‘BIRDS’ STARS FLY TO FORCES TEAMS

MBABANE - Mbabane Swallows FC have reportedly cleared two of their key players, who expressed a desire to leave the club.
The reigning champions of the 2023/2024 MTN Premier League have parted ways with Siyabonga ‘Gusheshe’ Zwane and box-to-box midfielder Leon ‘Schuster’ Manyisa following their resignations. These two influential players join a growing list of Swallows FC players who have been enduring a tumultuous period concerning their salaries. Allegations suggest that players have gone unpaid for the past two months, with their last payment in September being only half of their salaries. Swallows’ Acting President, Absalom Ngwenya, reportedly stated that the club lacks the funds to pay its players.

This declaration was purportedly made during a hearing at the Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration Commission (CMAC) offices, last month. The players of Umkhonto KaShaka, alongside those from Inkunz’emnyama, faced a bleak Christmas Day, as their salaries remained unpaid, forcing them to spend the holiday with their families without any financial means.
According to impeccable sources within the Swallows camp, the talented attacking midfielders were granted their clearance yesterday afternoon to join a team of their choice, with both players expected to join the security forces teams, Royal Leopard and Green Mamba. “Yes, it’s true that both players have been given the blessing to join the teams of their choice after showing intent that they wanted to leave the club, and we were compelled to release them,” the source stated.

The source further revealed that ‘Gusheshe,’ the attacking midfielder who signed from Seven Dreams last year, will be joining Inyoka Eluhlazane. Meanwhile, ‘Schuster,’ who donned the red and white colours of Swallows in the 2020/2021 season, is reportedly on his way to Ingwemabalabala, as Leopard are fondly known. Swallows Public Relations Officer (PRO) Knowledge ‘Bhambo’ Ngwenya indicated that management is still addressing the issue with the players, suggesting it may be premature for him to comment while discussions are ongoing.

conditions

“Such matters are between employer and employee as they pertain to employment terms that have specific terms and conditions. I request that we respect that,” he remarked. In the meantime, Richard ‘Danka’ Fakudze, Chairman of Royal Leopard, expressed eagerness for Leon Manyisa’s arrival at training sessions, as Swallows FC have reportedly confirmed their intentions to release him. This development follows Manyisa’s initial interest in joining the police side, which was hindered by contractual obligations with his previous club.
 “We are awaiting Leon Manyisa, who was recommended by our technical team to join us after Swallows released him,” he stated.

“The anticipated move for Manyisa will see him reuniting with former Swallows player Felix ‘Fela’ Badenhorst, who joined the Edwin Matsebula-led side at the start of the season, while Zwane will reconnect with former Swallows players Sabelo ‘Sikhali’ Ndzinisa and Njabulo ‘D4D’ Ndlovu at Green Mamba. A prime example of a team that faced significant player departures due to a failure to pay salaries is Bolton Wanderers, an English football club that encountered severe financial difficulties in the 2010s. Despite enjoying a period of success in the Premier League earlier in the decade, the team struggled to remain financially viable, with mounting debt ultimately leading to unpaid player wages.

Amid reports of outstanding salaries owed to players, reliable sources have disclosed that Mbabane Swallows FC’s players are yet to resume their regular training schedule, ahead of Sunday’s clash against Illovo. Although they trained on Monday this week, the players have remained off the field, awaiting a resolution on their pay concerns.  The team management committee is currently under pressure to address the situation and ensure that the players are compensated appropriately, as their commitment to the team hinges on receiving their wages.
In an effort to gather more information regarding the potential transfer of Zwane to Green Mamba FC, attempts were made to contact the team’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mandla Sibiya. However, despite repeated efforts, Sibiya was unavailable for comment at the time of this report.

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