GU Players 'Terminate' Contracts
Boitumelo Khutsafalo | Monday May 21, 2018 14:18
The players were part of the group that refused to travel to Lobatse last week for their match against Police XI.
That time, GU only managed to take eight players to the match and the game was called off after two players suffered injuries, leaving only six on the pitch.
GU were subsequently found guilty by the football authorities and charged. The financially struggling team was fined P5, 000 and the match was rescheduled for Friday with the two sides playing to a 0-0 draw.
Although some of the players who missed the aborted match showed up on Friday, others, Tumisang Orebonye, Karabo Phiri, Goitseone Phoko, Tshepo Maikano, Thatayaone Ditlhokwe and Kabelo Seakanyeng dropped a bombshell when they informed the club they have terminated their contracts.
The decision prompted the club management to hold an emergency meeting on Friday night after the match. “The executive management met on Friday night and studied their purported termination. A decision was taken to meet after the Tuesday match (against Gilport Lions) regarding the purported termination. Our position is that we cannot force anyone to play for GU but remember there is a procedure in law to terminate a contract, and that procedure must be followed by both parties. The accusation that GU has not paid wages does not nullify the procedural process of termination of contract.
If we do not follow that route, the precedent we are setting up for this league will leave us with five clubs,” GU general manager, Olebile Sikwane said yesterday. He shot down rumours that the club has since suspended the affected players saying the players have not showed up for work.“No, we have not suspended anyone. They themselves have not pitched up for work for two consecutive matches now.
We are currently busy with the Gilport match and we will meet after Gilport match to respond to their purported termination having studied their grounds of termination and the procedure of termination,” he said. Against Police XI, GU fielded mostly fringe players. They end their season tomorrow against Gilport Lions.