IN AN UNEXPECTED MOVE: PLAYERS REPORT ‘BIRDS’ TO CMAC

MBABANE – Mbabane Swallows players have taken decisive action against their management by filing a complaint with the Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration Commission (CMAC).  

According to a letter obtained by this publication, the players have reported to CMAC the management committee (MC), led by Acting President Absalom Ngwenya, due to their alleged failure to pay player salaries and fulfil other obligations. The letter, drafted by the team’s 24 registered players, outlines their grievances with the management. “As players, we have not received our salaries for September and October. There is a lack of transparency in management. Some players have not received their salaries for December 2023. Additionally, there has been neglect towards injured players, such as Given Lukhele, Sizolwethu Shabalala, and others,” the letter states.

The letter further reveals that the Club House, located at Sandla, in Mbabane, is devoid of electricity units. “The team bus, a Sprinter, is not roadworthy as it has no brakes. Signing-on fees from last season remain unpaid. We were informed that the change of ownership papers under the PLE, dated November 8th, 2024, have yet to be processed. On November 7th, players in the Club House were threatened with eviction, despite having no money and arriving in the evening hours,” the letter continues.  It also mentions that last season, players were promised that if they won the league or any tournament, their circumstances would improve; however, they continue to struggle.  

Meanwhile, Mbabane Highlanders players are facing a similar plight. Through a petition signed by 19 players, they expressed their alleged suffering in silence under the leadership of South African MD Ally Kgomongwe, claiming that their salaries have frequently been delayed or not paid at all. Previously, former Highlanders goalkeeper Isaac Amoah took action against the Mbabane giants, filing a letter of demand with CMAC to recover E50 000 in unpaid wages. The Ghanaian player’s claim included five months of unpaid salary, totalling E25 000, dating back to January.  

One player from Swallows, speaking on the condition of anonymity, confirmed the recent filing of a letter of concerns with CMAC. According to the player, this action was prompted by the management allegedly providing inaccurate information to the players. “We want to be treated with dignity,” he stated briefly. A representative from CMAC, Gugu Phiri, declined to comment on the matter involving Swallows players during a telephonic interview. Swallows Public Relations Officer (PRO) Knowledge ‘Bambo’ Ngwenya confirmed that the team has received the letter and stated that the management’s lawyers are currently reviewing it to provide legal guidance. In June 2015, a similar situation occurred at the Brazilian football club, Sport Recife, when players filed a complaint with Brazil’s Labour Court, alleging non-payment of wages and bonuses.

Outstanding

The court ruled in favour of the players and ordered the club to pay the outstanding salaries, along with penalties and legal fees. This case illustrates the universal nature of these issues in professional football, highlighting the need for clubs and management to prioritise their financial obligations to players and uphold their contractual agreements. Efforts to obtain comments from Princess Lungile were made through multiple phone calls; however, her phone remained unavailable at the time of compiling this report.

According to a letter shared with this publication, both parties involved in the dispute between the players and the Mbabane Swallows management have been invited to attend a Pre-conciliation meeting with the intention of reaching a voluntary settlement. The meeting is scheduled to take place at the CMAC Operations Offices next Tuesday, at 11am. In the meantime, sources within the players’ group have reportedly stated that the players will be abstaining from team activities until the issue of unpaid salaries is resolved.

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