2-YRS AFTER BUS BURNS: EFA IN COSTLY ADVENTURE

MBABANE –  Two years after the national team Sihlangu’s bus was torched, the Eswatini Football Association (EFA) is still bearing the high costs of bus rentals.  

The 62-seater bus was petrol-bombed by unknown arsonists on the morning of March 27, 2022, while parked at the Lobamba Technical Centre. This means it is now the 28th month since the incident occurred. The bus, which was severely burnt in the front, used to serve both the Sihlangu and the senior women’s national team, Sitsebe. EFA received the Hyundai luxury bus from its neighbours, the South African Football Association (SAFA), after the 2010 FIFA World Cup. SAFA inherited 18 buses from the Local Organising Committee (LOC). It then distributed some to neighbouring countries such as Eswatini, Botswana, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe, among others.   

Since the incident, EFA has been renting buses from Classic Transport and sometimes from Muhle Tours. According to a reliable source, the costs of these trips vary. The source alleged that it cost the EFA about E70 000 to transport the team to and from Port Elizabeth, South Africa. Port Elizabeth recently hosted the 2024 Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (COSAFA) men’s championships.  “Each return trip roughly costs them about E70 000.  It’s worth noting that there are also additional costs charged per day, as they kept the bus with them this time,” the source revealed.  The E70 000 trips add up to E140 000, excluding the daily rates of the bus. It was also revealed that EFA likely incurred about E120 000 in transportation expenses for last year’s COSAFA edition.

Furthermore, Sihlangu sometimes travel to Nelspruit for their home games, as the Mbombela Stadium has become their battleground. They are also not spared of the charges when travelling to connect flights at Oliver Tambo International Airport for away games.  Earlier this year, the EFA decried the high expenditure of the Sihlangu. During the Sihlangu Indaba held in January, a E20 million annual spending was revealed. It was said that this could be above if Eswatini could one day pass the qualification stage. Major contributors to this expenditure included hosting away from home and air tickets.

Notably, the government usually pumps E5 million into the national team.  Meanwhile, EFA Marketing and Communications Officer Muzi ‘Rhoo’ Radebe said the bus was still being fixed.“It got damaged and it is still being fixed. I am not aware how long it will take, and those doing the job will update us once it has been completed,” Radebe said when quizzed on the transportation mode of Sihlangu. Asked about the costs of hiring the buses, Rhoo said the EFA upcoming Ordinary General Assembly would address that issue. He requested not to pre-empt the financial details. “I don’t have the financial records in my hands now, please wait for the report during the assembly,” he concluded.

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