Nelson Mandela Bay acting city manager Johann Mettler has given the go-ahead for the metro to obtain a court interdict against Premier Soccer League (PSL) outfit Chippa United to stop it from playing matches in Buffalo City Metro.According to the Bay metro, the Chilli Boys’s last two PSL games played in Buffalo City Stadium – against Ajax Cape Town and Jomo Cosmos – were in breach of the city’s agreement with the team.
Sports, recreation, arts and culture executive director Noxolo Nqwazi reported to the portfolio committee yesterday that she only became aware of Chippa’s plans to play in East London through a magazine article in December.
Despite meetings, calls and e-mails to get Chippa to stick to its contractual obligation to play all matches in the Bay, the metro eventually decided against an interdict in January to stop the game against Ajax.
According to Nqwazi it was then too late to change the 24 January 2016 fixture in terms of PSL rules.
Subsequently, another match was played in East London, over the past weekend – again in breach of its contract with the metro, according to Nqwazi.
She said Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium operators Access Management were not even aware of the venue changes.
“We’ve sought legal advice and the city manager has signed for us to interdict them so that no more games are played in Buffalo City,” Nqwazi said.
She said Chippa United was contracted to the municipality for 18 years.
Chippa United’s chief operations officer Lukhanyo Mzinzi said he was surprised by the claims that the metro was not aware of the team moving some of their home matches to East London.
He said their contract stated clearly that the team had to play a minimum of 10 games at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.
“We took a decision to grow our brand in terms of the support that we have in East London, Wolfson Stadium was not PSL compliant,” Mzinzi said..
“Even last season we were supposed to take games to East London but the only thing that was standing in our way was that Buffalo City Stadium was not compliant.”
Nqwazi said a plan was in place to ensure the Wolfson and Gelvandale stadiums complied with PSL regulations.
When Mzinzi was asked what would happen to the remaining home fixtures scheduled to kick off at Buffalo City Stadium, he said: “Obviously, for us, and any other person can see that playing some of the games in East London is good for the Chippa United brand and we need our team to grow as a brand so that we can challenge other clubs in terms of support.”
He said they would meet with Mettler in a bid to resolve the impasse.
“Chippa United is a brand and Chippa United is not run by the municipality.”
Councillors who are part of the portfolio committee were furious yesterday, saying the team should be fined for reneging on its agreement.
ANC councillor David Madlavu said: “The municipality paid a lot of money for them to be here. This is completely unacceptable”.
DA councillor Margaret De Andrade said the club should be fined.
In September, the council gave the Chilli Boys a R5-million advance toward relocation costs – money only due in June this year.
The municipality committed to paying the soccer club R15-million over three years for its relocation from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth. — dekockr@timesmedia.co.za
PE fights to keep Chippa games from Buffalo City
According to the Bay metro, the Chilli Boys’s last two PSL games played in Buffalo City Stadium – against Ajax Cape Town and Jomo Cosmos – were in breach of the city’s agreement with the team.
Sports, recreation, arts and culture executive director Noxolo Nqwazi reported to the portfolio committee yesterday that she only became aware of Chippa’s plans to play in East London through a magazine article in December.
Despite meetings, calls and e-mails to get Chippa to stick to its contractual obligation to play all matches in the Bay, the metro eventually decided against an interdict in January to stop the game against Ajax.
According to Nqwazi it was then too late to change the 24 January 2016 fixture in terms of PSL rules.
Subsequently, another match was played in East London, over the past weekend – again in breach of its contract with the metro, according to Nqwazi.
She said Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium operators Access Management were not even aware of the venue changes.
“We’ve sought legal advice and the city manager has signed for us to interdict them so that no more games are played in Buffalo City,” Nqwazi said.
She said Chippa United was contracted to the municipality for 18 years.
Chippa United’s chief operations officer Lukhanyo Mzinzi said he was surprised by the claims that the metro was not aware of the team moving some of their home matches to East London.
He said their contract stated clearly that the team had to play a minimum of 10 games at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.
“We took a decision to grow our brand in terms of the support that we have in East London, Wolfson Stadium was not PSL compliant,” Mzinzi said..
“Even last season we were supposed to take games to East London but the only thing that was standing in our way was that Buffalo City Stadium was not compliant.”
Nqwazi said a plan was in place to ensure the Wolfson and Gelvandale stadiums complied with PSL regulations.
When Mzinzi was asked what would happen to the remaining home fixtures scheduled to kick off at Buffalo City Stadium, he said: “Obviously, for us, and any other person can see that playing some of the games in East London is good for the Chippa United brand and we need our team to grow as a brand so that we can challenge other clubs in terms of support.”
He said they would meet with Mettler in a bid to resolve the impasse.
“Chippa United is a brand and Chippa United is not run by the municipality.”
Councillors who are part of the portfolio committee were furious yesterday, saying the team should be fined for reneging on its agreement.
ANC councillor David Madlavu said: “The municipality paid a lot of money for them to be here. This is completely unacceptable”.
DA councillor Margaret De Andrade said the club should be fined.
In September, the council gave the Chilli Boys a R5-million advance toward relocation costs – money only due in June this year.
The municipality committed to paying the soccer club R15-million over three years for its relocation from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth. — dekockr@timesmedia.co.za
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