NOBUHLE’S CITIZENSHIP HEADACHE

MBABANE – A prophet is not recognised in his home country.

This adage holds true for the country’s golfing sensation Nobuhle Dlamini who, as a result of not being embraced wholly by the country of her birth, is now caught in a citizenship dilemma as South Africa is dangling a huge financial ‘carrot’ in sponsorships if she denounces her Swazi citizenship.

Nobuhle, who turned professional in 2014, is currently ranked the eighth best female golfer in neighbouring South Africa and spends about E1 million in tours around the globe per year. A chunk of the money covers flights and accommodation in the different tournaments. Averagely, she does 24 events per year.

Despite the financial struggles, she maintains she still wants to fly the Swazi flag high as she has done all the years and is calling upon local companies to sponsor her. Nobuhle is fresh from the United States where she reached the last of three in the Ladies Professional Golf Association of America and is currently relaxing at her parental home in Nkhanini, Lobamba following a grueling golfing season, with her next assignment, the Sunshine Tour, only coming up on the second week of January next year.   

“It is costly to travel abroad and I need the support of Swazis as I want to continue to compete in all these tournaments as a Swazi. The South African Golf Union and companies over there want me to change my citizenship before they can sponsor me but I want to continue flying the Swazi flag as I have proudly done all these years,” she said in an exclusive interview yesterday.

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