Former Bafana Bafana player Onyedikachi Nkosinathi Ononogbu has been dragged to Johannesburg High Court on an urgent basis by his former club JDR Stars FC to interdict him from receiving over half a million that the National Soccer League (NSL) and SA Football Association (Safa) have deducted from their monthly grant.
Ononogbu is the third respondent, while the NSL and Safa are the first and second respondents, respectively.
According to the papers that were filed in court last week, the club and Ononogbu concluded a contract on July 1, 2023, and it was due to end on 30 June this year. In accordance with the contract, the team agreed to pay the footie a salary of R25 000 per month for the 2023/2024 season and R30 000 for the 2024/2025 season.
The player reported the club to Safa and NSL, claiming the team failed to pay his salary for October, November and December 2023. He claimed that this amounted to a repudiation of the contract and demanded payment of R75 000.
On January 3 last year, the player sent a letter of demand to the club to remit payment, but the club failed to do so.
As a result of the club’s alleged unlawful termination of his contract, he suffered damages in the amount of R510 000. This being the salary due for January 2024 and the remainder of the contract, which ends on June 30 this year.
On June 18 last year, the NSL’s dispute resolution committee found in the player’s favour and ordered the club to pay him his due and deducted the money from the club’s grants to pay the player.
Challenging the deduction of the money, JDR Stars FC chairman Nditsheni Nemasisi stated in the court papers that they have appealed the verdict. He said on November 27 last year, Safa’s national executive committee issued a letter dismissing the outfit’s appeal, alleging late filing and payment of the appeal and appeal fees, respectively.
On Wednesday, he said, the club received a letter from the NSL and Safa stating that an amount of more than R470 000 was deducted from their grant.
Nemasisi has appealed to the court to interdict the player from receiving the money and stop the NSL and Safa from processing the payment. He said that Safa and NSL had no right to deduct the grant and pay it to the player because the club has appealed the verdict.
Nemasisi said the deduction would cripple the club financially as it relies mainly on its monthly grant to pay players’ salaries and to pay other expenses related to honouring fixtures.
“The applicant shall not be able to pay salaries or honour fixtures if the amount deducted is not paid to the applicant.
The appeal in this matter has not been finalised, and the arbitrator has not delivered an award.
As already stated herein above, the noting of an appeal suspends the operation of an award in terms of the NSL rules,” he said.
