Ex-players sue Richards Bay for non-payment

Four football players have dragged PSL outfit Richards Bay to the Johannesburg High Court for refusing to pay them their breach of contract fees after terminating their services.
 
Sibonginhlanhla Mthethwa, Khetha Shabalala, Nzuzo Thabiso Mkhize and Michael Boy Gumede,  who are being represented by the South African Football Players Union
(Safpu), have cited Richards Bay as the first respondent, the National Dispute Resolution Chamber (NDRC) as the second respondent, and  the National Soccer League (NSL)  as the third respondent.
 
In the court papers Sunday World has  seen, Safpu secretary-general Nhlanhla Shabalala states that Mthethwa was employed as a professional football player by the club.
 
Their contract was terminated on October 18 last year, and thereafter the club and player entered into a mutual  agreement to pay the footie an amount of R 90, 000 before the end of December last year. But the team failed to honour the agreement.
 
Subsequently, Mthethwa sought legal assistance from Safpu,  which agreed to represent him using Ndou Attorneys.
 
Shabalala said Safpu sent a formal letter to Richards Bay on December 8 last year requesting payment in the amount of R90, 000.
“Notwithstanding this demand, the first respondent chose not to honour the agreement,” read the papers.
 
Shabalala added that on December 29 last year,  Safpu filed a statement of claim at NDRC, sued for breach of contract and  won the case.
 
The union then made a formal request on May 23 this year to the NSL to deduct the money from the club’s grants to pay the player, but the organisation refused to do so.
 
“The applicant has only received a partial payment without interest, as per the award, on 19 August 2024,” read the papers.
 
The union said the club also terminated Khetha’s contract on June 23 last year by mutual agreement and agreed to pay him R135, 000 before the end of September 2023.
When the team failed to honour the agreement, Khetha approached Safpu, complaining that the amount of R45, 000 was outstanding by the end of September 2023.
 
Shabalala said the union wrote a letter to the team, demanding the outstanding amount.
 
“Notwithstanding this demand, the first respondent chose not to honour the agreement. The first respondent only made the first two payments of R45, 000, which was R90, 000 in total, “he stated.
 
He said on December 8,  the union referred the matter to the NDRC, claiming the outstanding amount. The NDRC, he stated, ruled in the player’s favour.
Shabalala said they wrote several letters to the NSL requesting it to deduct the money from the club’s grant, but again it refused to dock it.
 
The unionist also said Richards Bay owed Mkhize R60, 000 after terminating the
player’s contract. He said on February 1 this year, Safpu sent a letter of demand to the club to pay Mkhize, but  the KwaZulu-Natal-based club threw the zap sign at them.
 
Safpu then wrote a letter to the NSL in May, requesting it to deduct the funds from the
club’s grant. The NSL, said Shabalala, made an undertaking to deduct the funds from the outfit’s monthly grant but reneged on the agreement.
 
Shabalala also stated that the club  terminated Gumede’s contract on November 3, 2022.
The club then undertook to pay him R125, 000 before the end of March 31, 2023 but failed to do so.
 
On November 8, Safpu sent a formal letter of demand to Richards Bay requesting payment of the quantum. The union thereafter filed a statement of claim at the NDRC, sued for breach of contract and won the case.
 
“In May 2024, the applicant made a formal request to the National Soccer League to
deduct capital payments from the first respondent’s grants for the purposes of settling
the matter.
 
“The third respondent undertook to make the payment. However, to date, payment has not been made,” read the papers.
 

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Latest News