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BUFFS’ ‘SAVIOLA’ IS MTN’S CREAM OF THE CROP

08/01/2021 01:23:00 BY SABELO NDZINISA

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MBABANE – He is the cream of the crop.

Young Buffaloes’ gangling striker Sandile ‘Saviola’ Gamedze has officially been crowned the best player for the 2019/2020 MTN Premier League season.

The free-scoring attacking player, also a regular for the senior national soccer team Sihlangu Semnikati, is actually the biggest winner of the individual prizes in the competition as he also banged the top goalscorer, which carries E10 000 prize.

The player was also crowned the best player at the end of the first round, receiving E8 000, adding up the total earnings for the player for last season’s league campaign to E30 000 inclusive of the E12 000 reserved for the best player of the season.

However, it must be noted that the player will not get the entire E30 000 because it was agreed that such payments will be calculated at 71 per cent as per agreement between the sponsor, being MTN Eswatini and the Premier League of Eswatini (PLE).

cancelled

Gamedze ended the season leading the scorers’ chart with 11 goals after the games were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The best coach award went to Buffaloes’ former head coach Dominic Kunene, who is now the Sihlangu mentor. The towering coach pocketed E6 000 (calculated at 71 per cent) while the same man got E4 000 for being the winner of the same prize at the end of the first round. This means in total, Kunene received E10 000 for his efforts.

The best referee award, valued at E6 500, went to Thokozani Dlamini while the best assistant award was given to Sambulo Simelane, who received E2 500.

Mbabane Swallows’ Marketing and Communications Manager Mancoba Mabuza won the best Public Relations Officer (PRO) award (E4 500). The Fair Play award went to Malanti Chiefs who got E6 500 while the mighty Times of Eswatini took the best media award in the print category while Eswatini Broadcasting and Information Services (EBIS) reigned supreme in the electronic section.

For the MTN First Division League, the best player award went to Tambankulu Callies star Mazwi Sihlongonyane while the top scorer was Philani Shabangu of Tinyosi FC. Callies’ former coach Mduduzi ‘Nyama’ Shongwe received the best coach with the Fair Play award given to Tinyosi FC. The best PRO award in this division went to Hlatikhulu Tycoons’ Sandile Masuku.

payments

PLE Chief Operations Officer (COO) Pat Vilakati confirmed the award winners and mentioned that payments have already been made.

“All the award winners will be paid in full by the end of business tomorrow (today) because such transactions are done electronically,” Vilakati said.

None of the award winners contacted yesterday were willing to comment until they had received their prizes.