By Burnett Munthali
Malawian international footballer Gabadinho Mhango has taken legal action against his club, Marumo Gallants, over a heated dispute regarding image rights, demanding over R800,000 in compensation.
The case has been filed at the Johannesburg High Court, where Mhango is seeking an order compelling Gallants to pay him the full outstanding amount, plus interest, for allegedly using his image without fulfilling contractual obligations.
The conflict stems from the club’s alleged exploitation of Mhango’s image rights to promote, advertise, and market their matches on various social media platforms.
Mhango contends that the club has continued to benefit commercially from his likeness while failing to compensate him as per the terms of the agreement.
According to court papers, Mhango emphasizes that, as a professional footballer, he possesses the right to commercially exploit his image and signature, which include his name, photograph, reputation, signature, initials, nickname, and voice.
The rights to manage these commercial aspects of his career were initially assigned to his agency, Prosport International, which is owned by renowned agent Michael Makaab.
Prosport had exclusive authority to use, sell, or negotiate contracts involving Mhango’s image and signature rights, including licensing, sponsorships, and football club agreements.
While playing for Swallows FC, the agency entered into a contract with the club to sell Mhango’s image rights for R828,000.
Mhango disclosed that Prosport formally ceded the rights back to him on August 29, 2023, giving him full entitlement to any benefits derived from those rights.
Consequently, any existing contracts entered into by Prosport now directly benefit Mhango.
He further asserts that Gallants, who acquired Swallows FC as a going concern, automatically inherited all contractual obligations previously held by Swallows, including the image rights contract.
Despite this, Gallants allegedly began using Mhango’s image for promotional purposes without honoring the financial obligations tied to those rights.
For example, on December 5, 2023, the club used Mhango’s image in full club regalia to market a fixture against Orlando Pirates.
Additionally, on September 13, 2024, Gallants posted a video interview with Mhango on Instagram, where he previewed an upcoming match while wearing the team’s jersey.
Another instance occurred on March 14, 2025, when the club shared a team sheet that listed Mhango in the starting lineup, using his name to generate fan engagement and match-day buzz.
Mhango insists that these repeated uses of his image have violated the terms of the contract, as no payments have been made to him in return.
According to the lawsuit, this failure to pay constitutes a breach of the image and signature rights contract.
Due to the breach, Mhango asserts that the entire outstanding amount of R828,000 is now due and payable in full.
His legal team sent a demand letter on January 24, 2024, requesting payment of R428,000, followed by another demand on September 2, 2024, for the remaining R400,000.
Rather than settle the matter, Gallants responded through their attorneys, Botha Massyn & Thobejane Associated Attorneys, allegedly with threats tied to Mhango’s player contract.
The club argued that Mhango is still obligated to fulfill his duties as a footballer and hinted at serious consequences should he withhold his services.
Mhango criticized this response as a diversionary tactic, noting that the image rights contract is a distinct and separate agreement from his employment contract as a player.
He emphasized that Gallants made no reference to the owed funds in their legal communication, choosing instead to focus on intimidating him over his playing duties.
On March 25, 2025, Mhango’s current lawyers, BDP Attorneys, sent another letter of demand, reaffirming the claim and insisting on full payment.
Gallants responded the following day through their attorneys, denying any liability and maintaining that they do not owe Mhango the demanded sum.
This legal standoff has cast a shadow over Mhango’s future, with reports linking him to a potential move to Kaizer Chiefs amid the ongoing tension.
The dispute has also brought renewed attention to the broader issue of image rights in South African football and the obligations of clubs when acquiring teams as going concerns.
Mhango’s legal battle underscores the growing need for clarity and enforcement of contracts in modern sports, particularly in protecting players’ commercial interests.
The outcome of this case could set a significant precedent for how image rights are handled within the Premier Soccer League (PSL) and beyond.
As the Johannesburg High Court prepares to deliberate, the football world watches closely, awaiting a decision that could impact not only Mhango’s career but the broader landscape of player rights in African football.
