Times Of Swaziland: ‘BIRDS’ ORDERED TO VACATE CLUBHOUSE

‘BIRDS’ ORDERED TO VACATE CLUBHOUSE
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Machawe Fakudze on 17/01/2025 08:26:00


MBABANE – Another major setback!
This is the situation facing MTN Premier League reigning champions Mbabane
Swallows, who are currently grappling with significant financial difficulties
alongside the exodus of key players. An impeccable source close to the club has
revealed that the team is now facing an additional challenge. They have been
ordered to vacate the clubhouse located at Sandla, on the outskirts of Mbabane.
It was reliably established that the property belongs to a former director, who
cannot be named, as he could not be drawn for comment at the time of compiling
this report. “The team has been given a two-month notice to vacate the
house,” a well-informed insider shared. Furthermore, it was reported that the
lease agreement between Umkhonto KaShaka and the property owner has been
cancelled. Meanwhile, Swallows Public Relations Officer (PRO) Knowledge
‘Bhambo’ Ngwenya was unavailable for comment as his phone was not reachable.
appropriate
Efforts to obtain a statement from MC Chairman Mabuza yielded no results, as he
indicated that the PRO would be the appropriate person to address such matters.
“The appropriate person to talk about issues of the team is the PRO,” Mabuza
stated. This publication sought to determine whether they had received the
eviction notice and what plans were in place regarding the housing of the
players moving forward. The challenges began when players lodged complaints
against the Mabuza-chaired Management Committee (MC) at the Conciliation,
Mediation and Arbitration Commission (CMAC), alleging that their salaries had
not been paid. In a statement made by Acting President Absalom Mvana Ngwenya
after the summons to CMAC, it was disclosed that the club had insufficient funds
to cover the players’ salaries. They even suggested returning the team to the
late Chairman Victor Gamedze’s widow, Princess Lungile. However, during a
press conference held at Thokoza Church Centre, Princess Lungile declined the
offer, citing debts exceeding E2 million. The previous MC opted to retain
control of the team following intervention from the Premier League of Eswatini
(PLE).
While specific incidents of players being ordered to vacate properties belonging
to former team owners are not widely documented across the globe, there are
general trends and reports that suggest such situations can occur, particularly
in the context of financial disputes or ownership changes within clubs. One
notable example can be found in the South African football scene, where players
have faced eviction from properties provided by club owners during ownership
transitions. When a club is sold or when an owner steps down, the new management
may decide to terminate housing arrangements for players, especially if those
arrangements were tied to the previous owner’s personal assets. This can lead
to players being given notices to vacate, often with little time to find
alternative accommodations.
(Additional information by Ashmond Nzima)