Chiefs face licensing dilemma over Mafu debt
Kabelo Boranabi | Friday September 29, 2017 10:13
The club has on occasions defaulted on paying Mafu and other members of both the playing and technical staff as they swim in debts. Mafu went on ‘strike’ after the team failed to meet his demands. He missed much of the pre-season, but after the two parties met a fortnight ago, the coach was expected to report back for duty on Monday, September 18. The former Highlanders coach however stayed in his homeland, Zimbabwe and notified Chiefs in writing that he would not report for work until his dues are fully paid. The coach has reportedly taken the matter to Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA).
According to FIFA Club Licensing Regulations, clubs should prove that they do not have outstanding dues before a club licence is issued. “The licence applicant must prove its respect to contractual and legal obligations with its current and former employees...it has no payables overdue towards employees and social/tax authorities as at December, 31 of the year preceding the season to be licensed, unless by the following March 31 they have been fully settled, deferred by mutual agreement with the creditor or are subject to a not obvious unfounded dispute submitted to competent authority,” reads FIFA Club Licensing Regulations, article 10.4 NO.F.03.
FIFA in 2015 expelled Zimbabwe from the preliminary competition of the 2018 World Cup ‘as a result of the non-payment of an outstanding debt by ZIFA to the coach Jose Claudinei Gerogini’.
After ZIFA failed to pay the coach’s dues, they were given a 60-day period to settle half of the debt and a 120-day period to settle the remainder. The Kgatleng giants’ chances of obtaining a full club licence hang by a thread as they were given a provisional B Licence by the First Instant Body. The club has until October 31 to be fully compliant.
Chiefs, are however, not fazed by reports that Mafu has escalated the matter to ZIFA, which means possible FIFA sanctions, including suspension. Speaking to Mmegi Sport yesterday, Chiefs’ general manager, Clifford Mogomotsi said the club had agreed with Mafu in one of their meetings that they would pay part of the owed dues.
He further said the club alerted Mafu of their current financial situation and offered a house and car for him as part of their commitment to meet his demands. “We made a commitment to Mafu. He wrote us from Zimbabwe demanding that our agreement should be recorded in written form as he had trust issues,” he said.
Mogomotsi also revealed that they were shocked when the coach informed them that he would report the matter to ZIFA, as he says they never refused to pay the coach’s dues but made a commitment to pay the debt.
“After he failed to report on Monday, we met on Tuesday as the club management as he (Mafu) was making a lot of demands. We then wrote a letter to him requesting him to report back to work. He then told us he would report us to ZIFA. We had a plan of how we would pay him.
We are willing to settle, every debt has its own settlement. We would wait for the BFA (Botswana Football Association) as ZIFA talk to us through the BFA. We are not worried because this is not a dispute as we are more than willing to settle with Mafu,” Mogomotsi explained.
Meanwhile, Chiefs have begun the search for a new coach as they put out an advert on Monday. Magosi have been led by interim coach, Innocent Morapedi, as club legend Pontsho Moloi serves as his assistant. The former has since declared his interest in the post. Magosi sit on the 11th spot with two points from two games.