HARARE – Zimbabwean football champions, Ngezi Platinum Stars, are facing a financial storm of unprecedented proportions, with revelations that former coach Benjani Mwaruwari has filed a staggering US$1.6 million claim with FIFA for unfair dismissal, H-Metro has reported.
This comes on the heels of a hefty US$200 000 FIFA ruling against the club in favour of their former assistant coach, Bongani Mafu.
The platinum miners were given until last week to appeal the FIFA determination on Mafu’s case, or face a two-year transfer ban, extending until the second transfer window of 2026. The decision, reached on August 27, has cast a long shadow over the club, and the looming Benjani claim threatens to plunge them into a financial abyss.
“Ngezi Platinum Stars FC must pay to the claimant (Bongani Mafu) US$196 750 as compensation for breach of contract without just cause,” read communication from FIFA.
“The decision was passed on the 27th of August 2024 by the FIFA football tribunal’s player status chamber.”
Sources within the football fraternity have indicated that the Mafu case is likely to set a precedent for Benjani’s claim, potentially favouring the former striker.
“The real storm is the one that is set to come after the conclusion of Benjani’s claims and that is coming soon,” said the sources.
“That is a huge figure we are talking about and it all comes to around US$1.6 million and if he gets everything that he has asked for then it could be the biggest pay out in Southern Africa in such a football case.”
“You can say that a precedent was set when Mafu won his case and both Mafu and Benjani are using the same agent who appears to have very good knowledge of such cases.”
The agent in question is Ndaba Nyathi, based in Finland. Efforts to reach Benjani for comment have been unsuccessful.
The potential financial burden on Ngezi Platinum Stars extends beyond the claims of Benjani and Mafu. Another former assistant coach, Cosmas Zulu, has also reportedly filed a claim for unfair dismissal.
“Mafu tried his best to bring the club to the round table in an attempt to arrive at a compromise. By the principle of pacta sunt servanda (agreements must be kept), but it was all in vain,” Zulu recently told Zimpapers Sport.
The looming financial storm has sparked concerns about the future of Ngezi Platinum Stars, a club that has enjoyed recent success, including a maiden appearance in the CAF Champions League. The club’s management is now facing a monumental task: navigating a financial crisis that could have far-reaching consequences for the club’s future.
“It’s an interesting time for Zimbabwe football because I’m so sure that soon we will also hear the likes of Sunday (Chidzambwa), Norman (Mapeza) and Pasuwa also coming up with their claims against ZIFA over unpaid dues,” said the sources.
The potential for a domino effect, with other coaches seeking compensation from ZIFA, adds another layer of complexity to the situation. The financial implications of these claims could have a significant impact on the development of Zimbabwean football, potentially hindering the progress of the sport in the country.
