HIGHLANDERS descended into chaos when two executive
committee members were suspended for voting against the renewal of club chief
executive officer Nhlanhla Dube’s contract, which ended yesterday.
Dube took over from veteran administrator Ndumiso Gumede on
a two-year contract and it had appeared as a foregone conclusion that his
tenure would be extended, but the executive thought otherwise.
This was apparently against the advice of the Highlanders’
board, which wanted Dube’s mandate renewed.
As a result vice-chairman Modern Ngwenya and
secretary-general Israel Moyo were yesterday suspended by the board for
allegedly refusing to have Dube’s contract extended.
“We hire and fire, that is part of our mandate as an
executive and I can tell you that Dube’s contract has not been renewed.
“We don’t have anyone to replace him yet, but he is no
longer the Highlanders head of secretariat and please note, he was not fired,
his contract was simply not renewed because we largely felt our expectations of
him were not met,” said a member of the executive, who did not want to be
named.
The decision not to renew Dube’s contract, however, stunned
the board, which summoned club chairman Kenneth Mhlophe to an impromptu meeting
yesterday to demand answers.
“The human resources committee can recommend, but it does
not mean that recommendation can be taken on board. The executive was chosen by
the people to run the affairs of the club, not the board,” said another
executive committee member.
Chronicle Sport can reveal that Mhlophe was roasted by the
board for more than three hours as the “elders” demanded answers on why Dube’s
contract was not renewed in accordance with their recommendation.
Efforts to get an official comment from board chairman Luke
Mnkandla or board secretary Matthew Sibindi were unsuccessful as their mobile
phones were not reachable.
One of the suspended executive committee members, however,
said he was shocked by the decision.
“Look, Nhlanhla reports to the executive and the assessment
marks carried out by an independent consultant gave him 55 percent when we
wanted at least 75 percent and surely that means he did not meet our
expectations. There are a lot of wrongs that were happening, including creating
a prison atmosphere in the office, disrespecting the executive, except the
chairman, and fighting with supporters, and we felt that was unbecoming of a
chief executive officer.
“Daggers are drawn now and we will see who is going to
win,” fumed the suspended executive committee member.
He said they found it absurd that their voting choices were
revealed and wondered to whose benefit.
According to sources, some members of the executive wanted
to pass a vote of no confidence in club chairman Mhlophe for alleged
dereliction of duty. Chronicle
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