PLE’S NIGHT GAMES HEADACHE

MBABANE – The Premier League of Eswatini (PLE) will have to do without Somhlolo National Stadium for their night games.

This comes after the Ministry of Sports, Culture and Youth Affairs suspended the hosting of all evening and night activities at the stadium with immediate effect. A correspondent from the ministry has already been sent to PLE and the Eswatini Football Association (EFA).

The stadium will continue to be open for day events and these include fixtures by the PLE. The ministry, through the correspondent signed by the Principal Secretary Prince Mlayeto, indicated that the decision had been necessitated by rising electricity costs that emanated as a result of hosting night activities.
He said the ministry is in discussions with the Eswatini Electricity Company (EEC) to find a lasting solution to this challenge.

solution

“The ministry is hopeful that once such a solution is found, the hosting of night activities at the venue will resume. In the meantime, the hosting of day activities at Somhlolo will not be affected. The Ministry of Sports, Culture and Youth Affairs remains committed to playing a leading role in the development of Eswatini’s sports, culture and young people,” reads part of the correspondent.

PLE Chief Operations Officer (COO) Pat Vilakati said this was worrying news to them as they were approaching a period of fixture congestion, with the addition of tournaments on the cards including the Ingwenyama Cup.

The PLE usually hosts mid-week games at the venue. “We are aware of the correspondence as it came through EFA. It will be a huge blow to us but we believe that all the parties involved are working on the matter,” he said.

The match between Royal Leopard and Young Buffaloes to be played today will now kick-off at 3:30pm while it was earlier scheduled for 6:30pm. Vilakati said another pending game between the army side Young Buffaloes and Manzini Sea Birds, will now kick-off at 4pm next Wednesday at Somhlolo National

Stadium.

“At least some teams are flexible in playing their fixtures during the day mid-week. We believe that we are behind schedule as our national team, Sihlangu, was playing. We are going to wait for EFA to give us directions and comment further on the matter,” he said.

Venues

Only three venues remain to host games at night after the closure of Somhlolo National Stadium and they are Mavuso Sports Centre, Mayaluka Stadium and Mhlume Stadium.
When sought for EFA Marketing and Communications Officer Muzi Radebe said it was the ministry that could make a pronouncement on the matter.

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