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Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
THE Bulawayo City Council has agreed to immediately reduce the number of board members at Bulawayo City FC from 12 to seven following allegations of rampant allowances abuse.

Council noted that some board members had never attended any match but claimed allowances from the team while also interfering with duties of the executive to the detriment of the club.

According to the latest council minutes, acting Housing and Community Services director, Dictor Khumalo reported that as a result of the free for all attitude, the club would now need $1 055 597 to complete the season. The team had a budget of $777 966, leaving it with a shortfall of $277 631.

“The duties of both the executive committee were clearly stated in the constitution so as to avoid one stepping on another’s toes. The roles of the executive committee, were, inter alia to:- the day to day running of the club, crafting of the budget for the club, appointment of the technical team, management of the team finances and to provide for the welfare of the players.

“On the other hand, the duties of the advisory board shall be: advisory role, approve strategic direction of the team, provide resources (financial, material, etc,) and to determine policy and moral support.

“However, in the recent past some misunderstandings had occurred, particularly with the finances and recruitment of the technical team. Sometimes undue influence had been brought to bear on the executive when prospective staff lobbied the board for support instead of leaving everything to the executive as per its constitutional mandate,” reported Khumalo.

According to the report, conflict had also arisen on the financial side regarding sitting and travelling allowances, with the council noting that Harare City FC board members raised their own funds for travel and never got anything from club coffers.

“For Bulawayo City FC, what had been happening was that for short trips, say to Gweru or Zvishavane, each board member was given $30 allowance and for longer trips, say Harare, each board member got $80. In each case, the club fuels one car for the board members. The board members as per the constitution should sit once every quarter and for this they got $50 per each sitting. There was therefore great need for the team to curtail unnecessary expenditure with immediate effect,” reads Khumalo’s report.

He proposed that in future people proposed for the club’s board membership be knowledgeable about sport, well-connected and influential enough to attract sponsorship from the private sector, and have the ability to assist in development of the game.

The acting director also proposed that the number of board members be reduced from 12 to  seven to bring efficiency and reduce sitting costs since City FC is a small club and has received little donations to date.

@skhumoyo2000