Times Of Swaziland: SPORTS BUDGET UNCHANGED AT E19.4M

SPORTS BUDGET UNCHANGED AT E19.4M
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Sanele Jele on 27/02/2024 09:01:00


MBABANE – The recent presentation of the stagnant budget estimates for the
2024/25 financial year by Minister of Finance Neal Rijkenberg has sparked varied
reactions from sports associations.
The minister presented the country’s budget which was at over E29 billion in
Parliament yesterday. While some areas such as the Youth Fund development
Council and Arts and Culture have seen improvements, the sports segment’s
allocation of about E19.4 million has remained unchanged. The Eswatini Football
Association (EFA) Chief Executive Officer, Frederick Mngomezulu, expressed
disappointment at the unaltered grants for the national teams, which have
remained at E5 million. He said the budget was not enough considering the
significance of this year where they would have a busy year in their calendar. 
Victor ‘Mavikana’ Dlamini, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of Athletics
Eswatini (AE), conveyed the association’s disappointment, highlighting the
need for an improved budget to facilitate the participation of athletes in
international assignments.
Meluleki Simelane from the Eswatini Swimming Association (ESA) emphasised the
importance of channelling funds into grassroots programmes using the Shukuma
programme as a vessel. The association hopes that the allocated funds will
contribute to the development and support of grassroots initiatives. On the
other hand, ESRC Media Officer Dumsani Ntiwane expressed gratitude to the
government for its continued support of sports, acknowledging the challenges of
the current economic climate. He stressed the importance of the allocated funds
in assisting national sports associations in fulfilling their obligations and
supporting local athletes in regional, continental, and world competitions. The
response to the unchanged budget estimates reflects a range of perspectives
within the sporting community, highlighting both disappointment and gratitude
while underscoring the importance of financial support for the development and
participation of athletes in international events.