Mafu lives to die another day

By Ricky Zililo

BULAWAYO – Bongani Mafu’s imminent departure from Highlanders FC has been delayed after a weekly meeting meant to review the team’s performance was called off yesterday as the executive could not form a quorum.

Highlanders suffered their fourth defeat of the season on Saturday, going down 1-2 to Chicken Inn at Barbourfields Stadium, a result that made Bosso supporters march to the clubhouse calling for Mafu’s dismissal, for the third time this season.

Bosso — with 14 points from 10 outings — slipped from position six to eight after the derby loss and now trail table toppers Chicken Inn by nine points.

According to impeccable sources at Highlanders, Mafu has failed to meet his contractual obligations as his pact with Bosso has a clause stating that he has to garner 18 points out of a possible 30 from his 10 official league games.

This publication has it on good authority that some members of Highlanders’ leadership had bought Mafu time and convinced fellow leaders that he needed more time at the helm of the club.

Even at a time when results eluded Mafu, the club has stood firm supporting the gaffer and called on its supporters to rally behind the coach.

Bosso chief executive officer Ndumiso Gumede has been quoted countless times in the media saying: “A review will be done after 10 games to see if the club is still within the target it set at the beginning of the year.”

The veteran administrator declined to confirm that Highlanders set a target of 18 points from 10 games for Mafu saying “that is a contractual issue we have with the coach and discussing the target will be tantamount to revealing the coach’s salary”.

Since Bosso played their 10th game of the season on Saturday against Chicken Inn , expectations were high that the executive would meet yesterday but that meeting failed to materialise.

Highlanders chairman Peter Dube is in South Africa where he is Zimbabwe’s head of delegation at the ongoing Cosafa tournament while his Harare based deputy Mgcini Mpofu couldn’t make it for the club meeting “due to pressing business commitments”.

Without a treasurer, the only available executive committee members were secretary-general Emmett Ndlovu and Wisdom Mabhena.

“Highlanders has a scheduled weekly review and planning meeting every Monday but unfortunately that gathering never happened because there was no quorum. If there is no quorum, there is no meeting. Obviously there is a possibility of having a teleconference but that (reviewing of coach’s performance) is a big thing that can’t be done over the phone,” said Gumede.

He dismissed reports that the club had severed ties with Mafu.

“It’s not true that the relationship between Mafu and Highlanders has been terminated. Those are just rumours started by malicious individuals bent on causing mayhem. Highlanders is a big institution which adheres to governance demands and as such, all subcommittees involved in selection, recruitment and remuneration have to be consulted when reviewing the team’s performance.” The Chronicle