AMID SALARY STRIFE: ‘BIRDS’ STAR ‘GUSHESHE’ QUITS

MBABANE – Mbabane Swallows’ dynamic attacking midfielder Siyabonga ‘Gusheshe’ Zwane, has decided to part ways with the club.

The attacking midfielder, who signed from Seven Dreams last year, alongside Newman Philiso from Ludzeludze Killers, joins the ranks of the reigning champions’ players who have been enduring a tumultuous period regarding their salaries. It is alleged that players have gone unpaid for the past two months, with their last payment received in September being only half of their salaries. Swallows’ Acting President, Absalom Ngwenya, reportedly declared that the club has no funds to pay its players. Ngwenya purportedly made this statement during a hearing at the Conciliation Mediation and Arbitration Commission (CMAC) offices last month.

Unpaid

The Umkhonto KaShaka players, along with those of Inkunz’emnyama, also had to endure a bleak Christmas Day, as their salaries were still unpaid, forcing the players to spend the day with their families with nothing in hand. According to credible sources within the Mbabane Swallows camp, the talented attacking midfielder submitted his resignation letter on Christmas Day, in response to the non-payment of promised wages. “Yes, it’s true that Siyabonga Zwane resigned from the club. In reality, you cannot blame him, as the players also have families to feed, but the team currently has no one to pay the players,” the source said.In a resignation letter obtained by this publication, Gusheshe states that the club’s failure to honour his contract by withholding his salary and signing-on fee for the past three months has compelled him to take this challenging but necessary step.

The letter was addressed to the Chairman of the club, Welile Mabuza, and laid out his grievances in detail, highlighting the breach of contract as the primary reason for his departure.
Confirming the news in a recent interview with our publication, ‘Gusheshe’ acknowledged his resignation from the club, affirming that his decision was a direct consequence of the club’s breach of his contract and the subsequent failure to pay his salary and signing-on fee. The midfielder emphasised that he had reached this juncture after exhausting all possible avenues to resolve the situation. “I want to express that it was a difficult decision, but one that I felt was necessary, given the club’s breach of my contract,” he said. Despite continued questions from the reporter about a potential move to Nsingizini Hotspurs, the attacking player maintained that he had not received any formal offers from any team.
statement
Swallows Public Relations Officer (PRO) Knowledge ‘Bhambo’ Ngwenya stated that the team’s Management Committee (MC) will issue a statement at the appropriate time, so he cannot comment on the resignation of a single player. “We are still engaging stakeholders to try and find a solution to the salaries issue for players, the technical team and staff,” he said.
According to the International Federation of Football Association (FIFA) Articles 12bis and 14, non-payment of a player’s salary or other amounts due within a specific period, typically 30 to 60 days, or repeated failures to pay wages can be construed as a breach of contract, with potentially significant consequences for both the player and the club involved.
The player may be legally entitled to pursue compensation for unpaid wages, while the club may face disciplinary measures from FIFA or other governing bodies, ranging from fines to potential expulsion from the league.

Addressing the issue of salary non-payment in professional football, the Football Union of South Africa (FUSA) Secretary, Taelo Motloung, clarified FIFA’s position on the matter during an interview yesterday. “FIFA’s regulations are explicit when it comes to the importance of timely payment of wages in football,” Motloung stated. In an attempt to ameliorate the situation and demonstrate gratitude for the players’ perseverance despite unpaid salaries, Swallows FC recently distributed monetary tokens of appreciation.

Divided

Before Christmas, Umkhonto KaShaka players were given over E5 000 by their fans, following a match against Royal Leopard, a sum that was also divided among the players. These gestures, while appreciated, are not considered a long-term solution, and both clubs are actively seeking to resolve the salary payment issue. This publication recently shared that Nsingizini Hotspurs are looking to bolster their team with the addition of four potential recruits from Umkhonto KaShaka: Kwakhe ‘Stopper’ Thwala, Bongi ‘Karas’ Magagula, ‘Gusheshe’ Zwane and Newman Philiso.

According to an insider from one of the teams, these players have been pinpointed by the ‘Insingizi YeZulu’ technical team as part of Nsingizini Hotspurs’ strategy to enhance their domestic performance. It should be noted that earlier this year, the Swallows’ want-away player was once linked with a move to Green Mamba. One prime example of a team that faced significant player departures due to a failure to pay salaries is the case of Bolton Wanderers, an English football club that suffered severe financial difficulties in the 2010s. Despite having enjoyed a period of success in the Premier League earlier in the decade, the team found themselves struggling to stay afloat financially, with mounting debt ultimately leading to player wages going unpaid.

Post your comment

Your name:

Your e-mail address:

Add your comments:

Please enter the code you see in the image:

Image:

Code: