PLE REJECTS BULL, BIRDS REQUEST

MBABANE – Rejected!
This is the story of the city giants Mbabane Highlanders and Mbabane Swallows, who have approached the Premier League of Eswatini (PLE) with a request for a postponement of their forthcoming league matches against Green Mamba and Young Buffaloes, respectively. The clubs cited financial difficulties and player unavailability as the reasons for their appeal. A source within the PLE disclosed that the organisation, led by Pat ‘Kungumusa’ Vilakati, declined the giants’ request, citing time constraints as the primary reason for their decision.
The Management Committees (MCs) of Inkunzi Emnyama and Umkhonto KaShaka have opted to approach the PLE due to ongoing financial challenges.

According to a source close to the black-and-white city giants, their players have not yet resumed training following the Christmas break, a situation exacerbated by the recent national team camp for Sihlangu. In the meantime, Swallows FC and their players are reportedly working diligently on a solution that would be in the best interest of all parties ahead of the challenging league fixture against Young Buffaloes. This publication highlighted yesterday that the giants find themselves enmeshed in a debilitating salary dispute, with players currently unpaid for an astonishing three months. Although Sihlangu managed to secure a 1-0 victory against Madagascar in a TotalEnergies African Nations Championship (CHAN) Qualifier, this result was not enough to guarantee their place in the upcoming tournament scheduled for next month in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.

Training

Meanwhile, within the ‘Birds’ Nest’, a source revealed that a few players reported for training, but had to abandon the session due to the torrential rain that was experienced yesterday afternoon. PLE Acting CEO Vilakati confirmed that they had responded to the teams, but refrained from providing full details regarding the denial of the teams’ request. “We can’t reveal the contents of the responses; only the teams can comment,” Vilakati stated. Highlanders’ Interim Manager, Makhosonkhe Gama, confirmed that their request was turned down and that the team would honour the match. “We will engage the players as failure to attend the match could incur heavy fines for the club,” Gama remarked.
Amid the barrage of reports surrounding the current turmoil facing the Mbabane giants, Swallows Public Relations Officer (PRO), Knowledge ‘Bhambo’ Ngwenya, provided some clarity on the situation by confirming that players had indeed reported back for training.

However, Ngwenya indicated that the team was currently engaged in a crucial meeting, suggesting that a potential resolution was being discussed with the hopes of swiftly resolving the impasse. This is not the first occasion that Highlanders and Swallows have sought a match postponement this season, with a previous request being denied due to similar time constraints.
An additional reason provided to Highlanders was that they were not in a position to request a postponement for a match that was not theirs. According to the 2024/25 MTN Premier League Rules and Regulations, Article 4.3 states that any club wishing to request a change to a fixture must submit such a request at least seven days prior to the scheduled start of the match. Fixtures will only be amended under extreme circumstances at the discretion of the PLE.

Liquidation

In recent years, Rangers FC from Scotland faced significant financial challenges, including periods of administration and liquidation. During these times, the club encountered difficulties in fulfilling their fixture schedule due to player unrest, unpaid wages and a lack of adequate funding. These circumstances often resulted in requests for match postponements as the club struggled to maintain a competitive level of performance. However, the team managed a recovery through new ownership and investment, which facilitated substantial financial input, allowing the club to clear debts, enhance infrastructure and strengthen the squad. They also engaged their supporters actively, benefitting from strong fan support that included increased season ticket sales and merchandise purchases, which provided a crucial financial boost.

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