The Zimbabwe Football Association’s (Zifa) bid to be placed under trustee management flopped following the removal of the application from the roll, with the High Court instructing the football mother body to put its house in order before their issue could be entertained.
Zifa’s lawyer, Stephen Zvinavakobvu, yesterday told Justice November Mtshiya, he had instructions from the Philip Chiyangwa-led executive to remove the matter from the roll, but the judge said despite his application, the matter would not have been entertained, as Zifa still had a lot of issues to attend to before its application could be heard.
The judge said Zifa had not complied with the mandatory provision of its constitution, which compelled it to hand over all assets to the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) if it had been dissolved.
Zifa (Pvt) Ltd, which claims to be a separate entity from the football association, owns four properties, which include Zifa House at Number 53 Livingstone Avenue in Harare, Zifa Village in Mt Hampden, a house along McLaughlin Road in Kensington, and another house in Bulawayo.
The issue the judge pointed out was also raised by the Additional Master-Insolvency, Reuben Mukavi, who, in his opposition to Chiyangwa’s application, argued Zifa had not followed proper procedures when it became the National Football Association of Zimbabwe (Nafaz).
The judge said Zifa ought to have cited the SRC in its matter, it being an interested party.
Justice Mtshiya further said the proposed recipient of the new trust must also confirm its receipt and that Zifa must also provide the minutes of the June 4 meeting that dissolved the organisation giving birth to Nafaz.
Early last month, Zifa filed an application seeking to be placed under trustee management on the basis that it had failed to
pay its creditors and it was failing to abide by court orders, since it had nothing to offer and was left with assets worth only $30 000.
In the application, Chiyangwa said the association’s financial position had crippled the smooth running of the country’s football mother body to the extent that it was unable to meet its obligations.
“The applicant (Zifa) has been exposed to litigation on numerous occasions and in the process has lost money, goodwill, reputation and any assets of value and is now left with a depleted asset register which virtually has nothing, such that its liabilities, debts and obligations now far outweigh its assets.”
Among the notable creditors owed by Zifa is CBZ Bank Limited, which is owed $1 795 000. Other individuals and firms
are owed over $6 million, while Buymore Investments, which is owned by former Zifa president, Cuthbert Dube, is owed $438 222.
Other creditors include the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority ($504 998,62), Pandhari Lodges and Conference Centre
($268 436), the Asiagate investigating committee ($650 000), international match agents Kentaro ($600 000), NSSA ($149, 517,14), SRC
($180 386,40) and Led Travel & Tours ($244 527).
Former coaches, who are yet to get their dues, include Norman Mapeza
($245 000), Rahman Gumbo ($78 000), Sunday Chidzambwa ($68 000), Charles Mhlauri ($17 270) and Nelson Matongorere
($113 463).
-NewsDay