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ANTS TELLING BEES HOW TO MAKE HONEY!

20/05/2020 00:31:00 BY LWAZI DLAMINI

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Sports Editor

As the battle for the soul of Eswatini football rages on, it is quite interesting that there are just too many ants telling bees how to make honey!

Unsurprisingly this is happening when the elections of the Premier League of Eswatini (PLE) are just around the corner and then of course, the elections of the Eswatini Football Association (EFA) will be held in a year’s time.

Our football, sadly, becomes mired in mudslinging, in-fighting, backbiting, political battles whenever the time of an election comes around. Friends become foes, opportunists wander around looking for an opening to fulfil their interests and the core business of the sport suffers on the altar of the battle for power. So does the image of the organisation as it is the case right now.
It is rather unfortunate that this battle for the soul of football, in particular, at the PLE, comes at a time when the whole world is submerged into the greatest tragedy of our lifetime – the coronavirus pandemic.

It’s a double blow for the most followed sport in the country. Events of the past few weeks have also reminded us of the leadership crisis we have in football and the warring factions who have old scores to settle, finding football as a pawn in their political chess game.

This period has also unmasked the lack of accountability by those in leadership if not the dictatorial tendencies which has been their modus-operandi that has seen them create a cartel that is opposed to any meaningful change; kicks the ‘clever blacks’ out of the system if they dare to offer dissenting views and embraces all those who support the status quo even if they deliver zilch in their respective constituencies.

Typical of the politically-fractured Tinkhundla system playing itself even in the cauldron of football!
Clearly, the centre can no longer hold. It is time for the Board of Governors membership to stand up and be counted. The gains achieved over 15 years cannot be undone and sacrificed on the altar of an election period.

The selfless men who shackled the chains of the EFA Management Committee to form the PLE would be disappointed if the structure suddenly collapses like a deck of cards. I am talking about the likes of Sidwell Lukhele, Moses ‘Mkhulu’ Motsa, Victor ‘Maradona’ Gamedze, Veli Dlamini, Celani Shongwe, Martin ‘Internash’ Dlamini, Henry ‘Shushu’ Mthethwa, Charles ‘Ace’ Jele, Henry ‘Tum’ Du Pont, Khisimusi Ndlovu, Desmond Oswin, to mention a few of the pathfinders who sacrificed a lot to give football a new face and direction.

Sports Editor, LWAZI DLAMINI, in his series of articles, calls upon the PLE Board of Governors to stand up and save the organisation right now.

THE LEADERSHIP VACUUM
One certain thing now is that there is a leadership vacuum at the Premier League of Eswatini (PLE) and the issues being raised by the Board of Governors members are valid. The incumbent chairman, Peter ‘Touch’ Magagula, is walking on eggshells, trying to re-invent the wheel or trying to maintain the same leadership style of the late chairman, Victor ‘Maradona’ Gamedze, which clearly is not working this time.

There was no formula during the late Gamedze’s era; he did things his way and at times in complete disregard of everything corporate governance dictates. He was a shrewd businessman who was respected by many in the Board of Directors of the Captains of Industry who then associated with football. His word in the PLE and football as a whole became law. That era is long gone. It ended when that bumbling fool – with no regard for life – pulled the trigger to shoot him in cold-blood on Sunday, January 14, 2018 at 6:53pm.

Now the organisation needs to have policies in place; a clear structure and vision. It needs someone who can take that vision forward with the backing of the people he is leading, which are the Board of Governors. No doubt, this period is a litmus test for ‘Touch’ Magagula. He faces a group of Board of Governors who are not willing to let things slide and demand to be heard. If he survives this, he will come out even stronger as a leader. ‘Touch’, black man you are on your own!

UNDUE INTERFERENCE FROM
EFA ON THE RISE
One thing you cannot begrudge the Eswatini Football Association (EFA) Executive Committee under the leadership of the long-serving Adam ‘Bomber’ Mthethwa is that they know how to play the ‘football politics’ well.

They are exceedingly cunning and with the EFA elections next year, already the daggers have been drawn. It was quite interesting to see the EFA president addressing the media last week, stamping his authority and even letting fly a few verbal blows to his detractors or potential opposition in the next election. One thing became clear, the PLE leadership crisis has been topical in the EFA Executive Committee meetings and in the process, the football mother body is perhaps even overstepping its boundaries in delving into issues that could be addressed by the PLE membership.

The temptation to ‘intervene’, sadly, could be driven by selfish agendas, not the overall interests of helping the organisation stand on its feet as it ought to be. That’s why some of the PLE Board of Governors cannot be blamed for feeling that perhaps the EFA is now meddling into the affairs of the organisation which ostensibly is autonomous and has not failed to handle its affairs. That’s quite interesting indeed.
Needless to say, football politics is as dirty as a coal miner’s underwear in January!

PLE NEEDS TO RESOLVE ERSTWHILE CEO SIMANGA NHLEKO ISSUE
The hottest potato on the lap of the PLE Executive Committee is of course the issue of erstwhile Chief Executive Officer Simanga Nhleko. The matter is pending in court and therefore subjudice. The reason for the impasse between the PLE and the CEO Nhleko are not clear. But the PLE already has had issues with its previous CEOs who ended up going the legal route to seek redress when their contracts were nullified. Zwelonkhe ‘Sport’ Dlamini is a case in point and he is seeking no less than E600 000 in compensation. Nhleko could be also seeking not less than that amount too or even a reinstatement. If the PLE loses both cases, then surely ‘Touch’ Magagula and his executive committee will be left with an Ostrich egg splashed all over their faces. They need to find a way to resolve the matter with Nhleko soonest because it hangs around their necks like an albatross.

PLE MUST ADVERTISE AND
HIRE CEO WORTH THE TAG
One thing that is certain and cannot be hidden is that under the Board of Governors structure, the CEO is the most important person. He is more important than even the chairman because he is the heart-beat of the organisation, driving its policies and vision. That’s why the Premier Soccer League (PSL) Chairman Dr Irvin ‘Iron Duke’ Khoza went as far as England to pick the ‘British Bulldog’, Trevor Phillips to help run the PSL. When Phillips left, another experienced administrator, former Norway FA secretary, Kjetil Siem took over. As it is, the PSL is being heavily criticised for not hiring a CEO for over three years now with Golden Arrows owner Mato Madlala in an acting capacity. Likewise, the PLE needs to advertise and hire a proper CEO (not a lapdog that will be head-hunted by the executive committee or chairman) who can run the organisation and fulfil its policies and vision. The strategic plan which was recently undertaken with the assistance of KhosiKen company will help the PLE make the right choice in getting someone with the experience and expertise to run the organisation efficiently. It is time to grow the brand – not to find a lapdog who will be at the beck and call of the executive committee who are so conflicted they even want to run fixtures or have a slush fund account not known to the CEO!

TAKE DECISION ON WHAT HAPPENS
TO THE 2019/2020 SEASON
While the EFA has the final say on what will happen to the 2019/2020 season, there is nothing wrong with the PLE Board of Governors also having their say as an organisation, after-all they are the most affected people in the whole coronavirus crisis. The PLE should do the right thing – seek the contribution of the Board of Governors on what should happen to the 2019/2020 season and then honestly take those submissions to the EFA. What is evident right now, given the current circumstances caused by COVID-19, is that there will be no football played anytime soon especially in Third World countries like ours. Without sounding like a stuck record, let’s just cancel the season and allow teams to prepare for next season. Meantime deliberations can be on how to go about doing so without opening a leeway to a flurry of litigation from aggrieved teams.

SEEK EFA’S COUNSEL ON
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
The EFA might be holding on tightly on the FIFA grants but at the end of the day, teams need the assistance in light of the coronavirius pandemic. The EFA has sent out all the required documents to FIFA for the Relief Fund and hopefully, when the funds are made available the PLE would have a proper plan of how to assist the teams. I would prefer that the PLE emphasise the need to adhere to the bare minimum requirements of the CAF Club Licensing Programme. That would be of great help to the teams so that we can kick-start the journey to professionalism. In Botswana, for instance, the Botswana Football Association (BFA) through President Maclean Letshwiti, has made it clear – and clean, pun intended - that the CAF Club Licensing is a must – no ifs, no buts. Teams cannot be run on hand-outs. Teams need the financial assistance to adhere to the CAF Club Licensing Programme and perhaps, this COVID-19 crisis could be a blessing in disguise in this regard.

RESOLVE CONSTITUTIONAL
CONUNDRUM
One of the major downfalls of the PLE is the retrogressive constitution of the organisation. Yes, a Constitutional Review Committee was tasked with untangling the spider-web that is the constitution and one hopes there will be progress in this regard so that the constitution dovetails with the strategic plan and vision of the PLE.