Gallants employees set to return home after being kept in Libya for weeks

Following a meeting with relevant officials last Thursday, Marumo Gallants employees who were stuck in Libya are set to finally return home, the club confirmed on Saturday.

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The two Gallants staff members’ media liaison Rufus Matsena and physiotherapist Tebogo Amos Dhlomo have been kept in Libya for close to three weeks now after a ‘financial dispute’ with a hotel owner in the north African country, where the club played Al Akhdar in the Caf Confederation Cup.

It was reported that Gallants weren’t able to pay their hotel bill m, which led to the owner of the hotel keeping Matsena and Dhlomo until the club would settle their debt.

The DStv Premiership team from Limpopo revealed that they held a meeting with the owner of the hotel last Thursday, along with the South African Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco), the South African Football Association (Safa), the Libyan embassy in South Africa, SA’s ambassador to Tunisia in trying to solve matter, which has since been fruitful.

“Two Marumo Gallants FC officials (Rufus Mastena and Tebogo Amos Dhlomo who were detained in Libya following the team’s Caf Confederation Cup match against Al Akhdaron 19 March 2023 are finally set to return home,” read a statement from the club.

“This comes after a mediation held this past Thursday with relevant officials and representatives from various organisations.”

“Club management has confirmed that the travel documents for the two employees have been returned and that both Matseba and Dhlomo are ready for their much awaited return to their country and families. They will be landing in Johannesburg over the course of the current long weekend.”

Gallants chairman Abram Sello is delighted with the return of his employees and thanked everyone who was involved in solving the issue to make it a point that Matsena and Dhlomo come back home.

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“We are immensely relieved that our staff will be returning home safely. They are anxious to get back to their families and their lives here in South Africa. We would like to thank all the parties that assisted us getting to this point,” said Sello.

The club further revealed that they will hold a press briefing in due course to give more information regarding the matter.