MLILO, ELDERS IRON OUT DIFFERENCES, SALARIES PROCESSED

MBABANE – Finally, Moneni Pirates players are getting paid.

This follows a fruitful meeting on Sunday between Moneni Pirates Managing Director (MD) Nqobizitha Mlilo, Elders and the Management Committee (MC). Pirates had given the Zimbabwe-born advocate a 48-hour ultimatum to pay players and staff salaries and they were reportedly last paid in December. Mlilo had raised concerns that he was purportedly the team’s director but decisions were taken or approved by elders. He also complained that he wanted a squad of 23 players but he was expected to cater for 32. He also lamented inconsistences in the list of players he had to pay about two weeks ago.

Decision

After the meeting on Sunday, elders are reported to have given the South Africa-based law practitioner the leeway to take decisions in his capacity as the director. “We met yesterday (Sunday), and we met with the elders and thrashed out the issues. It was a necessary and very productive meeting. There was information they didn’t have, which I clarified. There is information they gave me also. We agreed on the main issues. They informed me that they have given me the final decision making powers. I can implement my vision,” confirmed Mlilo. He maintained the players’ welfare was important. “Players will be paid, and paid on time. As I speak to you now, payments are being processed by the Finance Director and the CEO. There were a few whose banking details were being confirmed or there were some problems with having bank accounts. That’s an administrative issue,” he said.

The director added that his vision was that everyone benefitted from this team, the players, the investors and the supporters. “I noticed something unique about Moneni Pirates. Supporters are always keen to invest money in the team.” He added that other than just being supporters who put in money, they could do something for them. “We can create a structure where they own shares in the team. This way, they get money back in their pockets. When we declare dividend, or profits, they should be also paid. This way, they are not just giving money to the team and that’s it. The financial success of the team is theirs also and they have money in their pockets,” explained the MD. He added teams in Europe have similar schemes where supporters own shares of the team and said it was possible to also do it here. “I have tasked the CEO to engage one of the female-owned accounting firms in the country to help us structure this. We will do it. We have to rationalise player contracts. They have to make practical and business sense,” he said.

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