Methembe Ndlovu's Bantu Rovers bounces back

BANTU ROVERS paid $40 000 for the Plumtree Chiefs franchise to complete their return to the Premier Soccer League in a deal considered more of a 'swap'.

Wilbert Sibanda, the Bantu secretary collected the clearance from Zifa offices yesterday, but was not available for comment to confirm the deal.

"It is more of a swap deal because Chiefs is now a developmental side of Bantu Rovers. They paid $40 000 and Zifa also got its share as owners of the franchise. We also asked them to look at the issues of assets and liabilities so that club licensing rules are properly followed.

"Otherwise, there is nothing that could have stopped the deal from going ahead," a Zifa source said yesterday.

Zifa communications manager Xolisani Gwesela had earlier confirmed that there were a number of issues that their legal team had to look into before the merger was approved.

"We received the paperwork yesterday (Monday) and the legal team has started working on it. At the moment I cannot say how long this will take but we will advise as soon as this is completed," he said.

Asked what this would mean to the Bantu Rovers' Division One franchise, Gwesela said: "Those are some of the things that the legal team is looking at but we do not want to pre-empt the details of the deal. We will advise of any developments."

Plumtree Chiefs, formerly known as Bulawayo Chiefs were promoted to the Premier Soccer League for the 2014 season having finished top of the Zifa Southern Region Division One League, but had made it clear they don't have the financial muscle for the Premiership.

PSL chief executive officer, Kennedy Ndebele said they were still waiting for Zifa to finalise their paperwork.

"At the moment the issue is being handled by Zifa. We have not received anything from them. There are a number of issues that we would also have to look at, the moment we get the paperwork. At the moment Chiefs are still registered with us. Invoices for affiliation fees were sent to them as well," he said.

Sibanda said earlier in the day: "I am in Harare at the moment. We will issue a statement, we are still talking."