Bantu Rovers expelled from junior league

Bantu Rovers have been expelled with immediate effect from the Bulawayo Province Junior League due to issues of misconduct. The decision, which affects all their junior teams, the Under-14s, Under-16s and the Under-18s was taken at an emotionally charged annual general meeting held at the YWCA offices in the city yesterday.

"It was the full council's opinion that Bantu Rovers were not following proper football statutes, among them going behind other clubs' backs and taking their players," said the Bulawayo Province Junior League secretary-general Faith Dube.

Dube however, said Bantu Rovers have a right to appeal against the decision to the full council meeting.

He said while they understood that it was going to be the youngsters who will suffer at the end of the day, the council also noted that they were some players who spent the whole season last year doing nothing after their clubs refused to clear them and Zifa could not issue licences because Bantu Rovers had gone behind the club's backs.

"It was indeed a very emotional issue and their suspension was inevitable after all the clubs made it clear that they would rather give the three points to Bantu Rovers than play against them. That would obviously have meant having a champion before the season even starts," said Dube.

A Bantu Rovers representative at the meeting, Dumisani Kenke Mnkandla is said to have incensed the delegates when he said all the concerned clubs should actually come to them (Bantu Rovers) with proof of receipts that they own the concerned players.

When he uttered this, some clubs representatives that sympathised with Bantu Rovers are said to have immediately changed their positions.

Contacted for comment, Bantu Rovers said they will only give a comment after getting official correspondence from the league, which is led by Mkhululi Mthunzi.

Early last month, a fierce war over players emerged between Bantu Rovers and Ajax Hotspurs with the Mpopoma based Ajax Hotspurs accusing Tshintsha Guluva of using their financial muscle to grab their boys.

Ajax Hotspurs, through its director Siphambaniso Dube even threatened to take the matter up with Caf and Fifa.

However, while the Bantu Rovers issue was clearly a concern to the assembly, it was interesting to note that very little attention was paid to age cheating with some clubs known to have perennially used overaged players before.

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