PLS E150 000 ESIBAYENI LODGE U-17 LEAGUE

MATSAPHA – Elite league teams yesterday witnessed history when the PLS launched its first development league sponsor – the Esibayeni Lodge Under-17 League.A

The launch took place at the lodge’s premises where its Managing Director, Desmond Oswin, was present together with the PLS executive, staff and development officials, led by the organisation’s Chairman Victor ‘Maradona’ Gamedze and the Football Association’s Executive Member Johannes ‘Ace’ Siboza.

The league, which is expected to kick-off this weekend or after the Swazi Telecom Charity Cup on August 9 will see the champions pocket E12 000 and the runners-up E6 000. Nobody could blame PLS Chairman Victor ‘Maradona’ Gamedze for smiling throughout even before the start of the launch as never before in the two years of introducing the development wing have they got a sponsor.
Now Esibayeni Lodge has come forth and interestingly the company is owned by a former PLS chairman.

In more ways than one, this was not only Oswin’s gesture and positive contribution to the country’s football but also a return to the game of the masses.
He served as an administrator at Moneni Pirates, PLS and in the local football mother body, the National Football Association of Swaziland (NFAS) some years ago.
Before presenting the sponsorship to the PLS, Oswin said Esibayeni Lodge was fortunate to be provided the platform and privilege to influence the direction of the country’s youth.
“It has always been said that the youth are the future so for us to influence their direction to opportunities and informed choices and decisions this is the best thing to do. We feel humbled to develop the future and it would make me a happy man to one day see the products overseas,” he said much to a huge round of applause from the teams in particular.

He said the decision to choose football was not an easy one but very tough for him as the youth comes in many sectors with some in basketball and a lot other disciplines.
However, he said the decision was made and he wished the clubs and the PLS a brighter future while declaring this relationship was here to stay.
His words were echoed by Gamedze, who said after he and his executive committee have had sleepless nights and still will; they were 100 per cent certain Oswin has made the right investment.

“We want to see or football turn around as it has been doing in the past few years, we need sponsors and the main focus should now be on development because the reality is that for a long time we’ve not had it yet it is the only key to good results,” he said.

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