Premier Soccer League (PSL) CEO Kennedy Ndebele has dismissed reports suggesting that the country’s top-flight league is forking out $8 000 per month in rentals for its Harare offices, describing them as “misleading and inaccurate.”
BY SPORTS REPORTER
The PSL last week came under a sustained onslaught from the state media in the run-up to today’s election of a new chairman by the league’s board of governors.
“We have read with dismay inaccurate and misleading media reports insinuating that the Premier Soccer League [PSL] is paying rentals way above market rates,” Ndebele said in a statement yesterday.
“We would like to set the record straight that PSL is not paying rentals near the stated figures of $8 000 per month for its Harare head office. In fact, the combined rentals for both Harare and Bulawayo offices do not add up to half of the alleged figures. It’s also untrue that the leased premises are owned by a local farmer.”
“The lease agreements for the two premises are available for our stakeholders to peruse. The leased premises in Bulawayo were secured by the previous PSL management committee in 2009, before the current chief executive officer was employed by the league.”
The PSL boss also rufuted reports that its former sponsor Mbada Diamonds had offered to buy the league offices while reiterating that its financial statements were audited annually in line with good governance practice.
“We also wish to categorically dismiss claims that Mbada Diamonds offered to buy PSL offices. This is misleading information. It is important to point out that PSL’s financial statements are audited annually by reputable external auditors who are approved and appointed by the board of governors. The PSL board members are fully aware of the monies paid to all our service providers including the landlords,” he said.
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“Furthermore, the league’s annual budgets are prepared in conjunction with the finance committee and approved by the board of governors. It is on the basis of these budgets that any expenditure will be incurred during the year.
“It is important to note that decisions concerning the operations of the PSL are made by the board of governors and implemented by the emergency committee and the secretariat. Decisions made by the emergency committee in between congress are ratified by the board of governors.”
Ndebele said the league’s secretariat was ready to work under whoever would be elected as the new chairman when CAPS United president Farai Jere squares off against Triangle chairman Lovemore Matikinyidze.
“The PSL does not interfere with the leadership process in the organisation. The secretariat has and will always work under anyone elected by PSL governors,” he said.
“The PSL is a very transparent organisation. It is surprising that some members of the media have been writing stories without giving us an opportunity to respond. We are of the considered opinion that this is very unethical, as we have never refused to respond to media inquiries.”
The country’s top-flight league has been under ad-hoc leadership since its leader Peter Dube was suspended by the Philip Chiyangwa-led Zifa board in November 2016.
Former Dynamos president Kenny Mubaiwa, Chicken Inn boss Lifa Ncube and Matikinyidze had been running the emergency committee until the DeMbare boss tendered his resignation from the club in June this year.
