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PLE WARNS

03/02/2019 08:54:00 BY PHOLSILE HLOPHE

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MBABANE – Buy your ticket to elite football matches in the designated places or risk buying a fake one and even pay more.

This is the warning that the Premier League of Eswatini (PLE) gave to football fanatics supporting local teams after it transpired in last week’s MTN Premier League Y’ello Sunday games at Somhlolo National Stadium that fans produced suspiciously different tickets at the gates.

“Some fans came with tickets that had a harder paper than the ones sold by PLE which come in a lighter paper. Upon realising the anomaly, the people at the gate asked us where we bought them and we said it was from a certain fan at Lobamba and they went up there to check. We also bought our tickets for E45 instead of E40 from him as opposed to waiting on the queue.

On the said day, at least five of the fans came with the tickets from the fan, a renowned former top boxer, who cannot be named as he was never arrested and charged but questioned.
“The strange thing is that all the tickets, when scanned, would just present no trouble, proving authentic. The police took over the matter after we reported it and left it with them,” alleged one of the gate keepers.

Warn

The PLE felt the need to warn people to desist from buying the pre-sale tickets in any place other than those specified by the association.
“We learnt of reports about tickets reportedly bought in bulk and sold in increased prizes outside the stadium.
We encourage fans to buy them at the designated players to avoid risks of buying counterfeit tickets,” said PLE CEO Simanga Nhleko.

The warning comes in the wake of today’s mouth-watering Ingwenyama Cup semi-finals double-header at Somhlolo National Stadium and at least 10 000 or more fans are expected. The first match will be between Mbabane Highlanders and Malanti Chiefs at 1:15pm while the other is between defending champions Mbabane Swallows and Young Buffaloes at 3:15pm.

Police Chief and Communications Officer Superintendent Phindile Vilakati confirmed a fan was questioned for the pre-sale tickets last week. However, she said the police released the fan after questioning as it turned out he bought them with the sole purpose to sell to fans.

(Additional information by Ashmond Nzima)