Legal row hits soccer club

PLAYERS of soccer outfit FC Buffalo will not be returning to their East London clubhouse when the new season kicks off this month.

The building, on Amalinda Main Road, is at the centre of a legal dispute involving owner Ntsizakalo Ngalo and soccer club chairman Rodney Mashaya.

Ngalo claims Mashaya owes him R2-million, a claim the soccer boss denies.

Yesterday Ngalo told the Daily Dispatch he obtained a court order from the East London High Court about two months ago evicting players of FC Buffalo from his house. The sheriff acted on the order yesterday.

“I also wanted the sheriff to go there when the players are away before the season starts. Mashaya has defaulted on payments of instalments in accordance with our agreement and the house has almost been auctioned three times. I had to save it,” Ngalo said.

“We are going to take what is left of his assets. We are going to sell that club. I don’t care, even if I sell it for R200, to make sure that I get all my money.”

Ngalo referred further questions to his lawyer Asanda Pakade; however, he had not responded at the time of writing.

Mashaya confirmed that the house belonged to Ngalo, but denied the debt.

“I’ve contacted my lawyers about having that judgment rescinded.

“I don’t know what the club has got to do with any of this. I owe him nothing, not even a cent.”

He said his lawyer was Yanda Mnqaba, from Smith Tabata Attorneys.

However, Mnqaba said although he was aware of the judgment against Mashaya, he no longer represented Mashaya, and would not divulge why.

“We were about to rescind it because he believed that it was not properly obtained.”

FC Buffalo team manager Sabelo Gcwabe said people claiming to be from the sheriff’s office arrived at the house yesterday and ordered him to vacate the premises.

“I phoned Mr Ngalo and asked him to give me an extension so that I can find a place. He said he would send someone to take me to his place to stay in the meantime.”

Gcwabe said players were aware of the dispute and that some of those who live in other provinces were unlikely to return to the club.

“This is affecting the players’ morale and some teams have started with their preparations for the season. We have not even begun,” Gcwabe said. —