WP Rugby urged to play open cards over salaries

Trade union Sport Employees Unite (SEU)has urged the business arm of WP Rugby to play open cards with its staff over salaries.

This comes after a report over the weekend highlighted the union's financial situation and indicated that it was only able to pay its employees one more month's salary.

Piet Heymans, CEO of SEU, told Netwerk24 that there is great concern among members over the financial situation of WP Rugby.

"It's very stressful for our members to live with this uncertainty due to the rumour that there's only cash flow to pay one month's salaries. WP has to do something, because at present there are many rumours doing the rounds. I'm expecting feedback from WP's chief executive (Paul Zacks)," said Heymans.

Afrikaans newspaper Rapport reported on Sunday that an internal power struggle between the amateur and professional arms and a lack of funds threaten to bring the union to its knees.

The Cape union expects to make a loss of R30 million for the current financial year and still needs to pay back a loan of R43 million from Remgro who bailed them out a couple of years ago.

The report added that an urgent board meeting was scheduled last Friday, but no solutions to the problems were found.

As such, WP Rugby has put its player contracting process on hold, with Springboks including Siya Kolisi, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Steven Kitshoff, Frans Malherbe, Bongi Mbonambi and Sikhumbuzo Notshe yet to re-sign.

The report added that power at the union could shift back to the amateur arm led by president Zelt Marais, with negotiations set to take place with CEO Zacks regarding a severance package.