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Samukeliso Silengane

Raymond Jaravaza, Sports Correspondent
ZIMBABWE Women’s Football boss Samukeliso Silengane has been kicked out of the Cosafa Women’s Championship’s local organising committee (LOC).

Silengane was until last week part of the LOC headed by Zifa vice president Omega Sibanda and Zifa executive member Piraishe Mabhena that has been working round the clock to host a seamless tournament.

She is also the Zimbabwe Women’s Football vice-chairperson deputising Harare based Rosemary Kanonge.

The Cosafa Women Championships start tomorrow in Bulawayo and details for her suspension have been kept under a tight lid.

Sibanda, the Zifa vice-president who heads the Cosafa Women’s Championship LOC could not be drawn into revealing the details of Silengane’s suspension, instead referring questions to spokesperson Xolisani Gwesela.

“Speak to Gwesela, he will give you the information you are enquiring about,” said Sibanda.

Efforts to get a comment from Gwesela drew blanks with numerous calls to his phone late last night going unanswered.

This is despite the fact that Gwesela had earlier in the day promised to furnish this publication with a comment.

Sources said Silengane was suspended on Saturday, the day Zifa told our sister paper Sunday News that companies must only deal with their marketing committee following reports that unidentified individuals were soliciting for funding on behalf of the association, ahead of the Cosafa tournament.

It is suspected that Silengane could have been part of the individuals who misrepresented themselves to service providers, promising to get them businesses during the Cosafa tournament in return for “kickbacks”.

Sources said Sibanda was fuming at individuals who were trying to cash in on service providers while tarnishing LOC’s name.

“The vice-president (Sibanda) is not happy at all at selfish individuals that are said to be bringing LOC’s name into disrepute.

“He (Sibanda) clearly told everyone that anyone found doing dodgy dealings will be punished and the association will not hesitate to report such people to the police.

“The LOC wants to hold a successful tournament and they don’t want rotten apples to affect their quest of hosting a memorable event,” the source said.

Silengane could not be reached on her mobile phone that was answered by an unidentified woman who said the Zimbabwe Women’s Football vice-chairperson had left her phone.