adminSikhumbuzo Moyo Senior Sports Reporter
EARLY season championship contenders ZPC (Hwange) have been rocked by yet another player revolt over salaries after players refused to train for the whole of last week resulting in the team failing to fulfill their weekend away fixture to Zimbabwe Saints.
The match was set for Portuguese Club on Saturday but the Solomon Kaseke coached boys did not turn up.
“ZPC (Hwange) did not turn up,” posted Zimbabwe Saints secretary Jabulani Chinyangarara on the club’s official Facebook account.
Chikwata are likely to be given the match on a 3-0 scoreline.
Players who spoke to Chronicle Sport on condition of anonymity said the club was yet to pay them salaries since the beginning of the season while their winning bonuses were paid in bits and pieces with the last instalment of $50 each paid last week.
“We have said to them enough is enough and until they pay us our dues, all our remaining games will be walkovers because we are not going to fulfill any of the fixtures,” said a player.
The player said their new motto now will be no money, no play for the rest of the season.
“Honestly how do they expect us to survive? The management drive state of the art cars and have the audacity to even driving these cars when coming to our games,” fumed the player.
ZPC (Hwange) players revolted a few weeks after the season started over winning bonuses and signing on fees. The poor and unprofessional handling of the salaries issue by the management has seen the team’s morale plummeting resulting in poor performance.
They have now lost eight games and amassed 33 points from 23 matches, a massive 17 points behind log leaders Bulawayo Chiefs.
Efforts to get a comment from the team secretary Gaylord Madunguza were fruitless as he was claiming to be attending church service.
“I will call you shortly as I am in church now,” he said. He never called.
Zifa Southern Region Division One secretary general Stanley Madvimbo check name expressed disappointment over the latest revolt to rock ZPC (Hwange).
“We are naturally unhappy about such events especially at this time and stage of the league. It distorts the smooth running of our league. We have standing rules and statutes which deal with such incidences and the disciplinary committee will stand guided by such statutes,” he said.
Meanwhile, Blackboots who drew with Quelaton 1-1 could have cut Chiefs’ lead to just three points had they won.
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