Bosso players stage sit-in Donald Ndebele
Donald Ndebele

Donald Ndebele

Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
HIGHLANDERS’ players staged a three-hour sit-in at the club’s offices on Sunday night, demanding to be paid their appearance fees for the Bosso @90 Challenge match against rivals Dynamos at Barbourfields Stadium.

Bosso lost the game 2-3 in a penalty shootout after the match had ended in a 2-2 stalemate at the end of 90 minutes.

Disgruntled Highlanders’ players told Chronicle Sport that the club reneged on paying them the promised $150 each as appearance fees, which they alleged their Dynamos counterparts got.

The Bosso players were each paid $30 at the club’s offices after being addressed by club treasurer Donald Ndebele and manager Vezigama Dlodlo.

“Our friends at Dynamos told us they had been paid $150 each. We asked for our dues before leaving the dressing room and we were told that we were going to get our appearance fees today (yesterday), which we rejected. It was at that point that we headed to the club offices where the treasurer (Ndebele) and manager (Dlodlo) addressed us, promising that the matter will be discussed at the review meeting. We were then given $30 each and we’re still waiting to hear the outcome of that meeting,” said one player.

Another player felt the club would not clear the balance since the season had ended.

“If they changed goalposts on Sunday after the game, what will make them make a commitment now seeing that they don’t need us since the season is over. However, if we’re still around next season, we will demand our dues because the (acting) chairman (Modern Ngwenya) addressed us before the game and said we were going to get $150 each,” he said.

However, Ngwenya dismissed the players’ allegations and said the sit-in was blown out of proportion.

“We never agreed on a fixed appearance allowance because we didn’t know how many people were coming for the game, but shared the money we got equally among the players. I believe the issue is being blown out of proportion because as a club we have proper systems and don’t pay in the dressing room. They were paid at the office and I doubt there was any crisis because no one called me to say there is a crisis,” said Ngwenya.

The acting Bosso chairman said there had about 4 000 people that paid to watch the game, which is a low turnout for a Highlanders and Dynamos encounter.

He said rains that pounded the city hours before the game could have discouraged people from attending the match.

Club treasurer Ndebele said the players shared $1 500.

“They’re lying that Dynamos players got $150 each. After other expenses we were left with $1 500 which the players shared. As far as we’re concerned, the issue was resolved when we paid them their dues,” Ndebele said.

Bosso still owe their players winning bonuses for their 3-0 win over Hwange on the last day of the season. The 2016 season ended two weeks ago.

@ZililoR

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