The South African Players Union (SAFPU) has lambasted Moroka Swallows' intentions of dismissing over 22 players from the club.
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SAFPU called a press conference at their headquarters in Milpark on Tuesday to address the ongoing standoff between the Soweto giants and their players.
Swallows were deducted points and hit with severe monetary fines by the PSL in December last year for failing to honour matches against Mamelodi Sundowns and Golden Arrows. The club cited disputes over unpaid salaries for that.
In turn, the club called disciplinary hearings with players who are understood to have refused to honour their fixtures and embark on a strike, which led to the recommendation that 22 players be dismissed.
In response to the Birds' claims, SAFPU, via their Secretary General Nhlanhla Shabalala lambasted the club's actions, revealing that the salary disputes have been ongoing prior to the most recent incident.
"I think we must give emphasis, and it's really important, because everybody, I mean, including the way this matter was reported, the understanding is that the players issue is just around the December salary because they wanted to be paid for December to have a nice time. That is not that," he told journalists.
"The players are owed signing on fees. There's lots of outstandings that are there. And the question that we asked and which I asked as well, if you are not paid your June and July salary and you are paid in August and September, the salary you receive in September, which month is it addressing?
"This is the challenge that we're talking about and that is why we say the payroll system of Moroka Swallows has completely collapsed. Then how this is narrated is the players are not disciplined. They're claiming that they need to be paid in advance just because it's December. It's not about December, it's about all other outstandings. And this has been long coming.
"At the point, when Moroka Swallows was coached by Ernst Middendorp, players would plead and say 'we will not be able to make it to training because we have run out of funds. We have borrowed from friends and families, and we have exhausted all avenues. The team has not been paying us for months.' Now, I won't be able to come to training and those players that won't come to training they were subjected to a fine by the club.
"Now, now you can understand what is it that we are dealing with. We are dealing with the barbaric behaviour that seeks not to respect and protect the contracts of these players and these players have been understanding to the situation. They've been lenient on the club; they try to protect the image of the team. They wanted to play football and ensure that everything is kept under wraps. Being the professionals that they are, but in the end, when you are unable to meet your commitments, you are hit by this team," he explained.
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