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MBABANE – Mbabane Swallows have come out to clear the air on the salaries for the players, among pertinent issues.
This was through Manager Sandile ‘Beyond 2000’ Zwane in a press briefing yesterday.
The former Mbabane Swallows goalkeeper was clearing the air on the issues surrounding the ‘Beautiful Birds’ of the capital city, following reports of instability at the side.
Delay
This included the late start to commence the pre-season and the delay in the players’ salaries.
He said the delay in paying the players their monthly salaries was due to the fact that they had to prepare their contracts. Some players had run out of contracts.
“How will you pay someone not knowing how much you have to pay them, because you have to make the contract first and then the issue of salaries follows?” Zwane wondered.
The former national team Sihlangu manager said people should also consider that the economy was not at its best, not only in the country, but globally. He said the director’s businesses were not sparred, but allayed fears that their coffers were running dry.
Salaries
“Even during the COVID-19 pandemic era, Mbabane Swallows made sure that on the 25th of each month the players were paid their salaries,” he said.
He then highlighted that Umkhonto KaShaka were there and under the stewardship of President Archbishop Bheki Lukhele.
Zwane highlighted that they would retain their players and could not, therefore, pick certain players from the list that would be retained.
“We have a list from the technical team giving us the direction
on the players that we will retain, so we cannot pick one player as we treat all our players equally,” he said.
He also said they were done preparing the contracts by yesterday and everything would be sorted by today.
Zwane went on to thank the club’s president for being with them during trying times such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the political unrest that was witnessed last year.
“We are grateful to him, the president is a Swallows man at heart,” he said.
Vacant
He did not want to entertain questions about the issue of the team searching for a co-director and the vacant post for the Marketing and Communications Officer, left void by 2021/22 MTN Premier League Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Season Mancoba Mabuza, saying the director would be better positioned to announce structural adjustments upon his return from a trip outside the country.