Rollers face FIFA ban headache
MQONDISI DUBE | Friday November 14, 2025 08:00
The turbulence is still wreaking epic havoc, with the club in the midst of a violent debt storm that stands at nearly P3 million. This week, it emerged that the club faces a transfer ban, which will see the popular side unable to transact when the January transfer window opens.
They reportedly owe their former coach, Aziz Karkache, who took the issue to FIFA, resulting in the transfer ban.
Last month, Rollers underwent changes with a new committee led by Nelson Onkabetse taking over, with hopes of an immediate turnaround in fortunes.
But club spokesperson, Katokato Freeman, cuts a frustrated figure as the wheels of change have not turned the way the new committee would have wished.
'This ban, we realised it has long been there with the old committee. As you might be aware, the handover has been a struggle. It's something that is behind. We asked for a proper handover, including players' contracts, so that we know our priorities,' he said.
'We are just seeing the FIFA document in the media. General Manager Sidney Magagane says it has been there (before). My thinking is that it happened in their hands.'
He added that the committee is in the process of engaging the immediate past Rollers investor, Tendani Sebata, as Karkache was employed during the Zimbabwean businessman's reign.
'The January transfer window is just tomorrow. We are trying to engage Sebata; it looks like he failed to pay the coach. We want to request that he pay the coach so that we are cleared.
'If we fail, we will take the legal route. We want our name to be cleared. By today (Thursday), we would have made contact with him,' he said.
Freeman noted that whilst there might be criticism that the new committee is struggling to bring in an investor, there are issues that need to be cleared first.
'(As for the) investor, it's not an easy issue; we are not talking to only one person. They interrogate us; others are willing. They want to come in with the team 100% in our hands,' he said.
Freeman pointed out the debt of between P2.8 million and P3 million appears to be underestimated.
'We believe there are many other debts. They come every day. We underestimated the debts. But by the grace of God, we will find an investor,' he said.
He added that there are outstanding debts that include rentals for the use of the Royal Aria and the lodgings.
Others like Mogakolodi 'Tsotso' Ngele and former coach, Thabo Motang, are owed.
'Our heads are aching. On salaries, we agreed that whatever we get from the gates we share with the players. We don't take gatetakings, we just reconcile and then pay the players. They understand the situation. They have good leaders who have Rollers at heart. I'd like to applaud the team manager and the team captain,' he said.
According to Freeman, their play on the field is promising, and their target is to win a trophy this season. 'In terms of play, we are one of the best; we are likely to win some silverware,' he said.
He added that they expect the old committee to fully hand over, although he exonerated former chairperson, Bafana Pheto, saying he had tried his best to assist with the process.
'We are trying to talk to Pheto to talk to his other former members; he is trying, but others are giving us challenges.'
Pheto, however, said his committee handed everything to the new leadership.
'There is nothing holding back the process. We handed everything, and you can confirm this with the former secretary,' Pheto said.