Times Of Swaziland: ‘BULL’ FINED E70K, NO FANS IN TAMBUTI GAME

‘BULL’ FINED E70K, NO FANS IN TAMBUTI GAME
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Machawe Fakudze on 03/12/2022 09:47:00


MBABANE – Last Sunday’s mayhem has come with a heavy fine for Mbabane
Highlanders including playing their next match without fans.
The black and white side has been fined E70 000 for the violence that ensued at
Mavuso Sports Centre during their MTN Premier League match against Manzini Sea
Birds. The latter’s striker Sandumuzi Zwane’s winning goal in the dying
minutes of the game was seemingly scored through a hand instead of his head.That
is what triggered the violent scenes as the losing fans or supporters wanted to
lay their hands on the referee Mbongeni Shongwe, after the final whistle
however, he outpaced them to safety.
The team appeared before the Eswatini Football Association (EFA) Disciplinary
Committee (DC) chaired by Lawyer Thulani Sibandze at Sigwaca House last night.
The DC, after hearing Highlanders’ case came out with a verdict that they were
guilty on three of the four counts they faced. It is then that they were fined
E70 000 but as if that was not enough the capital city giants will also play
their next MTN Premier League match aginst Tambuti without their fans allowed
into the stadium.
The DC chairman announced a one match ban for fans and also clarified that it
would be a category B and their home game. Consequently, Highlanders will have
to pay the E70 000 fine and also not make any money when they host Tambuti.
Meanwhile, Inkunzi emnyama had pleaded guilty to one of the counts. They were
charged for contravening Articles 10.6.2, 10. 6.3, 10.6.6 and 10.6.7. of the
2022/23 MTN Premier League Rules and Regulations.
Assault
In count two the capital city giants was charged for contravening Article 10.6.2
in that on November 27, 2022 at Mavuso Sports Centre during a fixture between
Manzini Sea Birds, fans or supporters of Mbabane Highlanders threatened and/or
attempted to assault the referee. On count two the team was charged for
contravening Article 10.6.3 in that on November 27, 2022 at Mavuso Sports Centre
during a fixture between Manzini Sea Birds, fans or supporters of Mbabane
Highlanders threatened and/or attempted to assault the assistant referee Petros
Mbingo.
The team on count three was charged for contravening Article 10.6.3 in that on
November 27, 2022 at Mavuso Sports Centre during a fixture between Manzini Sea
Birds, fans or supporters of Mbabane Highlanders threw water bottles and soft
drink cans into the field of play.While on count four, which the team pleaded
not guilty they were charged for contravening Article 10.6.3 in that on November
27, 2022 at Mavuso Sports Centre they failed to control fans or supporters who
committed unsporting behaviour and violent misconduct.
The team was represented by top lawyer Bongani ‘Bhanyaza’ Mdluli in the
matter, which saw Inkunzi emnyama being fined the E70 000 and the club was
further told by the DC that they would play their next home fixture without
supporters.“We don’t want to find ourselves sanctioning a big game like the
derby, but after our considerations and seeing that Highlanders was remorseful,
we felt that for count one they are fined E10 000, for count two a minimum fine
of E50 000 while on the third count they will be fined a minimum of E20 000,”
Sibandze said. He also said that count one and three would run concurrently and
the total fine would be E70 000, with the team allowed to exercise their rights
to appeal the decision by the DC.