Orlando Pirates striker Ndumiso Mabena has detailed the emotional ordeal he went through after his employment contract was disputed by his former club Royal AM.
Mabena was caught in the middle of an alleged loan move from AM to Swallows at the beginning of the season, which he says he knew nothing about.
The 35-year old was denied the opportunity to resume pre-season with Thwihli Thwahla, who claimed he was loaned out to the Birds and had to report to training with the Soweto outfit.
However, the well-travelled striker contested his initial contract he had with AM through the PSL's Dispute Resolution Chamber (DRC), who ruled in his favour.
Read: Pirates Defender Targeted For KZN Move?
After getting his clearance, he got a big chance to train with Pirates in September and eventually signed on the dotted line recently, after his official return to the Buccaneers was confirmed on a one year-and-half deal.
Mabena says the support from his family played a huge role in him staying mentally strong to overcome the ordeal, where he went for months without a salary.
"Some of the things that happen, happen for a reason I could say, it didn't happen in a good way though, not professionally done if I can say," Mabena said on Metro FM Sports.
"But ja, I think that's when the fighting started, I had to win all the cases that I've won.
"It was not nice on my side but ja, I went through it all and I have succeeded at the end of the day, here I am working for the Black and White again," he said.
"But mentally, I think was ready, I was strong and with all the support I was getting from the family, I think, that's why I went through these (cases) not alone but with them as well.
"And today I've succeeded by getting a contract with the Black and White and they are happy for me as well. They are still supporting me the way they were supporting me (in the contract saga with Royal AM)."
The Groblersdal-born striker also revealed that the KwaZulu-Natal side did not follow through with the order from the DRC and they had take them to the Labour Court, where they eventually reached a settlement.
"We had to go through the DRC, I won the case and after that there was a rule that came out but nothing was being done, so we had to go to the Labour Court, that's when everything started," Mabena explained.
Read: 20 PSL Free Agents Available Ahead Of Transfer Window
"We had to come to an agreement, to say, you know what, let's sign an initial mutual agreement, where you can get your money and we can just part ways."And then we signed for that and they gave me my clearance and they are still paying me for the past months they were owing me," he added.
You must be SIGNED IN to read and post comments.
