MASSOYE TURNED BACK AT OSHOEK!

(Sports Editor, Enroute to Point Noire, Courtesy of Swazi Mobile)



JOHANNESBURG - There is no place like home but for Mbabane Swallows’ Cameroonian goalkeeper trainer Etienneh Massoye home may just be here.

This is more so because it turned out he could not travel with the club as it exited the country by road through the Oshoek Border Gate yesterday. Problem? His travel documents were found not to be in order.
Swallows were on their way to South Africa to connect a flight to Congo-Brazzaville to play AC Leopard today in the first leg of the Total CAF Confederation Cup play-off round. The winner after both legs progresses to the group stages. The match starts at 4:30pm local time.

South African Immigration officers refused to allow the Cameroon-born striker to cross to South Africa just before noon stating that his travel documents were not in order. The officials even threatened to arrest the former Swallows top goalscorer. He was top goalscorer for three seasons in a row.

Swallows acting CEO Sibusiso Manana confirmed that Massoye had to be left behind because of his travel document problems. “We didn’t know there were issues with his passport because he didn’t travel with the team when we went to Tanzania. There is nothing really we can do,” Manana said.

Massoye was also reached and said; “They asked me if I was never expelled from South Africa after checking my passport and then advised that I check the South African High Commission to see if this can be cleared.”
Continuing, he said. “They were not specific on what the problem was but Manana then said we’d go to the High Commission to try and clear this as I cannot travel to SA through the Oshoek Border but any other.”
He explained that he was told that if had he taken a flight to South Africa or used another border he would have no trouble travelling. Asked when was the last time he ever travelled to South Africa and home in Cameroon, he said it was in 2013 and 2014 respectively.

“I had even obtained my Visa but don’t know what the problem is with my passport because I have never been expelled in South Africa. It doesn’t matter now instead what’s important is that the club brings back positive results,” he said.
The former hit man also said for him going home would not be a problem as he could use other means but right now it was South Africa he had trouble with and only at the Oshoek Border.
Swallows left the country yesterday with 16 players and 10 officials. The match will be played at Dolssie which is about 600km from Point Noire.

The ‘Birds’ are seeking to qualify for the group stages of a CAF inter-club competition for the first time will also be without wing wizard Wonder ‘Samba Jive’ Nhleko, who is bereaved after his father passed away last week.
Swallows face the Congo giants in Point Noire, the commercial hub of the poverty-stricken country. The MTN Premier League reigning champions will host the Congolese side in the second leg next Saturday at a venue yet to be announced.

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