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Lovemore Dube, [email protected]

PREMIER Soccer League defending champions, Ngezi Platinum have been ordered to pay former coach, Bongani Mafu, close to US$200 000 for unfair dismissal.

The platinum miners were given up to September 10 to appeal against the Fifa determination or face a transfer ban up to the second transfer-window of 2026.

The ban will be a blow to the club’s quest to stay competitive and in the event of losing the appeal, it means they have to pay the hefty sum.

According to Fifa documents sent to the member association Zifa, the Confederation of African Football (Caf), Zifa and the Mafu camp, the decision was arrived at last month ( August 27).

“Ngezi Platinum Stars FC must pay to the claimmant (Bongani Mafu) US$196 750 as compensation for breach of contract without just cause. The decision was passed on the 27th of August 2024 by Fifa Football tribunal’s Player Status Chamber. The decision was communicated to Ngezi Platinum Stars Football Club, Bongani Mafu, Zifa and Caf on the 30th of August 2024,” read an extract of the letter from the international soccer motherbody.

Fifa warned that in the event of the club failing to pay the money within 45 days, it risked being banned from registering new players.

“Pursuant to art. 8 of Annexe 2 of the Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players, if full payment (including all applicable interest) is not made within 45 days of notification of this decision, the following consequences shall apply: 1. The Respondent shall be banned from registering any new players, either nationally or internationally, up until the due amount is paid. The maximum duration of the ban shall be of up to three entire and consecutive registration periods. 2. The present matter shall be submitted, upon request to the Fifa Disciplinary Committee in the event that full payment (including all applicable interest) is still not made by the end of the three entire and consecutive registration periods,” said Fifa.

The next three transfer windows are January to March 2025, July 2025 and January to March 2026.

Fifa also wrote that should any of the parties want a narration of how the decision was arrived at, they should request in writing.

“Should any of the parties wish to receive the grounds of the decision, a written request must be received by Fifa, within 10 days of receipt of notification of the findings of the decision.

“Failure to do so within the stated deadline will result in the decision becoming final and binding and the parties being deemed to have waived their rights to file an appeal,” Fifa wrote.

Efforts to get confirmation from Ngezi Platinum FC last night were not successful and the Zifa media department, which had promised to respond, had not done so by the time of going to print.

The Zifa chief executive officer, Yvonne Manwa was the Ngezi Platinum chief executive officer when Mafu and head coach Benjani Mwaruwari were fired in 2022.

The judgement comes at a time when the club is also facing another fight with Cosmas Zulu who is demanding a portion of his signing on fees.

He was discharged from the club with Ngezi giving him a severance package and refusing to pay outstanding signing-on fees from his four-year contract signed in 2019.

Takesure Chiragwi who replaced Benjani Mwaruwari came with his own goalkeepers’ trainer leaving Zulu redundant.

When contacted for comment Mafu referred Zimpapers Sports Hub to his football agent Ndaba Nyathi who is based in Finland.

“Sorry, I have an agent managing my affairs, kindly speak to him. I am gagged from speaking to the media,” Mafu said last night from the UK.

Nyathi could only say: “Mafu tried his best to bring the club to the round table in an attempt to arrive at a compromise but it was all in vain.”