Durban - TS Galaxy’s ongoing financial crisis has been laid bare as a number of players go into the second month of not receiving their salaries.
In a controversially leaked audio, the internal squabbles raging within the Mpumalanga-based club regarding non-payment of salaries appear to be escalating.
In an effort to receive answers and their outstanding salaries for January and February, various members of The Rockets squad and staff held an emergency meeting with the club’s team manager, Njabulo Sukazi, who held the role of management in the absence of her father and chairman of the club, Tim Sukazi.
In the audio, different members of the team take turns questioning the reasons for the non-payment of salaries belonging to Vuyo Mere, Ebrahim Seedat, Masilake Phohlongo, Nkosikhona Radebe, Kamogelo Sebelebele, and Lebone Seema.
The club’s lavish trip to Turkey is believed to have been the final nail in the coffin, as their 20-day stay in Europe is said to have racked up millions in expenses.
It is believed that it is after that trip that the club could no longer make the required salary payments to the abovementioned players, leading to the club and the players themselves panicking.
“The chairman himself is a reasonable guy. I just want to ask if anyone of you has come forward and asked for a staff meeting with him. My understanding is that he came to training and spoke to some of you guys individually,” said Njabulo.
She then added: “Yes, he hasn’t come now because he is trying to work on this situation that we are in right now for you guys. But you do not know that. It’s important to enquire at times – it’s not like we enjoy you guys not being paid. We hate it. It’s getting difficult, but we are trying.”
“The reason why they are not here today, as the 1st (March) to come address you, it’s not that they don’t find it important. I know they have been saying they will help since last month. It’s not easy to raise R1 million just like that, but they are trying. It s not like they want you to not feed your families,” the team manager added.
The SA Football Players Union has acknowledged that they have received complaints from Galaxy, while also revealing that the club is not a “first-timer” when it comes to the issues at hand.
“I can assure you now that this matter has reached our office. This is not the first time. A lot of you do not know this, but about four or five months ago, TS Galaxy didn’t pay players for two months. We are really worried about the non-payment of players, especially in the professional ranks,” he told the SABC.
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