Kaizer Chiefs slap R1.5m fee on youth players, but internal process ongoing

Defenders Puso Dithejane and Unathi Mdaka now face a future away from the club following a decision by the Soweto giants to serve the duo with termination letters – making them free agents with immediate effect. 

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However, Chiefs are only willing to formally clear the players if a fee of R1.5-million each is paid by any potential suitors. 

The Glamour Boys are claiming this as a training and development compensation amount, which is due to a club that contributes to the growth of a youth player between the ages of 12 and 21. 

FIFA also gives the greenlight to academy teams to claim money each time a player is transferred internationally until they are 23 years old. 

In essence, Amakhosi feel they are exercising their right, although there are questions in the football fraternity regarding how Amakhosi came to this specific amount.    

Reports emerged last week that Chiefs had suspended several players from their Diski Challenge team, otherwise known as the Premier Division’s reserve league for players who are 21 and under, for refusing to be used as ball-boys. 

Dithejane, who trained with the Chiefs first team and represented Bafana Bafana during the recent COSAFA Cup, and Mdaka are understood to have been among the youth stars on the list to be at the senior team’s Carling Knockout round of 16 clash against AmaZulu at FNB Stadium last month to perform these duties. 

Information reaching the public broadcaster, and also stated elsewhere in local media, is that the duo declined while their teammates later made their way to the venue, although they too are currently suspended by the club. 

When asked for comment and clarity on the issue, Chiefs spokesperson Vina Maphosa told SABC Sport, “There is a process involving this matter, but from the club side nothing to divulge at this stage.”

The public broadcaster has seen the provisional clearance letters, but it now remains to be seen if both Dithejane and Mdaka will be able to begin a fresh chapter under the circumstances put on the table. 

No reasons have been provided on the letters for the players' termination.

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