VOICELESS!

MBABANE – A good idea gone bad. That is one way to describe the television rights deal sealed between the PLS and Swazi TV last season at Rambla’s Restaurant just outside the capital city. Swazi TV’s tag line goes, ‘The Voice of the Nation’.

The first of its kind for Swazi soccer in which the PLS foresaw teams getting grants to assist them in their running each season.
It was all worth E2m and of course, local elite games were broadcast live on Swazi TV. However, since this season started, there has been no live broadcast or any renewal of the rights’ deal. Investigations on the matter revealed that they could not go live as there was no running contract to that effect.

This is consequent to the fact that the deal allegedly did not get the CEO Bongani ‘Sigcokosiyancinca’ Dlamini’s full backing after it was signed while he was out of the country and he is also said to have raised that point with the PLS when the latter sought payment of the E2m at the time.

Also, the station only forked out E400 000 to the PLS mid this year after the latter’s frantic efforts to get the deal settled. This effectively means the PLS is still to receive E1.6m to satisfy all its affiliates as only eight teams of 14 benefitted.

The big three teams, Mbabane Highlanders, Mbabane Swallows and Manzini Wanderers as well as the forces clubs being Royal Leopard, Green Mamba and Young Buffaloes, are still in the waiting to receive their share. In essence, only eight teams shared the E400 000 while the remaining ones were informed they would be sorted later on.

It has transpired that it could take longer than expected for the six teams to receive anything regarding the television rights grants. Those that benefitted received E60 000 each and these include Red Lions, Mbabane City, Vovovo, Matsapha United, Tambuti, and Moneni Pirates.

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