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MBABANE – The Premier League of Eswatini (PLE) has not released to Mbabane Highlanders their E100 000 prize for reaching the 2022 inaugural MoMo Cup semi-finals.
The black and white capital city giants were eliminated by Moneni Pirates in the second semi-finals after penalties. The ‘Sea Robbers’ of Moneni went on to lose the finals to rookies Nsingizini Hotspurs, who brushed aside MTN National First Division side Rangers in the first semi-finals.
The PLE, through the office of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Kenneth Makhanya, in a breakfast meeting with sports journalists from all of the country’s media houses, which was held at Sigwaca House yesterday, revealed that they withheld the Dumsani ‘DU’ Makhanya-led side’s E100 000 as they were assessing the cost of the damage done by the team on the Somhlolo National Stadium synthetic track.
MBABANE – The ‘mother of all derbies’ in local football is scheduled for about a week before Christmas.
This is a match between the capital city’s sworn rivals Mbabane Highlanders
“We have decided not to give Mbabane Highlanders their E100 000 pending the issue of damaging the Somhlolo National Stadium synthetic track,” Makhanya said.
The newly-installed synthetic running track at the revamped and still under construction Somhlolo National
Stadium is nothing less than E3 million before installation.
The CEO was speaking about the challenge his office faced in terms of the availability of playing venues, when he touched that the ‘Mecca’ of Eswatini football was currently out of bounds for the MTN Premier League games, due to the damage on the running track.
It was gathered that during the inaugural MoMo Cup 2022 early this month, the venue’s terms and conditions were breached, particularly relating to the running track. Reports suggested that after capital city giants and tournament favourites Highlanders were booted out, their supporters could not stomach it.
Blocked
They blocked the team from exiting the dressing rooms. They had to use emergency and safe exit from the stadium.
Their Manager Simiso ‘Space’ Jele drove their Sprinter bus into the pitch area, on the running track to pick up the team and drove out in high speed. It was at that moment that the damage could have happened on the track.
Highlanders Public Relations Officer (PRO) Mandla Madonsela could not comment as he requested to reserve his comments until something formal about this issue reached his office.