Marumo owner denies knowledge of 'R2,000 bonus' rejected by players

Marumo Gallants owner Abram Sello says he was shocked to learn of his players’ strike yesterday, insisting he owes nobody, and that the club remains in good financial standing.

FARpost reported that Marumo players refused to train yesterday, until the club met their bonus demands, ahead of tonight’s CAF Confederation Cup second leg semifinal against Tanzanian side Young Africans (6pm).

While Sowetan gathered that the players were incensed that the club had offered each player R2,000 in bonuses if they overturn the 2-0 deficit they suffered in the second leg, hence they boycotted training yesterday, Sello dismissed this.

“I am shocked to read that the players didn’t train. I am on my way to Rustenburg to find out what really happened. It’s not true that we offered them that [R2,000 each]. We’ve always paid our players well for doing well. We owe nobody no money and we don’t have any financial difficulties,” Sello told Sowetan yesterday.

By reaching the Confed Cup semifinals, Bahlabane Ba Ntwa are already R8.25m richer. This figure will rise to R11.5m should they overturn the deficit against Yanga and reach the final, with 10% of that money going to Safa. The Confed Cup champions pocket R23m.

Before the news of the strike broke, Sowetan had spoken with instrumental side’s defender Mpho Mvelase, who didn’t hide that relegation thoughts were haunting them amid their brilliant Confederation Cup campaign.

“It’s a worrying factor that we go into this game against Yanga while our Premiership status isn’t secured for next season. Relegation is not nice at all because that means your lifestyle must change, salaries would be cut and putting food on the table for our families would be difficult.

“So, we will treat the second leg and our final league game [against Swallows away] as cup finals because we want to go to the final and survive relegation,” Mvelase said yesterday.

The club also released a statement that insinuated there could really be a disagreement as far as the bonuses are concerned. “Performance bonuses and other payouts are done at the discretion of club management based on several factors. The previous issuing of various bonuses does not guarantee the delivery or timing of future bonuses,” read one extract of the statement.

“There are no outstanding bonuses owed/due to any Marumo Gallants players.”