Tennis elections: Big Eight Club ‘out in cold’
MBABANE – The Big Eight Tennis Club, despite having paid their annual subscription, has encountered a lack of communication regarding their potential participation in the June elective process.
Despite making numerous attempts to seek clarification from the (swatini National Tennis Association (ENTA), the club’s endeavours have been met with silence from the association. In an effort to address this issue through official channels, the %ig (ight Tennis Club engaged Mabila Attorneys and Trademark Agents on March 7, to pen a letter, citing Article 6.4 (c) of the (1T$ Constitution, which outlines member subscriptions and the sanctions for unpaid subscriptions.
³1o member who has not paid his subscription within three months after the due date shall be allowed to continue as a member while his subscription is unpaid and any such person or club shall forthwith cease to be a member of the association, without notice and the name shall be erased from the register of members,” states Article 6.4 (c) of the ENTA constitution.
The Big Eight Tennis Club Captain 0usawenkosi 0nisi confirmed the payment of the subscription, which was acknowledged by (1T$ Secretary *eneral S* Nqaba Mkhaliphi, a day after the fees were sent via (-wallet.
However, 0nisi expressed confusion regarding communication from Mkhaliphi, directing the club to pay for the following year, as the ENTA Constitution does not specify a designated date for payments, but rather a threemonth window after agreements have been reached with members or teams wishing to subscribe.
QUESTIONS
Mnisi then highlighted that this also raised questions to him as Mkhaliphi had revealed to him before they paid their subscriptions that there were only two clubs that had paid, making Big Eight the third club from over nine clubs as cited by Mnisi.
³:e have been looking at the way things are being done as of late and this is one of the reasons we have even gone as far as writing them a letter through our lawyer to get more clarification on why they don’t want us to participate; they haven’t responded till to date,´ 0uswenkosi voiced the club’s frustration. SubseTuently, the (1T$ S* was contacted for input on the issue however, he refrained from disclosing substantial details on the matter but acknowledged the receipt of the letter sent by Big Eight through their legal representation. Furthermore, the publication endeavoured to obtain clarification from the top echelon of the association, reaching out to Derick Jele, the ENTA President. Regrettably, calls and messages sent via :hats$pp went unanswered.
In accordance with $rticle of the (1T$ constitution, members of were informed that the elective congress shall be held on Saturday, -une 1,
. It will be held at (swatini 2lympic and Commonwealth *ames Association (EOCGA), commencing at 1 am.
/ast weekend, they were supposed to stage their ordinary congress, which was then deferred to the elective congress. This is contained in a notice of the elective congress that was released on March 20.