Times Of Swaziland: ‘EFA MUST PROBE PLE FINANCIALS’

‘EFA MUST PROBE PLE FINANCIALS’
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BY CHRIS DLAMINI on 23/09/2020 08:42:00


EZULWINI – Recently ousted Premier League of Eswatini (PLE) Chairman Peter
‘Touch’ Magagula wants a probe of the organisation’s much-talked about
2019/20 financials.
Magagula lost the chairmanship position on Saturday in Ezulwini, Happy Valley
Hotel where the PLE had its congress. Taking over the position was Denver
Sundowns’ Mark Carmichael after he accumulated 15 votes to Magagula’s 11. In
his post-elections reaction, Magagula did not only congratulate his successor
but also shared that it was his wish that the PLE financials be probed further.
interest
“I believe the EFA (Eswatini Football Association) needs to also show interest
in this matter because people’s names are involved. The EFA has to probe the
financials for the truth to come out as allegations of money laundering and all
the allegations related to them, are very serious,” he explained.
He said while he accepted the elections’ result, a probe would also be good
for the organisation. Even before the elections setback, Magagula had insisted
the previous weekend, when they deferred the initial meeting due to time
constraints, that probing the financials would clear the air.
Magagula had gone to the police ahead of the initial congress meeting in the
same venue which was ended after the allowed two-hour time limit as per the
COVID-19 regulations elapsed.
knowledge
From the police, he wanted to find out how the PLE was investigated for alleged
money laundering without its knowledge. This came about after some alleged
members of the PLE Board of Governors used clandestine means to attain the
organisation’s financials ahead of the congress which also saw the election of
a new PLE Executive Committee.
He took a lot of negative publicity ahead of the elections, especially last
week, as various allegations were published based on the PLE financials. One of
the teams that nominated him, Tambankulu Callies’ boss Ngudze Mamba said ‘it
was quite too much’ for their nominee.
“We had supported him but there was a lot of de-campaigning him. The results
are out and Carmichael is our chairman and we’ll support him in every possible
way. Elections are like that, you win or lose,” he said.
Mamba went on to congratulate Carmichael immediately after the win. The EFA
could not immediately comment on the matter as the PLE has not forwarded
anything about its finances requiring a probe.