adminNgqabutho Martin Moyo Sports Reporter
CANDIDATES for the Highlanders FC secretary-general’s post have promised to revitalise the club’s fortunes. Pilate Mahlangu, one of the candidates who has a firm grounding in marketing, computers and law, believes that the club needs a dynamic and well informed leadership if it is to become a world class organisation.
Mahlangu, marketing doctoral candidate, said if elected as the club’s secretary-general, he intends doubling the club’s membership which will boost the club’s coffers.
“With my qualification in marketing, I believe that I’m capable to double the number of members at the club,” he said.
“My strategy is to be simple, diligent and efficient through methods that will minimise costs to the club.”
Mahlangu said he has put in place a technological strategy that will increase membership and prevent misuse of funds in the club as is the case with some previous executives.
“The club needs to develop a system which is transparent to the supporters and members on how the finances are spent, I’m sure that even those supporters who want to sacrifice the little they make and want the team to develop will not hesitate to pay their membership fees,” he said.
Mhlangu believes that he can create a system which brings good governance through trust to bring internal sponsors, who are the supporters, and external supporters from the corporate world.
“We shouldn’t fight technology, it’s the safest way to audit all financial processes that are clear to the club members and risks are minimised through it, we can avoid unexplained expenditure from the club’s financial statements,” he said.
Mahlangu said he had a plan that, if accepted, would help work on indiscipline, junior policy and develop a forum for club elders.
Emmett Ndlovu, another candidate for the same post who was the last manager with the club to win the championship alongside then coach Methembe Ndlovu and Ernest Sibanda in 2006, believes that the suitable candidate for the secretary-general’s position is one who has the club’s culture and history at heart.
“I believe that the club can only be restored to its glory by someone who has been with the club through thick and thin and knows the institution’s values, the club belongs to the people who are responsible for the restoration of the club to its previous stature,” he said.
Another aspiring secretary general, Innocent Batsani Ncube, said he has a five-step strategy that will revolutionise the club.
“I’ve a perfect five-step strategy that will help restore the club to its glory days which is resource mobilisation, better communication with members, giving back to the people than to individuals, enhancing Bosso’s financial gains from its solid development programme and assist the chairman and executive in developing blueprints for actualising the Fifa Club licensing system as enforced by Caf and Zifa,” he said.
Ncube said this at a press conference yesterday afternoon.
The other members in the race are Njabulo Bango and Donald Ndebele.
Cleopas Ngano, incumbent Charles ‘Six One’ Moyo, Faith Silandulo Dube and Wisdom Mabhena are vying for the committee member’s position while the chairman’s has brewed controversy following the disqualification of Ernest Sibanda who was to face Peter Dube in elections to be held on February 1.
Highlanders will hold their annual general meeting on Sunday where a review of the club’s performance on the field and off it would be undertaken with Sibanda’s disqualification and constitutional changes expected to come up.
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