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Mgcini Nkolomi

Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
HIGHLANDERS players called off their strike after a meeting with the club’s board chairman Mgcini Nkolomi and members of the executive committee.

The players had been on strike since Tuesday protesting over unpaid winning bonuses.

Faced with the prospect of travelling to Hwange for tomorrow’s league encounter against the coalminers without training, Nkolomi, acting chairman Modern Ngwenya, treasurer Donald Ndebele and chief executive officer Nhlanhla Dube met the players and convinced them to end their industrial action.

The players arrived at their Barbourfields Stadium training ground at around 9AM, but only struck a deal at about 1PM and changed into their training gear to prepare for tomorrow’s game.

“We had a meeting with the players where we listened to their grievances and we also articulated the reasons for our failure to meet some of the financial obligations. They understood that since the team is not playing well, revenue inflows have also been affected. We told them that everything was being done to ensure their dues are paid, which they understood. They also understood that we need to protect the image of the club and that of our sponsors and that is why they are training,” said Dube.

The players are owed winning bonuses for four games against Shabanie Mine, Chicken Inn, Triangle United and Black Rhinos.

Winning bonuses are reportedly pegged at $170 per player, which adds up to $680 for each player for the four wins.

The cash-strapped Bosso needs $12 240 to clear the players’ outstanding winning bonuses.

The strike also resulted in Erick Mudzingwa, Ariel Sibanda and Rahman Kutsanzira losing the captaincy. They were replaced by Peter Muduhwa, Ralph Matema and Gabriel Nyoni.

Mudzingwa, Sibanda and Kutsanzira were stripped of the captaincy for alleged insubordination after they refused to report at the club’s offices on day two of the strike and demanded that the executive addresses the squad at the training ground.

Meanwhile, Bosso coach Erol Akbay said his charges need to be focused for the Hwange encounter.

“I hope they can focus on the game at hand because we want to end the season strongly. There are four matches left and we want to finish the season strongly, but it’s a little difficult,” said Akbay.

Coincidentally, in June, Highlanders faced Hwange coming from a similar strike and went on to beat the coalminers 3-0. — @ZililoR