News / National
Fireworks expected at Bosso AGM
21 Mar 2021 at 04:26hrs | Views
HIGHLANDERS outgoing chairman, Kenneth Mhlophe is a man caught between a rock and a hard surface when he presents his report to the club's members at an eagerly anticipated Bosso Annual General Meeting this morning.
Mhlophe's report to the card-carrying Highlanders members will come under heavy scrutiny from those supporting him to retain his position and the ones that want his challenger Johnfat Sibanda to take over when Bosso holds elections exactly seven days from now to choose three executive committee members.
This could be the last time that Mhlophe, who was elected unopposed in 2018 because of the disqualification of Ernest "Maphepha" Sibanda addresses the Highlanders members as the club's chairman. There is no doubt that Mhlophe will try to use the occasion to convince Bosso members who might have been sitting on the fence and yet to make a decision whether to hand him a fresh mandate to lead the club for another three years. Mhlophe, however, on Friday last week played down the campaigning part, insisting that he will try to be realistic in his address to the members.
"My report is not about campaigning, I am reporting back to the owners of the club, if they have any questions, I will respond to them. When you are reporting to the members, you have to be factual,'' Mhlophe said.
There was no football activity to talk about in 2020 and this means Mhlophe's report is largely going to be focused on issues related to the players that joined Highlanders and those that left the club. Bosso members have an opportunity to know how much Bosso got for selling striker Prince Dube to Tanzanian free spenders, Azam in August last year.
One of the positive developments under Mhlophe's chairmanship was securing gold mining rights in Inyathi at the end of last year. Another constructive occurrence for Bosso in 2020 was the kit partnership with OTB Looks, a development which saw replica shirts, something that the club's supporters have for years been crying for being finally available on the market.
As things stand, Highlanders have no sponsorship after NetOne last year decided to refocus their corporate social responsibility to fighting Covid-19. NetOne had since 2018 been bankrolling the salaries of the players as well as coaches at Highlanders and Caps United.
There is also the contentious issue that under his leadership, Mhlophe led an excutive that was characterised by divisions, an anathema at Bosso as previous regimes were deemed united. Last Saturday, Mhlophe told this publication that despite there being no football activity on the domestic front for over a year, Highlanders were up to date in terms of salaries.
"We had 15 months of no football, we have been able to pay salaries for players, staff and coaches throughout, we are up to date in terms of salaries. No one has bothered to find out where we are getting money for salaries, we are having sleepless nights looking for money,'' he said.
Football has been given the green light by the Government to resume and Highlanders should start preparing to get on the playing field. Highlanders board chairman, Luke Mnkandla is also expected to shed light on the contentious decision to allow the entire executive to continue in office when the AGM and elections could not take place on the planned dates. The decision divided the Highlanders family with some of the club members riled by the pronouncement yet others supported the board decision.
While the AGM could have been explosive with all the tensions that have been building up over the weeks since this is an election year, the gathering is being held under strict Covid-19 guidelines. A limited number of members will be allowed entry into Highlanders Sports Club and the meeting should be done in two hours.
All the six candidates will get an opportunity to market themselves to the electorate right at the end of the gathering.
Besides the intriguing battle for the chairmanship, Israel Moyo is going up against Morgen "Gazza" Dube for the post of secretary while Bhekumuzi "Mahii" Sibanda is squaring off with Mgcini Mafu for the position of committee member.
Mhlophe's report to the card-carrying Highlanders members will come under heavy scrutiny from those supporting him to retain his position and the ones that want his challenger Johnfat Sibanda to take over when Bosso holds elections exactly seven days from now to choose three executive committee members.
This could be the last time that Mhlophe, who was elected unopposed in 2018 because of the disqualification of Ernest "Maphepha" Sibanda addresses the Highlanders members as the club's chairman. There is no doubt that Mhlophe will try to use the occasion to convince Bosso members who might have been sitting on the fence and yet to make a decision whether to hand him a fresh mandate to lead the club for another three years. Mhlophe, however, on Friday last week played down the campaigning part, insisting that he will try to be realistic in his address to the members.
"My report is not about campaigning, I am reporting back to the owners of the club, if they have any questions, I will respond to them. When you are reporting to the members, you have to be factual,'' Mhlophe said.
There was no football activity to talk about in 2020 and this means Mhlophe's report is largely going to be focused on issues related to the players that joined Highlanders and those that left the club. Bosso members have an opportunity to know how much Bosso got for selling striker Prince Dube to Tanzanian free spenders, Azam in August last year.
One of the positive developments under Mhlophe's chairmanship was securing gold mining rights in Inyathi at the end of last year. Another constructive occurrence for Bosso in 2020 was the kit partnership with OTB Looks, a development which saw replica shirts, something that the club's supporters have for years been crying for being finally available on the market.
As things stand, Highlanders have no sponsorship after NetOne last year decided to refocus their corporate social responsibility to fighting Covid-19. NetOne had since 2018 been bankrolling the salaries of the players as well as coaches at Highlanders and Caps United.
There is also the contentious issue that under his leadership, Mhlophe led an excutive that was characterised by divisions, an anathema at Bosso as previous regimes were deemed united. Last Saturday, Mhlophe told this publication that despite there being no football activity on the domestic front for over a year, Highlanders were up to date in terms of salaries.
"We had 15 months of no football, we have been able to pay salaries for players, staff and coaches throughout, we are up to date in terms of salaries. No one has bothered to find out where we are getting money for salaries, we are having sleepless nights looking for money,'' he said.
Football has been given the green light by the Government to resume and Highlanders should start preparing to get on the playing field. Highlanders board chairman, Luke Mnkandla is also expected to shed light on the contentious decision to allow the entire executive to continue in office when the AGM and elections could not take place on the planned dates. The decision divided the Highlanders family with some of the club members riled by the pronouncement yet others supported the board decision.
While the AGM could have been explosive with all the tensions that have been building up over the weeks since this is an election year, the gathering is being held under strict Covid-19 guidelines. A limited number of members will be allowed entry into Highlanders Sports Club and the meeting should be done in two hours.
All the six candidates will get an opportunity to market themselves to the electorate right at the end of the gathering.
Besides the intriguing battle for the chairmanship, Israel Moyo is going up against Morgen "Gazza" Dube for the post of secretary while Bhekumuzi "Mahii" Sibanda is squaring off with Mgcini Mafu for the position of committee member.
Source - sundaynews
