MBABANE – Capital city giants Mbabane Highlanders Football Club (FC) will not have their name changed for now.
This follows a failed proposal at the Premier League of Eswatini (PLE) Extraordinary General Assembly (EGA) to switch names ahead of the new season.
The club was pushing to change its name from Highlanders FC to Mbabane Highlanders Andile Mpisane (AM) FC, following the takeover of the 1952 brand by South African businesswoman Shauwn ‘MaMkhize’ Mkhize. ‘MaMkhize’, who attended yesterday’s meeting, was unveiled as the ‘Bull’s new boss by the club’s patrons late last month.
However, former President Bheki ‘Rubber’ Simelane, who had signed an 18-month management contract with the team two months before the unveiling, opposed the move and has since escalated the matter to court.
The PLE Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Pat Vilakati, confirmed that while four other clubs’ name change proposals were adopted, that of the Ernest Mavuso-led side was not.
Vilakati said the change is pending, explaining that name changes are generally handled by the football’s mother body, the Eswatini Football Association (EFA), before being adopted by the PLE Board of Governors (BoGs).
He mentioned that the name Mbabane Highlanders FC would be maintained in all fixtures too.
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