PSL comeback kids Polokwane City have been accused by certain players and some members of the technical team of not honouring their promise to pay them bonuses for getting the club promoted to the DStv Premiership.
It has also emerged that some players and some members of the technical team have been issued with blank contracts and were still earning the same when they were campaigning in the Motsepe Foundation Championship (MFC), the second tier of SA club football. The affected parties cannot be named for fear of victimisation.
The South African Football Players’ Union (Safpu) has confirmed that it had received complaints from the players and technical team members and was attending to the matter.
Said Safpu president Thulaganyo Gaoshubelwe: “Our secretary general Nhlanhla Shabalala is handling this matter. We have requested a meeting with Polokwane City and we want to address the issue with them.”
A Sunday World informer has divulged that some players and coaches operate on verbal contracts, with nothing on paper – and the danger is that those can be reneged upon, at any time.
A few months back, former Orlando Pirates and Cape Town City midfield workhorse Mpho Makola was the first to expose the club.
After helping the Limpopo side to gain promotion to the top-flight, Makola was released and felt hard done by the club. He was vocal in his stance that he was given a blank contract by the Limpopo club.
Rise and Shine, as the club is dotingly known, was relegated to the national first division in 2020 and at the end of last season, they bounced back to the PSL in style after they lifted the MFC trophy, gaining automatic promotion in the process.
Now, after a brilliant start to the season, sitting on number three on the log table, the club finds itself embroiled in this controversy. Yesterday, they defeated Cape Town Spurs 3-1.
Approached for comment, the club’s chief operating officer Tincy Tema said: “I don’t have a comment, let me not comment on something that I do not know [about]. We will only comment once we know where this is coming from. I must also speak to my chairman (Johnny Mogaladi) about this. I must give him a chance.”
Added Gaoshubelwe: “Players need to be vigilant and not sign contracts that do not have figures. They are within their rights to demand a copy of their contracts.
“They also should not be stopped from having agents or representation, it is their constitutional right.
“We will make a follow up on this issue. It is our responsibility to serve and to protect the players,” he added.
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