FRENCH INVESTOR READY TO RESCUE ‘BIRDS’

MBABANE – A French national residing in France, Alfred Raoul, announced his intention to provide financial support to alleviate Mbabane Swallows’ financial struggles.

Raoul’s offer comes as a timely response to Swallows Acting President Absalom Ngwenya’s recent admission of the club’s financial difficulties caused by their participation in continental competitions. The club’s budgetary struggles have placed a significant burden on their resources, making Raoul’s intervention potentially pivotal in safeguarding the team’s future. The acting president of Umkhonto KaShaka disclosed that the team had spent a substantial amount of money on venues, accommodation and match officials during their recent participation in the CAF Champions League.

In light of these challenges, Ngwenya called upon companies and individuals to support the team in its ongoing efforts to compete at the highest level of African club football. Swallows reportedly spent E1.7 million in their Confederation of African Fooball (CAF) campaign, where they lost in the second round against Mamelodi Sundowns. In a telephonic interview, the French businessman , who once worked as a International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) player’s agent, revealed that he chose to extend financial aid to Mbabane Swallows because of its historical importance as a big team and his admiration for the late Victor ‘ Maradona ‘ Gamedze, who played a significant role in the club’s success. Raoul expressed that the opportunity to assist the struggling team was not just an investment, but a chance to pay tribute to Gamedze’s legacy and make a difference in the world of football.

“As someone who has a personal connection to Victor Gamedze and his vision for football in Eswatini, I see this opportunity to provide Mbabane Swallows with a technical and financial partnership as a way to not only support the team, but also to make an impact on the influence of the kingdom of Eswatini globally. Over the course of three years, I believe we can make a difference for both the team and the country, all while honouring the legacy of Gamedze,” he said.

Raoul elaborated on his conversations with Eswatini football administrators, emphasising that he had met with the Eswatini Football Association (EFA) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Frederick Mngomezulu and other prominent figures in the country’s football scene. In these discussions, they allegedly shared their vision for a significant investment in Swallows, with the aim of providing both financial and technical support to reinvigorate and bolster the team’s performance.

“Upon my arrival in Eswatini, I discovered that there was a conflict between Mbabane Swallows FC and Mbabane Swallows  Pty (Ltd). This unforeseen obstacle, which has made the investment process more complex and challenging, has led me to encourage both parties to come together and resolve their differences so that a mutually beneficial solution can be achieved. As an investor from outside the country, it is essential for me to ensure that any investment I make is in a stable and harmonious environment, which will require the cooperation and agreement of all stakeholders involved, “the businessman revealed.

According to Raoul, discussing specific monetary figures in the context of his investment proposal was a delicate matter due to cultural sensitivities in Africa.“I have already shared our investment proposal and specific financial details with the relevant stakeholders at Mbabane Swallows when I was in the country, and I can assure you that it is a significant sum for an African football club. Our main objective is to guarantee that the players receive their wages in a timely and regular manner, which is essential to the stability and success of the team.” he said.

Dispute

He made it clear that the ongoing dispute within the club was the primary impediment to moving forward with the proposed investment. The chairman of Swallows, Welile Mabuza, confirmed that the club met with Raoul, approximately two to three months ago and discussed the potential for sponsorships in Dubai. According to Mabuza, Raoul emphasised the importance of the club paying a sum of US$150 000 (about E2.6 million in current exchange rate)  to open up opportunities for investment from Dubai-based entities. “Alfred Raoul stipulated that the club must pay an upfront fee of US$150 000, which is the requirement of the investors intended to initiate the process of establishing a partnership,” he said.

Expanding on the matter, Mabuza stated that, as a club, they were receptive to sponsorships and believed that internal issues should not hinder these opportunities from coming to fruition.
 “We are welcoming of sponsorships, and we believe that internal challenges should not prevent us from realising the benefits of these opportunities, “he added. Meanwhile, recently, former Swallows’ director Princess Lungile summoned team Governor Sandile ‘beyond 2000’ Zwane to address various issues surrounding the club.

The emergency meeting, purportedly organised to celebrate the handover of the 2023/24 MTN Premier League trophy to the princess after the Caleb Ngwenya-led team secured the championship, exposed several shocking revelations, including the fact that the club, known as Mbabane Swallows, was operating under two entities: Mbabane Swallows FC and Mbabane Swallows PTY (Ltd).Princess Lungile, after inheriting the leadership of Swallows from her late husband, recalled that some club officials approached her to clarify that the team was not a company, but rather a football club.Meanwhile, in an effort to obtain comments from Princess Lungile, multiple attempts were made to contact her through phone calls. However, as of the time this report was being compiled, her phone remained unavailable.

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