CAPTAIN KWAKHE RESIGNS

MBABANE - In a surprising turn of events, Kwakhe ‘Stopper’ Thwala, the versatile Captain of Mbabane Swallows, has resigned from the club.
This makes him the second player to depart from the club in recent days. The former Young Buffaloes development player follows in the footsteps of Siyabonga ‘Gusheshe’ Zwane, Swallows’ dynamic attacking midfielder, who also chose to part ways with the club last week. Notably, ‘Gusheshe’ was absent from the squad that suffered a 0-1 defeat against ‘Amathole Ezinyathi’ at the Mavuso Sports Centre on Saturday. Thwala, who joined the club in February 2023, after the Eswatini Football Association (EFA) Player’s Status Committee ruled in his favour in a dispute with his previous club, reportedly submitted his resignation to the Chairman, Welile Mabuza, on Monday night.

investigations

Further investigations into Thwala’s resignation has revealed that one of the reasons cited in his alleged resignation letter was the frequent late salary payments, which he claimed had adversely affected his personal finances. Additionally, reports indicate that the player, who is linked with a return to Buffaloes or Moneni Pirates, is yet to receive his agreed-upon signing-on fee, contributing to his dissatisfaction with the club. A source disclosed: “Kwakhe is owed over E40 000; the player earns E10 000 per month plus his signing-on fee.”
Upon contacting the defender, he confirmed: “Yes, I have resigned from Mbabane Swallows,” expressing his desire to join a team of his choice, as his contract had effectively been breached after enduring over three months without a salary. Delving deeper into the potential reasons for Thwala’s resignation, this publication discovered, based on a copy of his contract, that should Thwala seek to join another club during the term of his contract, Swallows stipulates a buy-out fee exceeding E100 000, which the club considers to be the player’s market value.

increase

The contract states: “The club may increase the market value of the player if it believes the same has increased.” Swallows’ Public Relations Officer (PRO), Knowledge ‘Bhambo’ Ngwenya, acknowledged the unexpected resignation of Thwala, assuring that the issue would be discussed in greater detail during the team’s upcoming meeting tomorrow (today).
“We are aware of it as a club, and it is one of the top items on the agenda for our meeting. “We are doing our best to ensure that the players receive their salaries,” he said. Thwala’s resignation mirrors a similar incident involving Javier Pastore at PSG, where financial disputes over unpaid wages ultimately influenced his departure. The Argentine playmaker felt the club had failed to meet its contractual obligations regarding salary payments, prompting him to seek a transfer.

development

Thwala is a product of the Buffaloes development system, alongside elite players such as former Highlanders’ Lindani ‘Rio’ Matsenjwa, Meshack Lushaba from Nsingizini Hotspurs and Sphesihle Nsimbini of the army side, among others. In light of recent developments, it is pertinent to note that the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) has updated its transfer rules, allowing for the unilateral termination of contracts by players under specific conditions. According to Article 14, a contract may be terminated by either party without consequences if there is ‘just cause,’ which, while not explicitly defined, would include situations where a player has not received payment for an extended period.

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