TICKING TIME BOMB

My dearest readers ...

While the rest of Africa is traumatised by the eruption of a Volcano in the Democratic Republic of Congo on Saturday, a registration ‘volcano’ is sweeping through the topography of Eswatini football these days.
Week after week, game-by-game, we are treated to a protest lodged against Mbabane Highlanders forward Sabelo ‘Sikhali’ Ndzinisa and the likelihood is that every team that faces the ‘Black Bull’ will do what Pigg’s Peak Black Swallows, Moneni Pirates and Denver Sundowns have done already. All these teams and others in future, have a constitutional right to do so as protests and appeals are part of the game and nicely covered in the MTN rules and regulations of the 2020/2021 season under ‘Article 10’.

It is the same rules, under ‘Article 10: 6’, which state that a team that has lodged a protest must confirm it with supporting evidence in duplicate which should reach the PLE office within two working days after the match, failing which it will be declared null and void. Article 10:8 states succinctly. “The DC shall dismiss the protest if it is deemed frivolous or vexatious on the face of it, failing which the disciplinary hearing shall proceed.”
The State-of-the-Nation-Sports-Address (SONSA) is not just concerned on whether the two teams, Black Swallows and Moneni Pirates have submitted the supporting evidence within the 48 hours but why the Premier League of Eswatini and the Eswatini Football Association (EFA) is not addressing the issue or at least giving it the attention it deserves? This is a ticking time bomb.

integrity

These matters should be dealt with promptly not only to keep the integrity of the competition intact but fairness for all the parties involved in particular the team (Highlanders) and the player in question, Sabelo ‘Sikhali’ Ndzinisa. Black Swallows lodged the protest against Highlanders on May 9, Moneni Pirates a week later, on May 15 and Denver Sundowns this past Saturday. Two weeks have passed since Black Swallows lodged the protest and if we had efficient people in the football structures, this matter should have been dealt with already instead of the continuous delay while the league’s integrity is being questioned or under scrutiny. What if Highlanders are eventually found to be in the wrong and would have to forfeit all the points in the games where the player was fielded like it happened with Mbombela United?

If there is enough evidence brought forward by the protesting teams why is the matter not being deliberated upon and resolved for the sake of the league’s integrity, his team and the player himself?

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