Players livid as clubs fail to pay salaries
Correspondent | Wednesday March 23, 2016 13:53
Speaking at a financial literacy workshop organised by Footballers Union of Botswana (FUB) and Botswana Building Society (BBS) on Tuesday, players said it was time teams took their financial welfare into consideration.
Satmos player, Kagiso ‘Zatutu’ Tutuwe who disappeared with the team’s kit during their encounter against Nico United on Saturday over unpaid salaries, said he was worried that players were expected to deliver yet they are not paid. He said it was difficult for players to improve their lives due to unpaid salaries. He said the FUB should have engaged officials of teams to hear players’ grievances.
“I wish our officials would be here when discussing money issues because as players we are faced with challenges of lack of payment from our clubs,” he said.
Another Satmos player, Abednico Gaboilwe said the FUB should come up with measures to ensure that teams failing to pay players are charged. He said it was a concern that players are expected to perform yet their financial welfare was ignored.
“FUB should ensure that players are taken care of by coming up with laws that will protect our interests as players and ensure that teams pay,” he said. He said that teams owe most players and they usually receive their dues in instalments.
“It is sad that when teams decide to pay us they give us that money in instalments yet we are expected to save,” he said. “That can only be possible for players who are well paid.”
He said the workshop would not be beneficial to them as it was organised at a time where most of the players are not receiving their payments.
“We appreciate your effort of organising this workshop, but we are not going to benefit much from this workshop because we have no money,” he said. “It is unfortunate that teams are not paying us and we have no money to manage.”
FUB secretary general, Kgosana Masaseng said players should not hesitate to share their problems with the union. He said the union was aware that some teams failed to pay their players. He urged them to try by all means to pay players so that they motivate them.
“You must at all times tell the union your problems because we are here to help you,” he said. Masaseng said FBU would always fight for players’ welfare. “We will continue to ensure that players welfare is taken into consideration and we can only afford that if players take themselves seriously too,” he said.
He advised players to utilise services such as funeral cover and medical insurance. He said it was worrisome that when a player dies, a team struggles to raise funds for the funeral.