MBABANE:Bongani Nzima, the eSwatini Sports Minister has interfered in the administration of football while violating rules of the Federation of International Football Associations(FIFA) in that, he allegedly summoned the Premier League of Eswatini(PLE) Governing Board to stop the relegation of Manzini Wanderers.
The football team with alleged links to ruling royal family through it’s Patron and King Mswati’s wife Inkhosikati Sibonelo Mngomezulu(LaMbikiza), has been resisting relegation for sometime now while disturbing football tournaments through ‘endless’ court applications.
An independent investigation conducted by this Swaziland News uncovered both documentary and electronic evidence suggesting that, on Monday, the Sports Minister instructed Frederick Mngomezulu, the Chief Executive Officer(CEO) of the Eswatini Football Association(EFA) to summon the PLE Governing Board into a meeting where the issue of Manzini Wanderers was discussed at length, the meeting subsequently took place at Sigwaca House-Mbabane on Tuesday(21st January 2025) around 7pm.
In fact, this journalist received the information through a leaked letter on Monday evening where the Minister through CEO Frederick Mngomezulu, was summoning the PLE Governing Board.
But in the midst of the investigation, it was agreed with the source that, the story must be published after the Tuesday meeting so that more information could be obtained.
In a letter dated 20th January 2025 and directed to PLE Acting Chief Executive Officer(CEO) Petros ‘Pat’ Vilakati, Frederick Mngomezulu specifically summoned PLE Chairman Polycarp Dlamini and Deputy Chairperson Ngudze Mamba.
Reached for comments by this Swaziland News on Saturday morning, Petros ‘Pat’ Vilakati, the Acting PLE Chief Executive Officer confirmed the meeting where the Sports Minister spoke about the Manzini Wanderers relegation issue.
“But I did not attend the meeting as the letter was specific that, only the Chairman and Deputy were summoned by the Minister”, said the PLE Chief Executive Officer.
Efforts to reach both the PLE Chairman and his Deputy proved unsuccessful at the time of compiling this report, while Government Spokesperson Alpheous Nxumalo declined to comment.
It is alleged that, the Sports Minister declared during the meeting that, “he is a supporter of Manzini Wanderers” and asked that something must be done to save what he described as a giant team from relegation.
Responding to this publication when asked to share his views with regards to the legal implications of the Sports Minister’s decision to interfere in the administration of football, lawyer Sibusiso Nhlabatsi warned that, the country might be banned by FIFA at the “time when eSwatini is struggling to sustain sporting activities”.
The lawyer said football was regulated by FIFA as a sport that promotes social co-cohesion while uniting the people and therefore, it terms of the rules, there should be no political interference in this football matters.
“It’s very unfortunate to note that, the Minister has decided to interfere in this matter and this, is proof enough that he is not fit to hold public office. The Minister is a politician and football should be free from political activities that is why FIFA was specific that, politics must not be discussed or be part of football.Even during football games, FIFA banned the promotion of political activities linked to politics in Stadiums because politics divides the people while football unites them”, said the lawyer.
Sigwaca House-Mbabane(pic: supplied).