Extension Gunners troubles have taken a turn for the worst as reports have surfaced that the team’s Executive Committee Chairman, Kitso Dlamini has resigned from his post. According to the team’s Public Relations Officer (PRO), Keorapetse Kgasa, the embattled Dlamini has requested to be relieved of his duties as he has, together with his family, become a target of threats and insults from some irate Gunners supporters.
“We can confirm that Dlamini has officially stepped down from his post. About two weeks ago, he requested the team’s Executive Committee to allow him to quit his post and he has finally been given the go ahead,” the Gunners PRO said.
According to Kgasa, the Gunners Chairperson informed his Executive Committee that he felt that his family was not safe as they were pestered by some rowdy Gunners supporters who wanted to purge him from his post.
“It had come to a point where these irate supporters had started making harassing and threatening calls to his home and his wife in particular, to put pressure on him to quit the team. As a result, he felt that he could not risk his family’s security, hence his resignation,” Kgasa explained.
He said the Executive Committee has over the past two weeks been trying to convince Dlamini not to quit, but to no avail. They eventually relented and let him go.
“He (Dlamini) said if there was a way these rowdy supporters could be managed and stopped from harassing his family, he would consider staying put. We then requested that he give us at least two weeks to ponder over this. Eventually, we felt there was no way we could manage the situation and we relented,” the Gunners PRO said.
The resignation of the erstwhile Gunners chairman is considered to be the beginning of the end for the whole Gunners Executive Committee, who have for a while now been under pressure from some quarters to resign. According to sources close to the club, the plot to oust the current committee started gained traction following the team’s loss to Mochudi Centre Chiefs almost four weeks ago. It is said that after the loss, a letter purported to be from some of the club’s branches was received, requesting the committee to call a club meeting where a motion of no confidence on the Dlamini led Executive Committee was to be passed. The said letter, which was alleged to have come from seven of the club’s fourteen branches, was however not recognised by the Executive Committee.
Asked about the future of the team’s current executive, Kgasa said as it stands, anything can happen. “We have now come to the realisation that we are all targets of a purge from some sections of supporters. Even though we are still in the committee, at any given time, we may call a Special General Meeting for the Gunners’ supporters to brief them on the current situation and map a way forward. If the supporters then make it known they want the current committee out, we will accede to their demands and allow them to vote in their preferred committee,” the Gunners PRO said.
Concerning the alleged letter requesting a meeting for the club membership, Kgasa confirmed such a letter existed. He, however, said the current committee does not recognise the letter as they feel it was not representative of the said club branches. “The letter you are talking about does exist. However, contrary to what has been said, that letter which purports to be written by seven club branches ironically contains only one signature. There is no proof that any meeting had occurred where such a letter was agreed upon by the said branches and there are no other signatures to show if any other people are involved,” Kgasa said.
Meanwhile, Kgasa says following Dlamini’s resignation, the club’s Vice Chairman, Oduetse Langwane, will take over the reins as interim Chairperson.
