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NDUMISO GUMEDE

Sikhumbuzo Moyo Senior Sports Reporter
THE Zimbabwe Republic Police has turned down Highlanders FC’s request for a review of rates paid to police details providing security during its matches.Ndumiso Gumede, the Highlanders chief executive officer, had recently written to the Commissioner-General, Augustine Chihuri asking for the ZRP to review downwards their rates as they were crippling the already financial burdened local football clubs.

Speaking yesterday just before officially unveiling their new player Tapiwa Dephistara who joins the Bulawayo giants from Chiredzi on a two-year renewable deal, Gumede read out a gate takings breakdown for Highlanders where in one of the matches, the club actually got less than what the police details covering the match were paid.

In that match, Highlanders took on visiting University of Notre Dame, $3,919 was grossed and the club netted $497 while the police and the Bulawayo City Council got $556 and $783 respectively.

“Please be advised that your request for the ZRP to review the rates paid to police details for providing security during football matches at stadia has not been approved by commissioner-general of police. The position has been created by circumstances beyond the control of ZRP,” wrote the police spokesperson Charity Charamba.

The ZRP, continued Charamba, wishes Highlanders Football Club a fruitful 2014 soccer campaign.