Palapye All Stars players strike over salaries

Koketso Kgoboge | Thursday March 12, 2015 16:23

Team coach, Mothusi Seditsi said nothing was amiss as they prepared well for the tie only for the players to refuse to take to the field moments before kick-off.

A player, speaking on condition of anonymity, said they had not been paid their January and February salaries, which were supposed to be cleared on Friday, a day before the Tsabothe encounter.  Seditsi said the players had looked focused until the last minute twist.

“Last week my players were upbeat.

They showed a lot of commitment and character. They were focused and they were showing signs of improvement in the combinations and I was also confident we were going to give Tsabothe a good run for their money.

 “We went into the camp on Friday without any problems.  The next day we held our team talk and the players never raised any issues. I briefed them and announced the line up.

“We had lunch and the players took the bus as usual to the playground and I drove in my car. Only when I got to the field did I found the players not dressed up though it was already time for inspection.  “When I questioned the manager, I was told the players refused to play demanding payment. As a result, we lost three points,” Seditsi cried at length.  Club owner, Gregory ‘Grembo’ Kealotswe expressed disappointment with the players’ action. He said he had relayed a message to the players that there would be delays in payments.

 “We did make payments arrangements on Saturday. We paid their money through the post (office) and unfortunately it was already late. But, on Monday the money reflected.

“As we speak my assistant has their money order numbers. I have instructed him not to give them out though, until our meeting on Wednesday (yesterday),” said Kealotswe.

Kealotswe further refuted reports players were owed two months’ salary saying it was only for February. He said 17 of the team’s players arrived during the January transfer window.

“Our team was restructured at the beginning of the second round of the league. We wanted to do away with old players as they are uncontrollable and have no respect for the team.

“We overhauled our team and brought in a new crop of players in January. They spent the whole of January on trial until we registered them, so we cannot pay them for a month they were on trial.  We only owe them February payments,” revealed Kealotswe.

He said last evening’s meeting was expected to map the way forward with players signing contracts if a common ground is reached.