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GIVE US E1.2M IN 7 DAYS!

10/06/2020 01:16:00 BY SABELO NDZINISA

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MBABANE – The Premier League of Eswatini’s (PLE) executive committee has been given seven days to release E1.2 million for the 26 elite teams.
This transpired in the special PLE Board of Governors’ meeting held yesterday afternoon at Sigwaca House, where about 20 teams were represented.

The PLE executive committee led by Peter ‘Touch’ Magagula was tasked with soliciting funds that will assist in easing the financial burden faced by the teams in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The E1.2 million is in respect of the Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) forward grant, which is given to all member associations including the Eswatini Football Association (EFA) annually. It was apparently put to the executive committee that the E600 000 first batch from the FIFA grant was not claimed in February along with the final batch of the same amount (E600 000), which was due in the past days.

Magagula, addressing journalists after the meeting, confirmed that teams requested financial assistance as they complained of living from hand to mouth due to the suspension of all football games in the country.

Financial

The feeling from the members present in the meeting was that there has been no financial income for the teams in the past three months as they rely mostly on gate collections for sustainance.
“The situation at the teams is very bad because there is no money coming as games are currently suspended. Teams are not able to buy sanitisers and masks for players due to lack of resources.

“There is also the issue of bills, which include salaries that must be sorted out by the teams and this is the reason the PLE was given seven days to release the FIFA forward grant.

“Afterall, the money is already with the EFA and all they must do is claim it so that teams can benefit,” a source part of the meeting revealed.
Before the emergence of COVID-19, the E600 000 grant given to the PLE by the FA was used for development (E400 000) with the rest channelled to administrative projects in the organisation.

“There are no development games at the moment and administration is compromised because of the same reason.
“So, the EFA grant is available and must be given to the teams like we see in other countries in similar situations,” the source added.

Meanwhile, Magagula assured that they were still going to work on the members’ request for financial assistance.
“It must be clear that the PLE has no money but we are willing to help teams as per their request. We will do our utmost best as an executive to help them, especially because the EFA has promised to provide financial help,” Magagula said.

Short

On the seven-day ‘ultimatum’, Magagula diplomatically stated that such was a short time to be able to meet the teams’ needs.
“We still have to look at means to assist the teams but I do not think it would be fair to put a time frame for that. As the PLE executive committee, we understand that teams need financial help and we will try by all means to give this the urgency it deserves,” Magagula assured.