Times Of Swaziland: PLE’S E100 000 AID TO WESLIANS

PLE’S E100 000 AID TO WESLIANS
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BY CHRIS DLAMINI on 08/11/2019 00:54:00


MBABANE – They are among the three pillars of the country’s elite football
– that is cash-strapped Manzini Wanderers.
That is a point the Premier League of Eswatini (PLE) put up as a matter of fact,
especially where the big three teams being Wanderers, Mbabane Highlanders and
Mbabane Swallows are concerned.
With Wanderers reportedly struggling to pay its personnel, being players and
technical staff salaries for last month, it has come out that as their
affiliate, the PLE was noble enough to assist them with a E100 000 advance.
“The club had to act and the PLE was one of the options for it, so that was
the direction taken and assistance was provided. The figures I can’t really be
sure but I understand they sought E100 000,” said an insider within the club.
It is understood that the PLE approved their request for cash advance to the
tune of E100 000 as aforementioned on Tuesday. Sources within the PLE also
confirmed the news and the figures involved. “How did you get this because
it’s confidential?” the source wondered when specifically asked if they had
given Wanderers an advance of E100 000.
challenges
However, seeing that the news was leaked, he diplomatically said; “Wanderers
are a pillar in our league and it is a fact that all the big three teams have
their challenges and serious ones. That’s what we’ve discovered as PLE as
much as it may not be out there yet for other clubs.”
Meanwhile, the PLE has often intervened and advanced teams that they were
guaranteed had the muscle to make the money from gate collections and prizes.
The big three obviously benefit more as they have the crowd and potential to be
among prize winners. They are also the door to negotiations with current and
potential sponsors.
Wanderers and Highlanders have been getting this kind of assistance nearly every
season in the last five years. Initially, the PLE had opened a loan scheme for
all its affiliates including First Division, but because most clubs were
struggling to repay the money, it was stopped.
Wanderers’ Chairman, Bongani ‘Bhanyaza’ Mdluli, asked not to comment when
reached on this. “We don’t discuss issues like that so can I not comment,”
he said.
transfer
Instead, Mdluli said it was the Leon Manyisa transfer to FC Van of Armenia that
needed more digging.
However, he said a lot was going to come out in their case with Malanti Chiefs
over their fielding of the player who scored their 1-0 win goal last Sunday in
the MTN Premier League.
This was only a week since he had returned from Armenia where he played about
four games before his contract was terminated, but remains actively registered
with the Europe side, making him double-registered.
Malanti protested in the match and confirmed it with the PLE by paying the
regulatory E5 000 fee. The case was billed for last evening.