Tsholotsho woes mount Players go on strike over unpaid salaries

TSHOLOTSHO FC’s problems are showing no signs of abating, as players have gone on strike over unpaid salaries and bonuses.

Since the beginning of the 2017 Premier Soccer League season, Iziqholo Zezhwane have been posting poor results, registering two wins, nine draws and 13 losses from 24 games.

Tsholotsho players are paid $50 every week as part of their wages, which they say hasn’t been paid for five weeks. Each player is entitled to $120 winning bonus away and $100 at home. An away draw bonus is $60 and $50 home.

The Zhwane Boys have registered only two wins, against Highlanders away and Shabanie Mine at home, which adds up to $220 per player.

They drew four times away and five times at home and each player is therefore owed $250. This makes the grand total $960 that the club owes each player.

Players boycotted Tuesday’s training session have vowed not to fulfil their league match against ZPC Kariba FC scheduled for Dulivhadzimu Stadium in Beitbridge tomorrow.

“We have gone on strike and have not attended training since Tuesday. We were told the club is experiencing financial problems and so on, but we are not going to train or kick a ball until all our dues have been cleared,” said one player.

“How do they expect us to survive? We need to take care of our families. We have decided not to fulfil our next league fixture until we get something tangible.”

Tsholotsho president Mandla Manyathela refused to comment and referred all questions to club chairman Mlamuli Phiri, whose mobile phone rang unanswered.

Last season, Tsholotsho players also went on industrial action, saying they felt disrespected by the club’s leadership for making endless unfulfilled promises.

Tsholotsho are presently second from the bottom of the league table with 15 points, three above table anchors Bantu Rovers. — @khumzallen.