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Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
HIGHLANDERS players have gone on strike over unpaid winning bonuses.

Bosso wasted two days of training with players refusing to train as they are reportedly owed winning bonuses for four games against Shabanie Mine, Chicken Inn, Triangle United and Black Rhinos.

According to the players, winning bonuses for matches are pegged at $170 per player, meaning each is owed $680.

The cash-strapped Bosso need a total of $12 240 to clear the players’ outstanding winning bonuses. This figure excludes allowances for the technical staff, some of whom are reported to have gone for months without pay.

The technical team was forced to cancel yesterday’s training session at Barbourfields Stadium’s outside grounds after the players refused to take to the field despite having changed into their training kit.

Not even an address by Highlanders’ executive members consisting of acting chairman Modern Ngwenya, secretary-general Emmett Ndlovu and treasurer Donald Ndebele could convince players to change their minds.

The players, who spoke to Chronicle Sports, alleged that members of the executive had tried to victimise them instead of addressing their grievances.

“The problem is that they are not being honest with us. They came here and tried to divide us saying those who want to play should move to the other side and those who don’t want should remain seated. Unfortunately for them, the decision not to train was collective and no one moved. It was after that, that the training was cancelled,” said one player.

When a Chronicle Sports crew arrived at the Bosso training ground at around 3:15PM, the technical team could be seen holding talks with the captains, Erick Mudzingwa, Ariel Sibanda and Rahman Kutsanzira.

The rest of the players clad in training gear were milling around about 10m away from where the “talks” were taking place.

The captains went for consultations with the rest of the players before they were all called by the technical team. It seemed no breakthrough was reached and the executive pitched up 30 minutes later to address the players.

After the players dismissed, Highlanders’ executive headed to their club offices for a meeting.

The players claimed they were told that they will hear from the club after the meeting.

This is not the first time Highlanders’ players have embarked on industrial action this season. They downed their boots in the build-up to their first leg clash against Hwange in June, a match they went on to win 3-0 having skipped two days of training.

Bosso players also threatened to go on strike in the build-up to the FC Platinum game and the club was bailed out by its benefactor, Kenneth Mhlophe of Nokel Security.

The players blamed the executive for the two-day industrial action saying: “Last week on Monday the club promised to pay us before the game against Caps United but reneged on the promise. They didn’t make any effort to tell us why they had failed to honour their promise.”

Efforts to get a comment from the club’s executive members were fruitless as their mobile phones were not reachable.

Bosso chief executive officer, Nhlanhla Dube, was in Harare yesterday attending a disciplinary hearing at the PSL offices. Head coach, Erol Akbay’s mobile phone also continuously rang unanswered.

Highlanders are on the road this weekend to play Hwange at the Colliery Stadium on Sunday.

@ZililoR