MBABANE – Premier League clubs are quietly grappling with the high costs and bureaucratic weight of keeping foreign talent legally on the pitch.
Reports indicate that local outfits are digging deep to ensure their international stars remain in the country. Impeccable sources revealed that while an application fee is set at E300, a single month’s permit is valued at E1 200. For an elite league team carrying five foreign players, this translates to a E30 000 outlay for a five-month period if permits are renewed monthly. Furthermore, late renewals reportedly attract a penalty of E1 000.
Foreign player permits are generally issued for a fixed period—most commonly up to 12 months—subject to approval by relevant authorities. The exact duration is dictated by immigration policies and the player’s contractual terms.
Manzini giants Manzini Wanderers have already hit their foreign quota after adding three Nigerian players during the recently closed transfer window. Mozambican goalkeeper Mario Jamine and South African forward Siphamandla Dhlamini complete their roster.
Jamine, alongside former ‘Weslians’ duo Osman Halid (now with Ezulwini United) and Manuel Silima, reportedly missed an opening-round match against Amawele due to expired permits. This administrative friction follows a turbulent period for the league. The maroon and white outfit spent the previous calendar year inactive following a legal battle regarding former Denver Sundowns defender Jimoh Moses. Evidence from the Ministry of Home Affairs confirmed Moses’ permit was cancelled after he failed to collect it in late 2023.
When approached for clarity, Moses declined to speak. “I have no comments, sorry,” he said.
Ministry of Home Affairs Communications Officer Mlandvo Dlamini confirmed the fee structure. “The fees are decided by parliament; we only implement the law,” he stated.
While the likes of Nsingizini Hotspurs, Mbabane Highlanders, Mbabane Swallows and Moneni Pirates have signed numerous foreign faces this season, the ‘forces’ trio—Green Mamba, Royal Leopard and Young Buffaloes—currently operate with entirely local squads.
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