TEMPORARY RELIEF FOR CLUB’S FAITHFUL, AS ...PLE INTERVENES IN ‘BIRDS’ FEUD

MBABANE - The highly-anticipated Premier League of Eswatini (PLE) match between Mbabane Swallows FC and Royal Leopard has been postponed.

This is due to an unresolved dispute between two factions of the side. Following a taxing four-hour meeting with representatives of the warring Swallows factions, the Premier League of Eswatini’s Acting CEO, Pat ‘Kungumusa’ Vilakati, announced that the eagerly-awaited game against Royal Leopard will be postponed. The protracted deliberations, which took a significant toll on those involved brought together  the two distinct groups: Mbabane Swallows (Pty) Ltd, led by Princess Lungile’s representative, Mduduzi Hlophe and the newly-appointed chairperson, Bongani Dlamini; and Mbabane Swallows FC, represented by resigned  management led by Acting President Absalom Ngwenya and Chairman Welile Mabuza.

Postpone

The stalemate between the two factions, each unwilling to back down from their positions, ultimately led to the PLE’s decision to postpone the match until a resolution could be found.
“Today, we, the Premier League of Eswatini, met with both factions of the Mbabane Swallows family in an attempt to resolve the ongoing dispute and facilitate the continuation of the game against Royal Leopard. However, after hearing the submissions from each club, it became clear that both parties were not prepared to move forward with the match, citing the incomplete handover of the club as the main reason.”

When asked individually, both factions confirmed their unwillingness to play the game under these circumstances,” he said. Both factions were given a deadline of Monday at 11:30am to come to a resolution that will enable the club to resume playing. The outgoing management committee (MC) insisted that they had already handed over the club to Princess Lungile’s representative, Mduduzi Hlophe, while Hlophe’s side maintained that they were not accepting the handover as it included debts of the club.

Leading

“There is no one who is leading the club right now,” he said. Vilakati also emphasised that the PLE’s decision to postpone the game was made with the best interests of the club, the stakeholders, and the integrity of the sport in mind. “By continuing to schedule the game despite being aware of the likely outcome, we would be putting the supporters in a potentially dangerous situation. The supporters would have paid for their tickets, only to find that one team did not show up for the game, which would have undoubtedly led to disappointment and frustration. Additionally, the Mavuso Sports Centre, where the game was to be played, would also be put at risk if any disturbances or protests were to occur as a result of the unresolved conflict between the two factions. “Therefore, we decided to postpone the game to avoid any potential negative consequences and ensure the safety of all involved,” Vilakati said.

Vilakati went on to explain that the PLE had previously encountered a similar situation with Highlanders and were able to assist them in resolving their issues. “Highlanders approached us with their problems, and we were able to help them overcome those issues,” he said. This publication reported yesterday that after the purported official handover of the club by the outgoing management committee led by Ngwenya, to Princess Lungile, it came to light that the leadership under the latter has declined the offer to accept the team.

Devoid

This has left the club in a precarious position, devoid of directorship, as both parties have submitted formal letters; the outgoing committee signalling their departure, while Princess Lungile, through legal representatives, has indicated her refusal to take on the responsibilities. During a press conference at Thokoza Church Centre, four days ago, Ngwenya asserted that they had officially handed over the club to Princess Lungile. However, a letter addressed to this publication contradicts this claim, stating that she will not accept the team unless it is free of debt. This correspondence was also shared with the PLE and the Eswatini Football Association (EFA). Meanwhile, Leopard Public Relations Officer (PRO) Frank Hurube said this was a big blow to their side after preparing for the game throughout the week.“This definitely kills our momentum in the league, but on the other hand, we wouldn’t want to play a game that would put the stakeholders, the teams and the supporters at risk,” he said.

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