Times Of Swaziland: ‘RIO’ OWES US, WILL BE CHARGED – BULL’S ALLY

‘RIO’ OWES US, WILL BE CHARGED – BULL’S ALLY
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Chris Dlamini on 23/03/2022 08:19:00


MBABANE – It’s a face-off.
Capital city giants Mbabane Highlanders find themselves in yet another wrangle
with their ‘Prodigal Son’ midfielder, Lindani ‘Rio’ Matsenjwa. The
22-year-old gifted midfielder has not seen much action this season, but had
continued to make newspaper headlines for all the wrong reasons including
apologising to his club and earning another chance after shunning their
activities for some time without official leave late last year. The situation
has not been any better despite the midfielder making a cameo appearance against
Tambuti recently. Matsenjwa has also not been paid his salary for last month,
but he alleged in one publication that it it had been three months and he had
reported the matter and club to the Eswatini Football Association (EFA) for
consideration by the EFA Player’s Status Committee.
acknowledge
“We must acknowledge firstly that the EFA called us yesterday and invited us
for the matter concerning Rio this week. He has gone to the Status Committee but
we’ll bring our evidence that he absconded work for three months, was loaned
E20 000 after a car accident he had and refused to play against a certain team
which we also alerted about it. “If anything, Rio owes us money for the loan.
He also did not work for three months as he was away in South Africa and took
his time to return to the team but even then, I was giving him money while
deductions of around E2 000 and sometimes E3 000 were effected on his E7 500
salary. He had wanted us to deduct E5 000 monthly but he wouldn’t survive that
way so we only did that once,” claimed a disappointed Highlanders Managing
Director Chief Ally Kgomongwe.
hurt
Kgomongwe said it hurt him that what was happening with the player was his own
doing. “My lawyer Mandla and Space have told me to my face that I had spoilt
Rio because each time he had to be charged, I protected him thinking he would
realise his mistakes and correct them. Now Mandla and Space will charge him so
after the Status Committee case, he is coming to face a Disciplinary Committee
(DC) in the club for his conduct,” explained Kgomongwe. He also said that it
was true that the player had not been paid his salary last month but that was
not an issue. “Once the manager and coach confirm the number of days, he was
not around, then we’ll know how much to pay him and we’ll also know how much
of the loan is remaining. We’ll definitely sort him out anytime this week but
it’ll be with deductions,” he explained.
loaning
Kgomongwe further said they were looking at loaning him out to Manzini Wanderers
but will wait for the Status Committee. “He also received our notification to
charge him,” added Kgomongwe. Rio has filed for breach of contract and wants
to be released, declared a free agent and handed his clearance certificate. Rio
was asked about his EFA Status Committee matter last Friday after he was spotted
leaving the Sigwaca House but denied he was there to report his club but to sort
a personal matter about his registration. When reached again yesterday, the
player did not respond.