Times Of Swaziland: ‘BIRDS’ BILL OVER E8M PER SEASON – PRINCESS

‘BIRDS’ BILL OVER E8M PER SEASON – PRINCESS
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Ntombikayise Gwebu on 03/12/2024 15:12:00


MBABANE - Princess Lungile feels it will be grossly unfair to inherit a Mbabane
Swallows riddled with debts.
Speaking on the Eswatini Broadcasting and Information Services (EBIS) Sportshow,
she highlighted the financial challenges facing the team since the passing of
her husband, Victor Gamedze, on January 14, 2018. During the interview with
Siphesihle ‘Sihlabani’ Nxumalo, the princess recounted how she was
approached by then-Captain Tony ‘TT’ Tsabedze, who implored her to assist
the struggling team after the senseless murder of the shrewd businessman and
team chairman.
“I agreed to handle the team’s affairs as per his plea. Upon reviewing the
financials, I discovered that only E1 000 was available in the main account at
EswatiniBank, while salaries totalled around E45 000 monthly,” she revealed.
Additionally, she noted that the club owed E600 000 from a trip to Algeria for a
Confederation of African Football (CAF) match.
Obligations
To address these debts, the princess initiated fundraising efforts, including
selling the popular T-shirts with the ‘Myekeleni Aphumule’ inscription,
which allowed her to settle the club’s immediate financial obligations.
“That year, they won the league and the Ingwenyama Cup, and reached the group
stages in their CAF games,” she added, reflecting on the club’s successes
during her tenure. However, she lamented the high costs of running the club,
estimating annual expenses at around E8 million, excluding player signing fees
and CAF commitments.
Tensions escalated when it was claimed the team did not rightfully belong to
Gamedze, leading to a power struggle within the club. As the situation
deteriorated, Princess Lungile sought clarity on the club’s status from the
Premier League of Eswatini (PLE), only to learn that the organisation had been
restructured as an association, while Gamedze had registered it as private
limited company. “I decided to leave the team out of Gamedze’s assets,
appointing a board to manage the shares,” she explained. When pressed about
her intentions regarding the club, the princess insisted that any handover must
be conducted through proper channels. “It is not fair to give someone the team
when it is ruined,” she stated firmly.
Willing
She indicated that the new board will be willing to take over once the debts
were cleared, emphasising the need for transparency regarding the club’s
financial situation. Recent developments have seen the management of Mbabane
Swallows reverting the club to its original status as a company, in a bid to
resolve ongoing financial issues, including unpaid player salaries.Despite a
recent handover announcement, Princess Lungile’s camp has reportedly refused
to accept the club in its current state, citing the need for it to be debt-free
before any transitions can occur.The princess was interviewed before the warring
factions decided that the team should remain with the old MC until further
notice.
This was after mediation efforts by the PLE, late yesterday.