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Ricky Zililo Sports Reporter
THE country’s oldest club, Highlanders FC, are putting in place measures to protect abuse of their brand following a string of unauthorised fundraising activities  locally, in South Africa, Australia, UK and the Americas over the years.Since the turnaround of Highlanders’ fortunes on the field of play, a number of people seem to have taken a keen interest in “harnessing” resources for the club without the office bearers’ blessings.

Most of these fundraising activities are being advertised on social networks sites, and there is a growing fear in the Highlanders’ leadership as well as some bona fide members that the club might be losing a lot to unscrupulous people.

In one of the popular social networks, Facebook, one Victor November questioned the authenticity of a function dubbed “Highlanders themed evening” which will be held in Midrand, South Africa on Sunday.

Those who will attend the party will pay R100 cover charge. “Does this have the blessing of the club or we are using the Bosso brand just for our own benefit . . . juss asking bafethu?” November wrote.

Such unsanctioned activities using the Highlanders brand have always been happening in and outside the country.
Last year, a function was held somewhere in the United Kingdom where unsuspecting people donated cash thinking that the funds would be remitted to the club but Highlanders never got anything.

Another “Highlanders” fundraising party was held in Johannesburg’s Booysens and again nothing came to the club despite reports on Facebook that R15 000 had been raised for Kelvin Kaindu’s car.

In an interview, Highlanders’ chairman Peter Dube said they had not sanctioned the fundraising activities and warned those that are abusing the club’s brand that the long arm of the law would soon catch up with them.

“It becomes worrying that some of these initiatives on these social networks come from people who have in the past sent out malicious information which hurt the club and the question is what can stop these people from making malicious fundraising campaigns? At Highlanders, we have a systematic way of managing our affairs which distinguish us from some of the clubs. We have an institution and sponsors to protect so people embarking on unknown activities must know that they are not doing the club any favours,” said Dube.

He said those who wanted to help the club should approach the Highlanders  executive.
“We appreciate that there are people who have the club at heart and those same people are the ones who elected the executive so that it safeguards the interests of the club and community.

“Whoever has ideas on how best to help Highlanders through different activities must come to the club so that we know who they are.
“As elected leaders, we believe that our mandate is to safeguard Highlanders’ interests.There are some people who have come to us seeking our signature to enable them to look for funds purportedly on our behalf but we have refused. We would rather have those people working with us on those missions because we do not want to have Highlanders name dragged into the mud,” said Dube.

Chronicle Sport has it on good authority that the Highlanders board and some businesspeople have been silently gathering resources to resuscitate the clubhouse grounds.

There are also other people who are soliciting for support on social networks to channel resources for the same cause.“Reviving our clubhouse grounds has always been part of the plans and that is why we are saying those that want to work for the club must come to us first. We do not want to be caught unaware in the event that the sponsor asks us what is happening with a certain fundraising activity that is done under the pretext of assisting Highlanders when we know nothing about it,” said Dube.

Things are brightening up for Highlanders as they are said to be close to sealing a deal with a company that wants to donate a bus to the club.
Harare giants Dynamos are also set to benefit from the same company.

Dube  said the positive developments call for measures to protect abuse of the club’s brand.
He appealed to supporters to buy official club regalia and not the one sold by unscrupulous dealers.