Pirates unveil new sheriffs
NGCULWINI - Moneni Pirates yesterday unveiled Nhlanhla Msweli as club shareholder. The South Africa-based businessman joins the Moneni ‘Buccaneers’ or ‘Sea Robbers’ hardly a month since the official announcement of another South African (SA) Director in Mbabane Highlanders Managing Director (MD) Chief Ally Kgomongwe’s wife, Alinah More. The latter, however, said to be the main shareholder at the moment, was unveiled without putting pen to paper recently. Pirates are understood to have recently received about E100 000 from their Pretoria-based businesswoman to assist the team meet the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Club Licensing requirements, at least it was claimed.
This transpired during Msweli’s unveiling at Ehawini in Manzini. It is worth mentioning that More’s involvement has been questioned in some sectors but Kgomongwe said whoever could produce their marriage certificate could have a strong case.
Meanwhile, the team’s Manager Twoman Masuku, said that they unveiled More’s before could sign her shares contract. “We haven’t concluded how much shares Msweli bought. For our South African director, Alinah More, we unveiled her before she signed her contract and shares amount,” Masuku said.
On another note, Msweli, whose unveiling coincided with a new Nike kit presentation valued at E11 000, described Pirates as a community-owned team that could not be bought by anyone. “I am a director of Moneni Pirates, actually I am a shareholder and the reason that I chose to align with the team is that they are a community team.
“No one can out rightly buy Pirates because it’s a team of the community, not individually owned. That is why I advised that it be registered as a company when I came on board. This is a team that boasts young and committed players so by investing in the youth we are contributing towards crime prevention which is rife because of the high unemployment rate,” Msweli said.
KIT
Ehawini Complex Director Mncedisi Lulani, was the kit sponsor with two more presented to Ehawini social teams. Lulani said the sponsorship was part of the social responsibility projects as they hoped to positively impact the community which houses their business. This is the second sponsorship towards Pirates as the company also donated E20 000 to the club last season. Lulani added that giving back to the community and promoting sports development was their core mandate.
He further said next in the pipeline was creating a women’s social team in the area. “We are part of the community and although we are not always available, we will also prioritise on partaking in the social games. Another initiative that we would like to assist with is their camp. We will give Moneni Pirates monthly vouchers as a contribution to the team’s well-being so that they do not run out of essentials like food among other things,” Lulani said.
Speaking on behalf of the players, team Captain Menzi ‘Magawugawu’ Simelane said the new kit was a motivation for the team to keep striving for excellence after emerging as the inaugural MoMo Cup runners-up and hoped to clinch the 2022/2023 MTN Premier League. Pirates will meet elite rookies Nsingizini Hotspurs in their MTN Premier League clash scheduled for King Sobhuza II Memorial Stadium this afternoon.
The Buccanners are aware of the challenge ahead after Nsingizini beat them 2-1 in the MoMo Cup finals, stopping them from taking home the E600 000 championship windfall. Pirates bagged E350 000 and were silver medallists plus E100 000 for managing to reach the 20 000 votes as per the rules and regulations set by the sponsor.