Bosso execs in 'petty' fights

CRACKS are reportedly emerging in the Highlanders executive with some members of the committee accusing chief executive officer, Nhlanhla Dube, of "capturing" club chairman Kenneth Mhlophe.

Dube stands accused of wielding "too much power" to the extent of "manipulating" Mhlophe, who they also accuse of "unilaterally" extending the CEO's tenure without input from other executive members.

The Highlanders executive committee is made up of Mhlophe, his deputy Modern Ngwenya, secretary-general Israel Moyo, treasurer Donald Ndebele and committee member Wisdom Mabhena.

Allegations of Dube capturing Mhlophe have been circulating on social media.

At the beginning of March, Mhlophe was reported to the Bosso board by his executive committee members, who accused him of extending Dube's contract without their knowledge. However, the allegations proved to be false as the club's human resources committee, made up of members of the board, produced the CEO's contract signed in 2017. That contract has the signatures of Ngwenya and Ndebele.

"The club leadership has been seized with matters that seem to divide the executive committee. What is clear is that in as much as they (executive committee) try to present a united front, some of the guys feel that the chairman is giving the CEO too much attention, and in their words Mhlophe is 'captured'. A report was made to the board that Mhlophe extended Dube's contract and the board asked the HR Committee to investigate the matter, but discovered that those were lies. The board reprimanded the executive and reminded them that they are servants of the club and should work together," said a source.

The source said Dube's contract will soon be reviewed and the HR committee has a mandate to compile a report and make recommendations to the executive. Mhlophe, Ngwenya, Ndebele, Moyo and Mabhena will then decide whether or not to extend the CEO's contract.  However, indications are that the HR committee is reluctant to pursue that route and want the executive to "hang" itself.

Responding to questions on the issue at yesterday's press conference, Dube said: "I don't sit in the Zifa assembly, that's the chairman's role. I'm not a PSL governor, that's the chairman's role. I'm not in the management committee at PSL, that's the chairman's role. I'm not the chairman, I'm the CEO and I report to the chairman."

On spending "too much time" with Mhlophe, the Dube asked how many times and how he should report to the chairman since his contract specifies that he reports to him.

"So I must fight the chairman; I must be acrimonious with the chairman and that's going to be fantastic for the growth of the institution. The chairman must find it difficult to work with the CEO? You must be cordial with the person you report to. Nothing happens in this office without the chairman knowing.

"If in your view, it means cordial relations between the CEO and chairman is detrimental to the organisation, we need a new definition of working together. Let's not worry about perception. Let me give you an example; when Modern Ngwenya was the acting chairman, I spent as much time with him as I did with the chairman now. Every day at 7AM I detailed to him on what was going on; I would spend lunch time with him. I never heard this. What has changed," Dube questioned.

Sources said the three executive members not happy with the Mhlophe-Dube relationship have also been trying to suck in technical manager Madinda Ndlovu in their pursuit to "break" the bond.

Chronicle Sport is reliably informed that the executive members met outside the club offices where they proposed that Ndlovu should now report to the executive instead of presenting his reports to the CEO, who in turn reports to the executive.

The Bosso head coach is said to have told them that he doesn't have a problem with reporting to the executive, but can only do so once there is an amendment to a clause in his contract which states that he presents his reports to the CEO. Ndlovu also informed them that changing the clause will mean the club also has to review his contract. Ngwenya and Ndebele represented the club in negotiations that culminated in Ndlovu's appointment as head coach.

In the past, Highlanders coaches used to report to the executive every Monday after their weekend games, but that changed last season when the club's representatives agreed to a contract stating that the technical manager reports to the CEO. Ndlovu has met his contractual obligations by submitting his reports to the CEO after every game.