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Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter

ZIFA Southern Region is battling with club leaders that are failing to register their players through the approved online registration system as it emerged that only five out of 16 clubs have registered.

The challenges come with just under two weeks before league matches are due to get underway.

The five compliant clubs are Talen Vision, Bulawayo City, ZPC Hwange, Casmyn and Mainline, according to the regional bloc’s spokeperson, Mehluli Thebe.

“Our clubs have serious challenges with the online registration system, but sadly this was a resolution agreed to by the clubs themselves and we can’t bend the rules to accommodate those that are not compliant. It also turns out some of these clubs chose not to attend workshops that we called to equip them with the necessary skills and now it’s hitting them badly,” said Thebe.

He said there was need for clubs to be thoroughly prepared for Premiership football “because to us all these clubs are potential PSL candidates because the season has started.”

Thebe though was hopeful they will not be forced into postponing the start of the season again which was initially set to get underway this past weekend.

Meanwhile, two clubs are in arrears of more than $5 000 each and risk being expelled from the league unless they pay up.

Thebe, however, refused to name the two clubs, but sources revealed that it was army side Moto Moto and Bosso 90.

“The whole of last season Bosso 90 paid nothing and it seems like they want to carry that disease into this season, but the new leadership is not budging,” said a source.

Former Highlanders secretary-general Andrew Tapela is the Zifa Southern Region boss, while two of the board members are card carrying Highlanders life members.