‘BIRDS’ TRIM SQUAD, OVER E70K SAVED

MBABANE - Mbabane Swallows have taken the drastic step of releasing certain players from their squad in a bid to significantly reduce the team’s monthly wage bill.

The purported decision to let go of the players, while potentially helping alleviate the club’s financial burden, could also negatively impact the team’s overall in the league. The city giants find themselves mired in a debilitating salary dispute, with players currently unpaid for a staggering three months.

Umkhonto KaShaka’s Public Relations Officer (PRO), Knowledge ‘Bhambo’ Ngwenya, recently pointed out that the monthly expenditure on player salaries amounts to E271 000, leaving a considerable outstanding balance for the last three months of 2024.

Compounding the team’s financial challenges, it should be noted that the players’ salaries for September were only partially paid, with the remaining portion outstanding since that time. It is also unclear whether the payments made in January constituted the overdue portion of the September salaries or if they were intended to cover later months as well.

Recent reports emerging from the inner circles of Swallows indicate that the team has taken the drastic step of releasing five of its most highly regarded players, including DRC pair Grace ‘Skomota’ Musenga and Bobo Angwenga, alongside Brian Maphanga and Mncedisi Kunene. ‘Skomota’ and Angwenga were reportedly both given one-way tickets out of the country on Thursday evening.

This bold move is reported to be part of the club’s wider strategy to dramatically reduce its monthly wage bill, which has been identified as a source of significant financial pressure for the team. In a related development, another source has revealed that the team is also considering taking steps to reduce the salaries of several high-earning players, whose wages exceed E10 000 monthly.

Negotiations

Among the players reportedly affected by these proposed salary negotiations are Kingsley Kwayki, Sandanezwe Mathabela and Kwakhe Thwala. The source suggested that the club plans to engage these players in discussions with the intention of securing salary reductions in an effort to alleviate the team’s financial woes.

“As someone privy to the internal workings of the club, I can attest to the fact that the team’s monthly wage bill currently stands at an unsustainable E271 000. The newly appointed management is thus seeking to reduce this figure to a more manageable E120 000.

To achieve this, the team will need to undertake difficult but necessary negotiations with its high-earning players. While this may prove challenging, the ultimate goal is to ensure that the players receive their salaries in a timely manner while also safeguarding the financial stability and long-term viability of the club,” the source said.

As this financial drama unfolds, Thwala has decided to escalate his grievances with the club by bringing his case to the Eswatini Football Association (EFA) Players’ Status Committee. According to reports, Thwala is doing this as a result of Swallows’ alleged failure to fulfil promises made during negotiations that resulted in his signing with the team.

Ngwenya, in an interview yesterday, said these alterations are part of a larger restructuring process for the team, consistent with the club’s public announcement of their intention to undergo restructuring earlier this year. “We call upon Swallows faithful’s to understand and support the restructuring process as it is done for the betterment of the team,” he said.

Interest

Pertaining to Thwala, the Swallows PRO indicated that the team is open for talks with any club interested in their player as he has shown interest to leave, but he will not go free; hence any interested team should contact the management. “Issues of salaries are between employer and employee and nothing of that sort will be discussed with any media as it remains confidential between the parties. Once all has been done, we will issue a statement,” he added.

In an interview with the Eswatini Broadcasting Information Services (EBIS) Sports Show, hosted by the renowned Siphesihle ‘Sihlabane’ Nxumalo, the Swallows PRO made a bold statement that no player, regardless of talent or stature, is bigger than the club.

“We ask that the players should take care of themselves in a proper manner and we have seen instances where some players feel like they are bigger than the club and with the restructuring in place, we want to put it on record that we will release those players and if teams are interested in our players, they should come to us and follow the proper channels,” he added.

According to FIFA’s Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players (RSTP), clubs are required to respect contractual obligations, including payment of agreed salaries. However, clubs also have the right to terminate or amend contracts through mutual agreement or if a player engages in serious misconduct. If players do not agree to wage reductions, it could lead to a complex scenario.

FIFA generally encourages players and clubs to resolve such disputes amicably through negotiation, but if no agreement can be reached, the parties may resort to various forms of dispute resolution such as conciliation, arbitration  or even court proceedings.

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