Times Of Swaziland: SWALLOWS IMPASSE FAR FROM OVER: DISOWNED ELDERS HIT BACK SWALLOWS IMPASSE FAR FROM OVER: DISOWNED ELDERS HIT BACK ================================================================================ Nimrod Hlophe on 25/05/2024 07:39:00 MBABANE – Capital city giants Mbabane Swallows’ disowned new council of elders are not going down without a fight. The disowned Council of Elders’ Chairperson Robert Magongo said the drastic steps taken by the club against the body would not go unchallenged, assuring that they would soon announce their next step. Although reluctant to reveal what they think might be the reasons, Magongo said they would hold their horses in respect of the dark cloud engulfing the former club President, Archbishop Bheki Lukhele’s family. The All Nation Church in Zion founder has recently lost his father. “Tell them that the disbanded Council of Elders is not ours but theirs, led by Mr Ngwenya. We don’t know them, and we’re here to put Mbabane Swallows’ house in order,” Magongo said in response to another Swallows legend’s statement shared on national radio yesterday morning. Speaking during the sports show programme at Eswatini Broadcasting and Information Services (EBIS), Musa Magongo said that the council no longer formed part of the club’s hierarchy despite being constituted. “Let’s address this issue of Magongo (Robert), who says they are elders. Elders are elected by supporters, and I don’t know who put them in power or when that happened. If he may be asked, how many votes did he get and against whom?” Musa wondered. Surprise He evoked that since his arrival at the 2023/24 MTN Premier League champions at the age of 20, there was a healthy election for the elders’ executive. He expressed surprise at someone suddenly claiming to be the council’s chairperson without being voted into power. He said, however, that all powers currently were vested in the Acting President Absalom Ngwenya, who takes decisions for the common good of the club. It is worth noting that questions arose after a six-member Council of Elders led by Robert unveiled itself on Wednesday. The acting president also popularly known as Mvana, was removed as the former council’s chairperson. Coincidentally, this was the same day ‘Birds’ decided against such a body. Robert Magongo further advised Musa to reason and distance himself from the ongoing rift. He suggested that his brother should step back because he has been absent from the club for about 30 years, allegedly busy with cycling. “Musa is too old to be involved in this issue. He should distance himself and stop following these boys. He must update himself on the latest trends in the club and be clear about what has been happening since 2018. That is the reasoning he needs as one of the elders,” the former ‘Birds’ manager said. He further did not refute the elections into the elders council but said it was abandoned almost 20 years ago when the club took a new model of leadership. He said during Musa’s time, the Council of Elders elections were usually held at the Mater Dorolosa School (MDS) Hall, but it was abandoned immediately after the club took the directorship route. “Ask them who was elected and where the council that Ngwenya has been serving as its chairperson until Wednesday was elected. We’re not an illegal council but known elders in the team. No one elects the executive but we meet as elders and elect ourselves,” Robert also said. During the unveiling of the council he leads, Robert said the resolution to remove Ngwenya from power was taken in a meeting held on March 23. He said Ngwenya was invited to the meeting at the Happy Valley Hotel and Casino but did not show up. Meanwhile, Umkhonto KaShaka Governor Sandile ‘Beyond 2000’ Zwane, speaking also on the radio, expressed hope that the matter would be resolved once and for all. Objectives “Ngwenya was given powers by the (former) President, Bheki Lukhele, to act on his position. He has the authority to dissolve any board that is inconsistent with the club’s goals and objectives. He did exactly that when we had a player’s party on Wednesday, where he also announced that this structure no longer exists at the club,” Zwane said. The governor said the structure no longer existed in the latest club structures as it was not in line with the Confederation of African Football (CAF) licensing requirement. He said there was a directorship model proposed, which actually needed Lukhele’s approval. ‘Beyond 2000’ said it would be announced and included in the constitution and the club’s legal team was working on amending the constitution of the club for these latest changes. “Even if you check the constitution they are circulating; it was signed by Ngwenya, whom they now denounce. If you don’t know him, it means you don’t belong to the club, as he has served the club for quite some long time,” the former general manager said. Meanwhile, efforts to get Zwane’s response to Robert’s reaction were fruitless, as his phone rang unanswered. It is worth noting the big three clubs in the country have been accommodating patrons and a Council of Elders in their club structure. Both structures exist within the Manzini Wanderers family, where there is also a board of directors. Meanwhile, Mbabane Highlanders also have patrons within their directorship model.