SWIMMING STARS OFF TO HUNGARY

MBABANE – Swimming sensations Damien de Sousa and Siwakhile Dlamini will be representing the country in Budapest, Hungary, in December.

In an exclusive reveal by Eswatini Swimming Association (ESA) Secretary General (SG) Nozipho Mahlalela, the association expressed its immense pride in Damien and Siwakhile, who will be representing the country in the Budapest tournament from December 9-16, 2024. “As an association, we are ecstatic to share that Damien de Sousa and Siwakhile Dlamini will be representing our country in the December short course world championships in Hungary.

“We are incredibly proud of their achievements and his constant growth and development as a swimmer fills us with immense pride. The athletes continue to make our country shine on the international stage, and we are excited to see them reach even greater heights in their career,”she said. According to Mahlalela, the reason behind De Sousa’s selection to represent the country is his exceptional performance on the world stage, as he holds the highest ranking among athletes from Eswatini in the FINA points system. Additionally, Siwakhile’s status as a World Aquatics scholarship holder was a significant factor in her invitation to the event.

Meanwhile, five of the country’s top swimmers, Hayley Hoy, Luca Fraser, Simanga Dlamini, Kendra MacNamara and Damien de Sousa, are slated to represent Eswatini in the Africa Aquatics Zone IV competition in December, having recently took part in the association’s one-day gala last week at Enjabulweni High School. Fraser and De Sousa, recently achieved a monumental victory at the Galfinhos gala competition held in Maputo, last Saturday. The talented duo secured an impressive haul of nine gold medals.

Eswatini team
1.     Damien De Sousa
2.     Siwakhile Dlamini
Coach: Ndumiso Khoza

The publication queried Kgomongwe about the potential postponement of the team’s matches. Kgomongwe reacted with surprise, stating that he is not aware of any such plans. “I was not aware of any plans to postpone our games. This is news to me,” he said.
Meanwhile, dismissing rumours of potential postponements, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Musa Masuku stated that the upcoming fixture against Buffaloes is set to proceed as scheduled, based on the information available to him. Masuku declined to comment on the matter, providing no further insight into the alleged discussions or any potential developments arising from the gathering
In 2019, Kgomongwe joined Highlanders and signed a five-year contract with the black and white ensemble during a press briefing, where he was presented with a contract by a delegation of patrons, led by Chairman Isaac Shabangu, Secretary Lucky Mahlalela and member Benson Dlamini.
Upon signing for the team, he made several promises, including a vow to restore Inkunzi emnyama to its former glory by winning trophies and returning to African cup competitions under his leadership. Two years after joining the team, the politician was entrusted with the management of the club, which was subsequently registered as a company. As part of this arrangement, Kgomongwe received an 80 per cent stake in the company, while the remaining 20 per cent was divided between the club’s patrons and supporters.
The Acting Football Manager of the Premier League of Eswatini, Banele Masondo said the office has not yet received any official communication from Highlanders regarding their alleged request to postpone upcoming games at the time of compiling this report yesterday night.

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