THE domestic worker suing one of Africa’s best football coaches, Pitso Mosimane, is seeking R1.7 million for loss of income, R2 million for past and future medical expenses and R2 million for the loss of amenities of life and for pain and suffering.
Pitso is being jointly sued together with his wife Moira Tlhagale in a R5.7 million lawsuit filed by their domestic worker, Dorothy Sikirivao.
She is claiming she suffered severe injuries at the couple’s home which led to her suffering some disabilities.
It has been a tough week for leading football personalities in the region after Zambia FA officials were arrested on Tuesday for allegedly embezzling AFCON 2023 allowances.
They are facing charges of fraud and money laundering.
Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) president, Andrew Kamanga, was arrested by the country’s Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) in a clampdown on alleged corruption and money laundering linked to the 2023 AFCON allowances
The arrests, which also included FAZ General Secretary Reuben Kamanga and two others, spotlight deep-seated issues within Zambia’s football governance.
The former ZIFA leadership has also been dealing with a number of court cases, long after they were dethroned from office.
The Mosimane lawsuit was lodged at the Johannesburg High Court and stems from severe injuries Sikirivao sustained in a mishap at the couple’s residence in April 2021. According to reports from South Africa, Sikirivao experienced a serious fall while clearing debris from Mosimane’s home.
The accident allegedly left her with catastrophic spine-related injuries, leading to a significant reduction in her mobility and affecting her reproductive health.
Medical specialists diagnosed Sikirivao with multiple injuries, including blood clots in the brain, shoulder dislocation, various bone fractures, and severe pressure on the spinal cord.
The domestic worker claims the injuries were exacerbated by the demanding nature of her duties and the couple’s insistence that she return to work soon after the accident.
“This was because of the tedious nature of the work she did and the potential of aggravating the injuries. The injuries she sustained from the said accident were of such a nature that exacting physical labor will aggravate them,” the legal documents state.
Initially, Mosimane and Tlhagale covered Sikirivao’s medical expenses but reportedly ceased payments without explanation.
Despite being granted a month of sick leave following the incident, Sikirivao alleges she was coerced into resuming work, which worsened her condition.
“The plaintiff, post the said accident, was also prognosed to be in a situation where the plaintiff may never be able to carry a pregnancy and fulfil her desire to have her biological children except through an expensive and legally cumbersome process of surrogacy,” the lawsuit papers reveal.
Furthermore, she may face ongoing health complications due to the accident. – Pulse Sport/Sunday World