Times Of Swaziland: TEMPORARY RELIEF FOR CLUB’S FAITHFUL, AS ...PLE INTERVENES IN ‘BIRDS’ FEUD

TEMPORARY RELIEF FOR CLUB’S FAITHFUL, AS ...PLE INTERVENES IN ‘BIRDS’ FEUD
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Mengameli Mabuza on 29/11/2024 09:24:00


MBABANE - The highly-anticipated Premier League of Eswatini (PLE) match between
Mbabane Swallows FC and Royal Leopard has been postponed.
This is due to an unresolved dispute between two factions of the side. Following
a taxing four-hour meeting with representatives of the warring Swallows
factions, the Premier League of Eswatini’s Acting CEO, Pat ‘Kungumusa’
Vilakati, announced that the eagerly-awaited game against Royal Leopard will be
postponed. The protracted deliberations, which took a significant toll on those
involved brought together  the two distinct groups: Mbabane Swallows (Pty) Ltd,
led by Princess Lungile’s representative, Mduduzi Hlophe and the
newly-appointed chairperson, Bongani Dlamini; and Mbabane Swallows FC,
represented by resigned  management led by Acting President Absalom Ngwenya and
Chairman Welile Mabuza.
Postpone
The stalemate between the two factions, each unwilling to back down from their
positions, ultimately led to the PLE’s decision to postpone the match until a
resolution could be found.
“Today, we, the Premier League of Eswatini, met with both factions of the
Mbabane Swallows family in an attempt to resolve the ongoing dispute and
facilitate the continuation of the game against Royal Leopard. However, after
hearing the submissions from each club, it became clear that both parties were
not prepared to move forward with the match, citing the incomplete handover of
the club as the main reason.”
When asked individually, both factions confirmed their unwillingness to play the
game under these circumstances,” he said. Both factions were given a deadline
of Monday at 11:30am to come to a resolution that will enable the club to resume
playing. The outgoing management committee (MC) insisted that they had already
handed over the club to Princess Lungile’s representative, Mduduzi Hlophe,
while Hlophe’s side maintained that they were not accepting the handover as it
included debts of the club.
Leading
“There is no one who is leading the club right now,” he said. Vilakati also
emphasised that the PLE’s decision to postpone the game was made with the best
interests of the club, the stakeholders, and the integrity of the sport in mind.
“By continuing to schedule the game despite being aware of the likely outcome,
we would be putting the supporters in a potentially dangerous situation. The
supporters would have paid for their tickets, only to find that one team did not
show up for the game, which would have undoubtedly led to disappointment and
frustration. Additionally, the Mavuso Sports Centre, where the game was to be
played, would also be put at risk if any disturbances or protests were to occur
as a result of the unresolved conflict between the two factions. “Therefore,
we decided to postpone the game to avoid any potential negative consequences and
ensure the safety of all involved,” Vilakati said.
Vilakati went on to explain that the PLE had previously encountered a similar
situation with Highlanders and were able to assist them in resolving their
issues. “Highlanders approached us with their problems, and we were able to
help them overcome those issues,” he said. This publication reported yesterday
that after the purported official handover of the club by the outgoing
management committee led by Ngwenya, to Princess Lungile, it came to light that
the leadership under the latter has declined the offer to accept the team.
Devoid
This has left the club in a precarious position, devoid of directorship, as both
parties have submitted formal letters; the outgoing committee signalling their
departure, while Princess Lungile, through legal representatives, has indicated
her refusal to take on the responsibilities. During a press conference at
Thokoza Church Centre, four days ago, Ngwenya asserted that they had officially
handed over the club to Princess Lungile. However, a letter addressed to this
publication contradicts this claim, stating that she will not accept the team
unless it is free of debt. This correspondence was also shared with the PLE and
the Eswatini Football Association (EFA). Meanwhile, Leopard Public Relations
Officer (PRO) Frank Hurube said this was a big blow to their side after
preparing for the game throughout the week.“This definitely kills our momentum
in the league, but on the other hand, we wouldn’t want to play a game that
would put the stakeholders, the teams and the supporters at risk,” he said.