MBABANE – Capital city giants Mbabane Swallows are threatening to boycott the 8Bet Trade Fair Cup, which kicks off tomorrow.
The main reason is the eligibility of amateur players to feature in the tournament for the first time in its history. According to this year edition’s rules and regulations released yesterday by Premier League of Eswatini (PLE): “Participating clubs will use their 2026/2027 season players’ licences for this tournament and an additional eight (8) amateur players from lower divisions (Super League downwards),” as stated in Article 7.
Umkhonto KaShaka’s Management Committee (MC) Chairman Bongani ‘AB’ Dlamini said the decision needed clear deliberation and should have been properly discussed during last Saturday’s extraordinary general assembly.
“If we will continue with this unprofessionalism, we won’t play. How would you regulate, how will you control that these players (amateurs) are indeed true amateurs or not? How will you see that, because that is not clear?” Dlamini asked.
During a call he made straight to this publication after reading the rules, he argued there would be little or no evidence to prove that a player was genuinely an amateur, suspecting that clubs could also cheat with international players. He cited the 2023 revival of the Trade Fair Cup, when they were forced to play with about 12 players because most of their squad were away on national duty. They eventually played the final with only 11 players and were thrashed 6-0 by Green Mamba, with no special clauses to cover their situation, as he said.
Dlamini also mentioned that the introduction of amateur players had completely changed the nature of the third edition of the tournament, likening it to the popular off-season Kasi2Kasi football tournament. He felt it was unfair on the teams, claiming they had been left running around like headless chickens trying to register players and had become a laughing stock.
“As now, there was an AGM, why didn’t they raise it there? They ought to have hinted it so that questions are asked and clarified,” the chairman added. He disclosed that ‘Birds’ have already registered about 20 players and were ready to compete on Monday rather than simply make up the numbers. Asked whether they had formally written to the PLE, Dlamini said they were about to do so at around 5pm yesterday.
Meanwhile, PLE Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Pat ‘Kungumusa’ Vilakati declined to comment in detail, saying he could not speak on the matter as nothing official had yet been received from Swallows. Vilakati, who is also secretary of the tournament’s MC, was expected to be asked how the amateur players rule had been introduced, how it would be regulated and whether the new guideline was designed to cover up certain clubs.
As things stand, ‘Birds’ remain in the fixtures and are due to face Rangers on Monday. Any failure to honour the match will attract a fine of at least E100 000. In addition, under the 8Bet Trade Fair Cup rules and regulations, any team that fails to honour a fixture must refund the E25 000 participation fee to the PLE.
The rules have also been approved by the Eswatini Football Association (EFA). In the previous two editions of the tournament, clubs were only permitted to use players registered for the season that was about to begin. In addition, some of the Premier League public relations officers (PROs) held different views on the article. Defending champions Nsingizini Hotspurs PRO Sibusiso ‘Mnotfo’ Dlamini said this was a first of its kind in the history of the tournament as they had never seen anything like it. “We will use our players, whom we have been preparing for this tournament. We cannot field amateur players in such a high-intensity match,” Dlamini said.
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