The Sunday Mail
sir 18area.coms
NOVEMBER is turning out to be a month of long knives amid an abundant supply of emotions and a serious shortage of common sense. Phillip Chiyangwa and his board of yes men have gone on a ruthless culling exercise.Premier Soccer League chairman Peter Dube, Highlanders chief executive Ndumiso Gumede, Bulawayo City chair Jerry Sibanda and journeyman Philani “Beefy” Ncube have been suspended.
Kenny Ndebele has to watch his step. I will explain why just before I exit the scene.
Dube has never been my favourite cup of coffee. For a PSL chairman he was rather too laid back for my liking but you have to feel for the man.
Why was he suspended?
“On the 29th of October 2016 Dube unlawfully interrupted formal proceedings during a Zifa congress and further attempted to incite chaos by urging Premier Soccer League clubs’ representatives to denounce lawfully made resolutions,” said Chiyangwa as he announced the shock move.
Now is it me or it’s me?
Chiyangwa makes it seem as if Dube had no right to be at the meeting and stormed the conference room, toyi-toying.
Dube had locus standi to be at the meeting, representing a constituency that somehow elected him to be their leader despite his obvious shortcomings.
What was unlawful about Dube rallying his constituency to vote against a motion to relegate four teams from the top flight? Is disagreeing with the majority of Zifa councilors unlawful?
The suspension of Gumede made me want to smile and then cry. Gumede was part of a Cuthbert Dube executive that banned scores of players and administrators during a reign of terror.
Some of the suspensions were driven by malice and many are smiling at the sight of Gumede getting a taste of his own medicine. However, when the former Zifa vice-president went all emotional in a tweet, I stopped smiling and felt tears sting my eyes.
“I never imagined I had so many sympathisers, I wonder what will happen at my death! Thank you everybody. It will pass, soon and very soon,” Gumede tweeted.
But for a 70-year-old man, Gumede must know that every action triggers a reaction.
His clique’s decision to write a letter to Fifa representative Ashford Mamelodi alleging that local football had lost direction under Chiyangwa was a high risk move.
It’s time to pay the price.
Meanwhile, a friend asked if these suspensions are not tribal as Gumede seemed to insinuate this past week. Good people of God listen, and hear me well: There is nothing tribal about this one, the Zifa board is settling old scores and a Bulawayo turf war is playing out on the national stage.
There is a possibility that Omega Sibanda – who was so humble as to vacate his VIP sit for Wicknel Chivayo’s stunning female companion at the National Sports Stadium last Sunday – is loving every minute of this episode.
Omega Sibanda insists he doesn’t fight petty wars but deep down he must be smiling as “everyone” is calling him, asking for advice or just saying hello.
Omz Sibanda used to be the Godfather of Football in Bulawayo, helping both Ernest “Maphepa” Sibanda and Dube land the Bosso chairmanship. When he spoke, suggesting which players to sign and which coaches to employ, everyone listened. But slowly, the boys he plucked from football obscurity “grew big-headed”.
Now normal service is resuming for Omega Sibanda while life is getting complicated for Kenny Ndebele.
I repeat Ndebele has to watch his step. The PSL chief executive decided not to apply for the Zifa secretary-general job and is believed to be the brains behind the PSL’s last minute move to pull out of sponsoring promotion play-offs.
It’s not a coincidence that all the people who applied for the job that Joseph Mamutse is currently – and wrongly – holding in an acting capacity “failed to make the grade.”
Zifa wanted Ndebele to replace the now beleaguered Jonathan Mashingaidze but the PSL chief executive never bothered to apply and complicated things for the soccer governing body.
That move, coupled with his stance on relegation, a stance that has seen some administrators pledging to “remind that young boy who are the owners of football”, are enough reason for him to watch his step.
Sir exits the scene!
Sir is social media commentator and writes this column in his personal capacity. Feedback: [email protected]
