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Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
THE Highlanders executive has been criticised for setting a diploma as the minimum qualification for the club’s chief executive  post that was left vacant following the departure of Nhlanhla Dube last month.

Club spokesperson Ronald Moyo has been acting head of secretariat since October when Dube went on annual leave.
Last Saturday, the club flighted an advert inviting applications for the post of chief executive and marketing officer.

Highlanders said candidates for the post of chief executive must have a diploma or higher national diploma in management, business management or related management field.

They said a degree would be an added advantage.

A human resources expert, Bhekilizwe Bernard Ndlovu, said it was strange that at a time when every serious corporate was looking for the best brains in terms of its human resources, Highlanders were doing the opposite and in the process underating themselves.

He said maybe it was an issue of affordability, which if true, would be tragic for the institution.

“I really don’t understand why such a big institution would underrate itself like that when organisations are looking for the best in terms of human resources.

Maybe they realise they cannot afford qualified ones, but that would be sad because it would mean the institution is going down instead of up, not growing and taking steps backwards,” said Ndlovu.

He said when recruiting for such a critical position in an organisation, education and experience go hand in hand and cannot be separated.

“These are the competence levels one looks at. In any job interview or assessment, you are looking at two questions; can you do the job? That’s about skill and knowledge.

The experience and education part.

The second question is, will you do the job? And those are motivational and attitude issues to check willingness and passion for the job.

These questions will come in different forms, but all addressing those two assessment issues,” said Ndlovu, who has personnel management experience in both public and private institutions.

An irate club member, Brezhnev Mathonsi accused the executive of trying to create an environment for their friends to get the job.

Highlanders’ chairman Johnfat Sibanda previously assured members that they were not going to head hunt for the post, but would use internationally acceptable recruitment processes.

“Surely this must be the most ludicrous information I have received in 2022.

How can people be so blatant in trying to give their friends jobs.

Where in the world is it sensible for the chief executive officer of the biggest football organisation in the country to qualify with a minimum of a diploma.

None of these qualifying aspects for this vacancy make sense,” said Mathonsi.

He said it was a betrayal to those whose vision for the club was it becoming a giant, adding that if the head of secretariat would have a diploma as his qualification, what qualifications would his subordinates then have.

“They are a betrayal of what some of us envision Highlanders can become.

So this CEO; what kind of an accountant will he supervise.

If he has a minimum of a diploma, what will be the minimum qualification for his or her subordinates? How will this CEO manage a million dollar sponsorship? Yazi kasihloniphani lathi sometimes njengabantu besintwini.

Kuyadelelisa lokhu,” said Mathonsi.

Deadline for applications is January 22 for both posts.