NGEZI Platinum Stars’ prolonged dispute with former assistant coach Bongani Mafu is said to have reached international attention with concern from stakeholders over the club’s failure to comply with Fifa and the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) mandatory rulings.
Mafu was assistant to legend Benjani Mwaruwari when they were sacked at Ngezi Platinum in 2022 and they approached Fifa for unfair dismissal, after which the former Warriors’ assistant coach and Highlanders gaffer was awarded US$196 750 last year in September.
Mwaruwari was later awarded nearly $600 000 after also escalating his matter to Fifa.
Ngezi Platinum, the 2023 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League champions, appealed the Mafu ruling, engaging Cape Town-based South African lawyers to take up the case with CAS and early last month, CAS, through sole arbitrator Kwadjo Adfepong, ruled: “The appeal filed by Ngezi Platinum Stars Football Club on September 20, 2024 is inadmissible.
“The costs of the arbitration, to be determined and served to the parties by the CAS Court Office, shall be borne by Ngezi Platinum Stars Football Club.
“Each party shall bear its own costs and other expenses incurred in connection with this arbitration. All other motions or prayers for relief are dismissed.”
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Notwithstanding the October 13 2025 CAS ruling, ordering Ngezi Platinum to pay Mafu his dues plus interest, the beleaguered club is yet to abide by the binding ruling, placing them at the mercy of Fifa for disciplinary action with sources saying attention has shifted to parent owners Zimplats offshore offices and Australian investor relations division.
Ngezi Platinum Stars chief executive officer Amanda Lieto promised to respond to NewsDay Sports three weeks ago, almost a month after the CAS’ ruling, but to date, she has remained mum.
Lieto just said: “I acknowledge receipt of your e-mail; we shall revert with a response.”
The South African lawyers also did not respond to emails sent by this reporter.
Sources have stated that the community football project is becoming a corporate governance risk with a senior mining-sector analyst familiar with Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) reporting requirements indicating that: “... any matter involving regulatory exposure-especially one capable of triggering international sanctions or reputational harm-tends to attract high-level scrutiny from corporate governance teams.”
CAS dismissed Ngezi’s appeal as inadmissible due to avoidable procedural failures, including missing the mandatory 10-day deadline to request Fifa’s grounds of decision and filing an appeal that did not cure the procedural defects.
An insider at Ngezi Platinum Stars blamed the club management for what they termed “... sleepwalking into avoidable international litigation”, adding that engaging expensive international lawyers has exacerbated the situation.
The club’s second labour case, filed by former head coach Benjani Mwaruwari, is said to remain unresolved, but as precedence has already been set, another appeal could further expose Ngezi Platinum Stars.
The club is expected to demonstrate full compliance with Fifa and CAS rulings in order to strengthen its credibility since continued non-compliance in the Mafu matter risks portraying the club as a repeat offender before CAS.
A former Zimplats employee familiar with offshore reporting structures told NewsDay Sport: “If Fifa issues sanctions, especially publicly, there is a real risk this moves from a sporting matter to a corporate governance issue.”
If not paid and armed with the binding CAS ruling, Mafu can successfully engage local courts for redress.
Mafu referred NewsDay Sport to his agent and legal representative, Ndaba Nyathi, who said: “It is very disheartening to see a total lack of positive action from the club after two binding judgments.
“Payment is not only overdue; it is necessary to avoid Fifa’s regulatory hammer.”
Recently, Ngezi Platinum Stars were fined US$5 000 following disturbing incidents that rocked their Castle Lager Premier Soccer League match against Dynamos last month in which coach Takesure Chiragwi was also slapped with a US$4 000 fine for assaulting his player, Macdonald Makuwe, during the said game.
Of the censure, US$1 000 was suspended on condition the gaffer attended anger management therapy.