REFS DEMAND WOMEN FA NORMALISING COMMITTEE

MBABANE – Referees want the Sonnyboy Mabuza-led Women Football Association (WFA) to be replaced by a normalising committee.

The WFA and some teams are at loggerheads since the July 2017 elections. At the polls, some aggrieved affiliates claimed the majority vote requirement was not met and demanded that the elections be nullified. The WFA issue expectedly took centre stage in yesterday’s deliberations during the Eswatini Football Association (EFA) Ordinary General Assembly at Sibane Hotel in Ezulwini. National Referees Association of Swaziland (NRAS) through their Chairman Sipho Kunene and Secretary Simanga Nhleko had suggested that a normalising committee be put in place at least in 14 days to restore order in women football. The NRAS, in their submissions, had argued that the country’s football mother body acted swiftly in putting normalising committees in Manzini and Shiselweni during a period of unrest between 2015 and 2016, but was taking forever to address the WFA matter.

EFA President Adam ‘Bomber’ Mthethwa was at pains explaining that his office’s hands were tied on the matter, as there was a pending court case, but said he acknowledged the concerns.  He said as far he was concerned, there was an investigation into reports that there was a court order in favour of the aggrieved teams that declared the elections null and void. Interestingly, in a letter addressed to the EFA by the aggrieved teams’ legal representatives, the former was told there was no pending case. The letter, according to a stamp on it, was received by EFA on March 8 this year. Mthethwa stressed that his office did not have issues with taking a decision against the leadership, as long as proper channels were followed.

Also a major concern for NRAS during the meeting was that the Shiselweni Regional Football Association Normalising Committee that came on board in 2016 had overstayed its welcome. They demanded elections at least in 90 days.  The current leaders of Shiselweni were appointed after Mashumi Shongwe was dismissed for standing for the elections while still Football Association Vice President at the time. The referees had also caused an uproar when the issue of co-opting a women into the Executive Committee was discussed. This is  per an amendment in the constitution. Referees Secretary Simanga Nhleko had suggested that it was high time that the WFA be led by a woman, but Coaches Chairman Anthony Mdluli felt such a move would be discriminatory.

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