BOSSO ROCKED BY CORRUPTION

Highlanders Football Club is being rocked to its foundations by a toxic cocktail of in-house fights, secret payments, shady contracts, and claims of corruption that insiders say are tearing the club apart.

Explosive details emerging from deep inside the Bosso corridors reveal that some executive members have been quietly lining their pockets—paying themselves US$80 each for attending matches, despite that benefit being meant only for the club treasurer.

“There is no executive resolution backing those payouts. Only the treasurer is supposed to be paid after home games because they work with the PSL on finances. But somehow, others dipped their fingers in the till,” a source close to the drama revealed.

Another shocker involves one executive member allegedly pocketing nearly US$3 000 in allowances throughout the year—without any supporting documentation or club resolution.

“These guys campaign claiming they want to serve Highlanders, but it’s all about the money. The paper trail is clear—someone was paid food and accommodation allowances for the whole of 2024 with no paperwork backing it up. That’s why auditors keep throwing out Bosso’s books,” the source fumed.

Adding fuel to the fire, one executive member is accused of doing business with the club through his own company, allegedly getting paid thousands after players were referred to his organisation for “procedures.”

“That’s textbook conflict of interest. Meanwhile, Division One coach Melusi Sibanda is still owed winning bonuses. Players are owed signing-on fees. But someone in the executive got paid first—how does that make sense?” the source asked.

The scandal doesn’t end there.

The club signed a player on a cushy deal involving a signing-on fee and a residential stand. Despite not playing a single first-team game the entire season, the player earned a fat monthly salary—reportedly more than regular first-team players.

“Kaindu didn’t even know about the player’s deal. Someone clearly messed up. It’s not the player’s fault—it’s the office. There are even cases where players were overpaid, and one player allegedly has two contracts, leaving the club with a huge financial headache,” said another insider.

And while money leaks like a burst pipe, tensions are rising over the appointment of a new CEO. A candidate has been identified, but insiders claim some officials think he’s asking for “too much money.”

In the latest twist, club chair Kenneth Mhlophe told the executive that finance officer Sihlalisiwe Mkandla would be transferred to the club house bar pending disciplinary processes. Mkandla was previously suspended, but reinstated by the courts.

On the money front, the chairman revealed that Bosso had finally received the first chunk—US$250 000—of the promised US$1 million donation from flamboyant benefactor Wicknell Chivayo.

Here’s the breakdown:

• US$109 000 for building a durawall at the clubhouse

• US$50 000 for signing new players

• US$57 000 to pay outstanding wages

• US$29 000 to clear the kit supplier bill

But as the club prepares to celebrate 100 years in 2026, insiders say no clear plan is in place for the centenary.

“Can you believe that? One hundred years and not even a draft plan in place. Bosso deserves better,” the source said. Chronicle