AmaZulu finally pay up to avoid FIFA sanction

Usuthu risked a ban by the world football governing body when ex-employee Józef Vukusic claimed he was unfairly dismissed in 2020, just three months after the Serbian put pen to paper on a three-year contract. 

His case went all the way to FIFA and then later to the Court of Arbitration for Sport to review the compensation amount as he was not satisfied with the settlement figure which had been proposed. 

The tribunal ruled in his favour and immediately ordered AmaZulu to make payment within 30 days or face an even heavier punishment. 

But president Sandile Zungu has dodged a bullet, dealing with a matter he inherited from the previous regime when he bought the club the same year Vukusic was fired by the Sokhela family. 

“The club has made payment of the amount ordered by CAS,” confirmed Kabelo Mashigo, who was representing the tactician.

“The coach is happy about the outcome and the professional way the club dealt with the matter – that is the update.” 

AmaZulu can now concentrate on their own search for a new coach with this issue and a forgettable 2022/23 season behind them. 

They’ve had five different mentors in the dugout since Vukusic in Zungu’s brief spell as the owner – Ayanda Dlamini, Allan Freese, Benni McCarthy, Brandon Truter and Romain Folz, who was made technical director in April. 

Dlamini returned as interim coach to see out the campaign, but it’s expected Usuthu will announce a new face in the coming months.