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TOP LAWYER FOR PLE CASE

26/09/2022 08:38:00 Machawe Fakudze

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MBABANE – The Premier League of Eswatini (PLE) has engaged top lawyer Sidumo Mdladla for the court case filed by aggrieved Rangers and Milling Hotspurs.

The two teams that were the better ranked in the bottom four had taken the PLE to court opposing their relegation from the Premier League as they felt that the organisation issued two sets of rules and regulations for the 2021/22 MTN Premier League season. The first rules which were approved by the Eswatini Football Association (EFA) on October 28, 2021, revealed that two teams with the least number of points by the time the league finishes would be relegated to the national first division.

relegated

This is contained in Article 11 (7) of the 2021/22 MTN Premier League Rules, which states that the two clubs that have least number of points on completion of the league and/or positioned 15th and 16th in the final log standing, shall be relegated from the Premier League Division to the National First Division League. In determining the clubs to be relegated the format provided in Article 11 (3), (4), (5) and (6) herein shall be used. The very same PLE then issued amended rules, which were approved on the same date as the original rules with Article 11 (7) stating that the four clubs that have least number of points on completion of the league and/or positioned 15th and 16th in the final log standing, shall be relegated from the Premier League Division to the National First Division League.

The two teams gave the PLE 24 hours to respond on their demand that by close of business last Wednesday, September 21, 2022 to rectify the error, and failure to do that the matter would be taken to court. The teams then ran to court this past Friday, seeking among other prayers, the deferment of Premier League kick-off, which is scheduled for this coming weekend. The matter is expected to be heard in court this week.

oppose

PLE Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Kenneth Makhanya said the Board of Governors (BoGs) resolved that they should oppose the application filed by the two clubs at the High Court. This decision was taken during a Special Meeting, which was held at Sigwaca House yesterday. “The BoGs resolved that I should engage the EFA and its lawyer Sidumo Mdladla to oppose the application by the duo,” Makhanya said. He said they would file their application today through Mdladla and he highlighted that the league would not be affected by the court case. “The league will go as planned as the 2022/23 MTN Premier League Rules have been approved as well as the 2022 MoMo Cup Rules, so nothing can stop the start of the league,” he said.

decision

He also said currently no team from the MTN National First Division that was relegated had opposed the decision by EFA to relegate them to the Super Leagues. He further said they would soon be discussing and releasing the National First Division rules for the upcoming season. The 2022/23 MTN Premier League is expected to get underway this weekend, October 1, 2022, in different venues across the country, with the Mbabane Swallows and Young Buffaloes fixture taking centre stage. This game will be played at the iconic King Sobhuza II Memorial Stadium.