged on meeting her end of the deal and has been giving Phephetha the runaround forcing the landlady to approach the courts for the second time.
a�?An official at the court asked me to bring the power of attorney, which my daughter has since couriered from the UK, and I have approached the Bulawayo Magistratesa�� Court again to assist me recover my money,a�? Phephetha told this publication.
At one point during the brief interview at the B-Metro offices the grandmother of eight broke down in tears.
a�?Ia��m diabetic and I was recently diagnosed with arthritis (a condition that causes pain and inflammation in the joints) so I use the money to buy medication, pay my funeral policy, pay rent for my house in Lobengula West and buy food.
a�?She is taking advantage of me because Ia��m an old woman, all my children and grandchildren are based overseas,a�? she said.
Silengane confirmed that she owed Phephetha but insisted that she has been servicing her debt and only stopped after the landlady engaged the services of a debt collector.
a�?Ita��s true that I owe Phephetha and we had agreed that I will pay the water and electricity bills first but to my surprise she later engaged the services of a debt collector while I was still servicing the debt.
a�?I was caught between a rock and a hard surface because I didna��t know whether to deal with her directly or with the debt collector.A� Ia��m waiting for her to let me know if I should continue with the initial plan or deal with the third party that she hired,a�? said Silengane.
The football administrator, however, dismissed allegations that she had been kicked out of the property through an eviction order.
a�?I was never evicted, in fact I referred the current tenant to Phephetha when I moved to my own house that I bought in the same suburb,a�? she said.
Online Reporter