PLS NETS E60 000 FROM ‘BULL’, ‘WESLIANS’

MBABANE – As earlier reported by our sister newspaper the Times of Swaziland last week, the PLS will be netting E60 000 from giants Manzini Wanderers and Mbabane Highlanders.

This is money the PLS agreed with both clubs will be paid back to the office through any prizes they receive and both were semi-finalists in this year’s SwaziBank Cup, effectively pocketing E100 000 apiece in the prize presentation last Thursday. Wanderers, who owe the PLS close to E300 000 in loans, fines and referees’ allowances, have to pay the PLS 30 per cent of the prize money, which is the same for Highlanders. This means each team will part with E30 000 from the E100 000.

“We wrote letters to the concerned clubs and they all received those reminders last week. All owing clubs know our agreements, which is why we wrote them the reminders especially because they received the SwaziBank Cup prizes directly in their accounts,” said PLS COO Pat Vilakati. He said while they would not reveal the figures each team was to pay back, the PLS expected to get slightly over E100 000 from the SwaziBank Cup prizes. Questioned about Wanderers and Highlanders who are known to owe the highest amounts, he said those two would obviously pay the huge chunk of the over E100 000 they expected.

After confirming they agreed on 30 per cent cut from all prize monies, it transpired that they expected nothing less than E60 000 from the two giant clubs. Wanderers, who will also be getting a cash prize in the MTN League soon, will suffer the same fate again while Highlanders will continue with their instalment next season as they have no more prizes coming their way but a fight to cheat relegation against Mbabane Swallows probably next weekend.

“We received the PLS letter then made our proposal on how we wish to repay the money. We asked for a certain amount and we will wait to see what happens otherwise we expect to pay as per our agreement,” Wanderers’ General Manager Patrick Gamedze said. He also clarified that the owed amount was not entirely a loan but included that and fines as well as referees’ allowance. He said they also explained to their supporters that the club was highly indebted before but was now around E300 000 and still working tirelessly to settle.

Further investigations revealed that Wanderers’ outstanding loan was now just over E130 000 from E140 000 but have been paying it through gate collections. They also have an outstanding amount of E128 000 in fines which they started the season with and got new ones this season.

Highlanders’ Mphumelelo Mnisi could only confirm receipt of the PLS reminder as they also have to start paying back the much-publicised E300 000 loan they were given by the PLS when they had a transition period following their then Managing Director Bheki ‘Rubber’ Simelane being forced to relinquish his post.

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