FOUNDING member of the Highlanders FC South African Chapter Busani Mthombeni says if elected club treasurer, his business interests will not affect his role at Bosso.
Mthombeni is contesting for the treasurer job with Xolisani Moyo in elections on February 6 at which Fiso Siziba and Babongile Sikhonjwa will also lock horns for the vice-chairmanship.
Mthombeni, an ordained pastor, who runs a family farming business in Insiza, also leads a financial services consultancy firm in South Africa.
The aspiring Bosso treasurer has had to answer how he will juggle between his businesses and the Bosso role.
“My primary and most permanent base is in Shangani, Insiza, which is 80km from Bulawayo where our family business is located. I have a business in South Africa that I go and attend to from time to time, but that doesn’t stop me from functioning effectively as Highlanders’ treasurer,” said Mthombeni.
“In the past, the treasurer used to go to the clubhouse to see what was happening on a day-to-day basis. However, that position changed when the bar manager and club finance officer began daily cash collections to bank under instruction of the club CEO.
This is good governance because the treasurer can then ask for reports to check if finances are being properly managed.
“Imagine if the treasurer was the one doing cash collections, banking and reporting. Who then would do the checks and balances on him? My understanding of the role of treasurer is to ensure implementation of congress resolutions, spearheading fundraising and to oversee finances of the club through ensuring effective systems that will protect the club’s finances. The treasurer assumes an oversight role of these systems without micromanaging the full-time secretariat headed by the CEO,” he said.
Adjustments made by the Premier Soccer League (PSL), which are in line with Fifa Club Licensing, requires all clubs to provide finance officers instead of treasurers being in charge of matchday proceedings.
Whoever wins between Moyo and Mthombeni will be guided by PSL matchday systems.
In the past few years, the PSL has been in charge of matchday financial issues.
PSL stakeholders, who include Zifa, SRC, the clubs and local authority, verify tickets before they are handed out to cashiers and recorded.
All stakeholders have the right to check that there are no revenue leakages at the gates and cash office, with the clubs’ watchdogs being the finance officer and security officer.
Even distribution of funds after matches is done by the PSL, with the club’s finance officer appending his/her signature to confirm that the figures indicated are correct.
It is only during big matches where the treasurer fully participates and assists the finance officer.
Mthombeni, who is treasurer of the Highlanders’ South African Chapter, has previously served in the club’s marketing committee in 2005.
He has also worked with the club treasury on a number of projects such as the debt clearance campaign, #OurHeritageOurPride salaries campaign, buy-a-ball campaign and more recently the Gumede Honorary Initiative. He was responsible for accounting and reporting.
“I believe that my work on these projects has been transparent and honest. Collectively, we’ll ensure that our office is fully empowered for optimum performance, ensuring funding for a professional appearance and infrastructure that adds value to the sponsors.
Through restructuring the conventional, we’ll see to it that there’s progressive transformation of players’ signing-on and remuneration models. Together, we’ll ensure efficient service delivery timelines and platforms through adequate finance resourcing,” Mthombeni said.
In his manifesto, Mthombeni speaks about alternative financial risk transfer that includes growing brand monetising internally as an alternative funding platform, harnessing diaspora funding through networking effectively on online platforms and providing investment opportunities and education to internal stakeholders.
He said there is a need to employ insurance products that protect the club from financial risks such as medical, accident and employee benefits.
