No money for Berea and Junior Aces

Berea FC and Makuya Junior Aces have reason to grumble. After being crowned as the 2017 champions and runners-up of the Zimunga Soccer Tournament at the Zwigodini grounds about a year ago, the two clubs are still to receive their cash prizes. The final of the tournament was played on Saturday, 26 August 2017.

Berea beat Junior Aces through a penalty shootout in the final to lift the trophy. Berea were presented with a dummy cheque to the value of R30 000, gold medals and a floating trophy shortly after the game. Junior Aces were given a dummy cheque amounting R15 000 and silver medals.

An official of Berea FC, Mr Patrick Madzonga, told Limpopo Mirror after their game against Anel Real Vikings at the Zwigodini grounds last Saturday that they were still to receive their cash prize for the tournament.

An official of Junior Aces, who spoke on condition of anonymity in fear of victimization, confirmed that as a club they had tried everything within their power to force the sponsors to pay them the cash prize, but in vain.

According to the two officials, the situation is affecting their teams’ performance in a negative way. They indicated that the morale was down among the players, with the teams saying the angry players felt that they had been taken for a ride.

The main sponsor of the tournament, Mr Anel Mudau, confirmed the non-payment in an interview with Limpopo Mirror. He stated that his company was experiencing cash-flow problems. According to him, the problems started when his clients, most of whom were government entities, failed to pay them for the services rendered. He further indicated that he was always prepared to sit down with the affected clubs and clarify his position regarding the matter.

He sincerely apologized for the inconvenience and instability the non-payment might have caused to the clubs.  

Date:25 May 2018

By: Frank Mavhungu

Frank is a Human Resources Manager at the Department of Public Works in Limpopo. He is the longest serving correspondent of the Mirror, having joined us at the end of 1990.  He mainly writes sports reports and resides at Tsianda Village. In 2004, Frank won the National Castle League Award, an award for the best reporter in the SAB league in South Africa.

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