TTM woes worsen as players told to strike

After being banned by Fifa from signing players, Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila’s (TTM's) situation could go from bad to worse after the SA Football Players' Union (Safpu) asked the club’s players to down tools when action resumes.

TTM were banned from registering players after the unfair dismissal of Edmore Sibande last season and the ban is effective immediately for the next three consecutive registration periods.

With the club now struggling to pay salaries for the last few months, Safpu said this is the opportunity for the players to strike and force the club to pay their overdue monies.

Should they continue with the planned strike, this will mean TTM will not be able to honour the Motsepe Championship Foundation fixtures as they will not be able to register players.

This would subsequently subject them to relegation. Safpu vice-president Tebogo Monyai said they have already told the players to embark on a striker to force the club to pay them. 

“What we are going to do now, since the team has been banned by Fifa not to sign players anymore, is for the players to decide what they want,” Monyai told Sowetan yesterday.

“Either they want to be paid their money because the club defaulted for one or two months then we decide to take the matter to PSL DRC (dispute resolution chamber) straight away to claim their money.

“Second option is the players must go on strike because now they are more favoured with a ban from Fifa to say, ‘if they go on strike, it will mean the club won’t sign any other player to honour any match in the PSL'.

“Unlike if the club was not banned, if the players go on strike, the team can sign any amateur players who registered to honour the game.

“So, this time around, it favours the players. The plan is simple. We are planning to go on strike with the players and not honour any of the training sessions and any of the matches until the club pays them what is due.”

Monyai added that the players opted to wait and see if the chairman, Masala Mulaudzi, will pay them this month before they go on strike when matches resume next month. 

“Some players are saying let’s wait until the end of December to see if this man pays. If he doesn’t pay at the beginning of January, the league matches will resume. That’s where we go on strike.”

Mulaudzi could not be reached for comment as his phone rang unanswered and failed to respond to our text messages. Sowetan also tried to get comment from players but they were not willing to speak on record.