The Sunday News
Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
HIGHLANDERS suspended executive members, Modern Ngwenya and Israel Moyo are pressing ahead to attend the next meeting of the club’s leadership despite the fact that they are still to get official communication that their suspension has been overruled.
Vice-chairman Ngwenya and secretary general Moyo are still to get communication from the club on the outcome of their appeal. The two met with the club’s board of trustees, represented by Mgcini Nkolomi, Peter Dube and Jimmy Ncube.
While the suspension and conviction of the duo on charges of insubordination as well as conduct not consistent with that of an executive member is said to have been overturned, there has been no communication in writing to that effect. A source close to the duo said they will attend the next executive meeting because they believe that they have been cleared.
“Modern Ngwenya and Israel Moyo will attend the next Highlanders executive meeting, there was no letter written to them but they were told in their meeting with the club’s board of trustees that they are back in the executive,’’ our source said.
Luke Mnkandla, the Highlanders board chairman indicated that they were waiting for communication from the appeals committee on the outcome of the matter.
“We are waiting for communication from the appeals committee, it’s a process that’s going on, they made an appeal. The appeals committee has to report back to the board, they would have informed the appellants, it’s their mandate,’’ Mnkandla said.
Ngwenya and Moyo wrote to Highlanders board of trustees through their lawyers, Sengweni Legal Practice seeking clarity on the confusion surrounding the return of the duo to the executive. It is understood that Mnkandla and the club’s president Ndumiso Gumede had demanded a written apology from the executive members before they could be allowed to resume their duties.
“Our clients, have therefore instructed us to advise you that they will issue no apology as this matter was concluded and they stand ready to resume their executive committee duties which if prevented from will now seek legal recourse,’’ concluded the letter from the lawyers.
Mnkandla denied that he had asked Ngwenya and Moyo to apologise because according to him he has no powers to overrule any decision made by the board of trustees.
“My role in this whole thing was to sign their letters of suspension, I was not part of that panel that heard their case. I only chair meetings, I don’t even have veto powers,’’ Mnkandla said.
The Bosso board chairperson maintained that they will accept whatever pronouncement that is made by those tasked with heading the appeal.
“I am one of those who actually want them to return. Officially we have not been told that the two are back in the executive. They (appeals committee) will communicate without us interfering, whatever decision they make we will accept it,’’ he said.
Ngwenya and Moyo were in July effectively expelled from the Bosso leadership structures after they were each suspended from holding leadership positions at the club for a year.
The two, who had been on suspension since the beginning of May were found guilty of insubordination and conduct inconsistent with performance of duties as executive members. The charges emanated from the decision by the executive not to renew the contract of chief executive officer Nhlanhla Dube which expired on 30 April. Ngwenya and Moyo voted against a suggestion to escalate the issue to a joint sitting of the executive and the board, a recommendation that had been made by the club’s human resources committee.
— @Mdawini_29
