Philani “Beefy” Ncube
Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
SUSPENDED Bulawayo City coach Philani Ncube is yet to face a disciplinary committee 64 days after he was suspended for alleged match-fixing.
Ncube was suspended together with his assistant Farai Mujokoro, goalkeepers’ coach Reginald Buhali and kit manager Gift Mvala on August 4 following bribery claims by Border Strikers that their goalkeeper Talent Sande was offered $300 to throw the game.
Buhali’s suspension has since been lifted, while Mujokoro and Mvala’s cases are still before the Premier Soccer League’s disciplinary committee.
The PSL summoned the duo last week for another hearing, with the verdict expected next Tuesday.
Ncube’s name does not appear anywhere on the PSL activity report book that was presented to its board of directors at their meeting last month.
“Ncube was suspended without pay (from the team) and legally he should have been tried within 14 days or reinstated, but up to now nothing has been done and it’s all because of one man, the acting chief executive officer (Mckenzie Moyo) who seems to have something personal against Ncube,” said a source in the municipality-run club.
When Moyo was contacted last night, he first said the PSL was still conducting its investigations, but changed when told that the league had no case against Ncube.
“Look, we have our own reasons why he has remained suspended, and like we’ve said before, we will tell you when it’s over,” said Moyo, who is also the Bulawayo City Council’s deputy director of housing and community services.
A source said Moyo was becoming a liability at the club.
“I think it was a mistake to appoint him acting chief executive officer because on many occasions if the executive makes decisions which he is not comfortable with, he then changes jackets and says he is now speaking from a council administrative point of view; which is what he did when the executive had resolved to reinstate Ncube,” said a source.
City chairman Jerry Sibanda is a subordinate of Moyo at the city council, but is Moyo’s “boss” at club level, a scenario which naturally presents problems.
Moyo last night skirted the issue when questioned about the allegations.
“I am now going into a council meeting, sorry,” Moyo said.