Sipho Ndzuzo, a retired midfielder best remembered for stints at Manning Rangers, Mamelodi Sundowns and Ajax Cape Town, is demanding compensation from the organizers of the Home of Legends Cup, claiming they have 'stolen' his idea.
The tournament, which took place over the weekend at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium and was won by Kaizer Chiefs, featured reputable teams such as Sundowns, Chippa United, and Golden Arrows.
Ndzuzo is urging the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality to acknowledge his contributions and include him in the next edition of the one-day bonanza.
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He is also seeking compensation for the costs he incurred during the proposal process.
"The Home of Legends Cup concept was taken from me," opens up the man fondly known as 'Mfundisi', talking to KickOff.com.
"In 2019, I approached the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality with a proposal for a four-team tournament featuring teams like Sundowns, Chiefs, and Chippa. I followed all necessary processes, and in February 2020, I received a letter of support and endorsement from the Municipality for the project.
"Now, a former executive director at the Municipality, who is now working for an agency, is spearheading the Home of Legends project. He rolled out this project under a different name while the Municipality claimed they still had financial challenges and were unstable.
"I had asked the Municipality for R6 million for the project, and to this day, I know it was their funds that were used, but it ended up being R7 million," he went on.
Ndzuzo says the name 'Home of Legends Cup' is his registered intellectual property and that they cannot use it without his permission.
"I have communicated my concerns to their lawyers, and the Municipality acknowledged that they understood the situation. They asked me to give them time because they thought I had partnered with the agency for the project.
"The Municipality has promised to meet with us, but I don't understand how someone can claim ownership of a project when they were present during my initial presentation. All he did was change the name.
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"As of now, I am seeking damages and recognition for my ownership of the Home of Legends Cup. I want to be acknowledged as the creator of the tournament so that I can be involved when it occurs next year.
"Initially, it was going to be called the Friendly City Tournament, but they opted for the Home of Legends name. I haven't yet determined the exact amount I should be compensated for the damages, as I am still in discussions with my lawyers regarding the expenses I've incurred from presenting the idea and hiring legal services," concludes Ndzuzo.