EFA case: Mashumi, Horton beat ‘Samora’ with costs
MBABANE – The court case between Eswatini Football Association (EFA) President Peter ‘Samora’ Simelane and his deputies Mashumi Shongwe and Steve Horton has been put to bed.
This comes after ‘Samora’s’ interim order against his vice presidents, which he wanted to be retained by the Mbabane Magistrates Court, failed yesterday. He had attained it on March 10, 2023.
It proceeded yesterday after a postponement last week Friday by the Acting Senior Magistrate Thembela Simelane.
Samora was granted an interim order restraining the duo from complaining about him or his operations as the EFA leader, while also citing harassment and threats to his life and family.
Isolation
Horton and Shongwe had written him two letters of demand seeking written responses on certain issues as they believed he was working in isolation, much against the EFA constitution. Also part of the accusations is that Samora goes on trips without the two’s knowledge and leaves the organisation without either of them acting yet the statutes of the organisation state clearly that in his absence, his longest serving vice must act as president.
They alleged this had never happened since assuming office over a couple of years ago.
Upon learning that the president allegedly did not bother looking into their initial letter of demand through the EFA Executive Committee, another letter of demand was written by the vice presidents, giving their boss 48 hours to respond to their concerns or they would take the matter elsewhere for redress. This made ‘Samora’ run to court whereby he was represented by Lawyer Dumezweni Kunene from Sandile G. Attorneys.
‘Samora’s’ court order temporarily stopped the two from writing him letters with derogatory words under the pretext they were addressing football matters with him. They were also interdicted from engaging in private meetings in his name yet there were professional structures for such meetings. This was also to maintain peace with him, among other things.
The matter failed to come to conclusion last week until yesterday.
Concerns
Acting Senior Magistrate Simelane ruled in favour of the two deputies, who were against the order as they wanted the president to face football structures and address their concerns.
The magistrate felt that the analysis which was brought before the court left him with one conclusion that the applicant failed in its case.
When giving his judgment, Simelane said the rule nisi (temporary order to show cause, which means that the ruling is absolute unless the party to whom it applies can show cause why it should not apply) granted last month was discharged with costs to follow the event.