The Zifa Buscod Southern Region Division One football league has been forced to cancel five of its weekend fixtures after teams failed to pay their association affiliation fees.
New West City, Kujatana-Victoria Falls United, Makokoba City Warriors, Power Cosmos and Mpumalanga have not fully paid their affiliation fees.
Zifa Southern Region treasurer Tawanda Ruzive yesterday confirmed that the clubs have not paid their affiliation fees in full and hence the cancellation of their weekend fixtures.
“We have cancelled some of the fixtures. We had agreed that teams needed to at least have paid half of the amount before we played our reverse fixtures but they have not. Teams like New West and Makokoba City Warriors failed to pay last year and we had to confiscate their prize monies,” he said. The total affiliation fees per club for the 2011 season is $2 400.
New West City owes the association $1 020, Kujatana-Victoria Falls and Makokoba City Warriors $1 200 each while Mpumalanga owes $1 500.
Ruzive said: “Clubs can afford to pay about $600 to fulfill away fixtures but they cannot pay what is outstanding on affiliation fees. It is more of an attitude problem than anything. Most of the teams wrote to us and they promised to pay by April but they have not,” he said.
New West City team manger Allen Johnson said the money demanded by the association is prohibitive.
“They have no right to deny us to play. We cannot pay more than Premier League teams which pay $ 1 000. $500 is for admission to play in the league while the rest is used for administration. It is too high,” he said.
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Kujatana’s Tafadzwa Mutowa expressed displeasure over the cancellation of the games. “We have not paid the money. But we told them that we would have paid the amount by tomorrow. We are getting the money from Kanondo Safaris tomorrow (Friday),” he said.
New West were supposed to play log-leaders Quelaton in Bulawayo on Saturday. Kujatana-Victoria Falls were due to host police side Black Boots in the resort town of Victoria Falls on Saturday afternoon.
Makokoba City Warriors had a date with Railstars at Raylton Sports Club while Mpumalanga were to entertain Sao Paulo in Hwange.
How Mine were supposed to play Power Cosmos at the mine.
In matches not cancelled, Makhandeni Pirates face Hwange Juniors at White City Stadium tomorrow. Hwange Juniors would want to win the match and move up the ladder as they are placed fourth on the log with 23 points while Pirates are on seventh position with 19 points.
In the last match lined up for on Saturday, ZPC Hwange has a date with Ntabazinduna in Hwange.
Former Premiership side Bantu Rovers clash with Zambezi Lions in the resort town of Victoria Falls on Sunday.
Bantu Rovers have what looks like an easy assignment as they are better-placed on the log compared to rivals Zambezi Lions who are third from the bottom of the 16-team league.
