Times Of Swaziland: ‘BIRDS’ ELDERS QUESTION HEFTY CAF BILL

‘BIRDS’ ELDERS QUESTION HEFTY CAF BILL
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Mengameli Mabuza on 05/11/2024 09:00:00


MBABANE – The drama is far from over.
A new chapter in the tumultuous saga of Mbabane Swallows has emerged, as the
club’s council of elders has reached out to the publication with concerns
regarding the club’s financial situation. This development follows the recent
revelation by Acting President Absalom Ngwenya, that the club are struggling to
overcome serious financial difficulties resulting from their Confederation of
African Football (CAF) Champions League campaign. Ngwenya revealed that the team
had spent an estimated E1.7 million in their participation in the CAF Champions
League. He admitted that the financial difficulties faced by the club are as a
result of their involvement in the continental competition, indicating a
significant budgetary strain that has placed a burden on the team’s resources.
In a stunning twist, the Secretary of Elders Enock Nkosi released a statement
yesterday, expressing grave concerns regarding the said expenditure. “Most
problems for the team are as a result of the leadership crisis. The team has
changed from being run as a company to an association by a few individuals who
even assured everyone that the team was prepared to participate in CAF games.
“They made status changes without involving the teams’ stakeholders and
important stakeholders in Mr. Gamedze’s estate,” reads part of the
stataement in part. Furthermore, the statement shed light on the reluctance of
potential sponsors to support Mbabane Swallows due to concerns about the current
management issues. According to the elders, many businesses and individuals are
eager to back the team, but are hesitant to do so until they see evidence of
improved accountability and transparency in the club’s leadership. “Can the
current management account for the E1.7 million bill which we read about in the
Times of Eswatini newspaper,” reads the statement.
The elders additionally called for the current management to engage with the
Premier League of Eswatini (PLE) and Eswatini Football Association (EFA) to
change the club’s status and return ownership to the supporters. The elders
believe that such a shift in ownership and leadership will restore confidence in
the team’s ability to effectively manage resources and attract sponsors. They
further recommend that the management seek the guidance and wisdom of Princess
Lungile, who has been an influential figure in the club’s history, in order to
chart a path forward that prioritises supporter ownership and democratic
governance.
It should be noted that Nkosi was among the six officials recently suspended by
Swallows. This action was taken in response to the appointment of Princess
Lungile as Chairperson of the club by a faction of the elders, which sparked a
power struggle within the club’s leadership. In response to the allegations
made by the former elders, Mbabane Swallows Public Relations Officer (PRO)
Knowledge Ngwenya, stated that the club are yet to receive any formal
communication from them regarding their concerns. However, he emphasised that
the team are actively seeking sponsorships to alleviate their financial strain
after the costly CAF Champions League campaign.