Sikhumbuzo Moyo Senior Sports Reporter
THE recently revived Highlanders Royals FC faces an uncertain future amid revelations that the interim committee members are not pulling in unison, while the team is yet to affiliate to the region.
Trouble reportedly started with the elbowing out of those that were assisting the team financially and imposing members of the executive.
The Highlanders Royals’ interim committee is led by Zifa honorary member Cecilia Malunga, who is deputised by Sibekiwe Ndlovu, while Nokuthula Hlabangana is secretary-general and businesswoman Caroline Ndlovu the treasurer.
“This thing might suffer a still birth if not handled properly. We’ve people that have no means to help the team, but are power hungry and imposing themselves on the team. One person has been forking out money to feed the players and providing them with transport money, but somehow she is now unpopular and treated like an outcast,” said a source.
Caroline Ndlovu, who has previously financed the team, declined to comment on the ongoing squabbles, although she confirmed that she had since stopped financing the team.
“How can a team as big as Highlanders hold its meetings at the City Hall terminus when there is a club house? It’s embarrassing that members of the committee cannot even hire a taxi for $2 to go to the club house for their meeting,” the source said.
Malunga yesterday confirmed that their meetings were held “somewhere but not the club house”.
“Those who think I’m here forever are mistaken. I only want to set up structures and then leave,” said Malunga.She said they were likely to affiliate to Zifa before the end of this week.
“We wanted to play in the provincial league, but Zifa told us there is no provincial league, but a regional league,” Malunga said.
Highlanders FC said they had no money to finance the ladies’ team.