- Issue of patrons to be finalised
- Registration of Club as a company still on the table
Ezulwini: Startling allegations have been made by Mbabane Highlanders Managing Director Chief Ally Kgomongwe against the team patrons.
The Pretoria-based businessman and the team patrons have been on loggerheads over the registration of the team as a company to among other things conform to FIFA Club Licensing requirements.
This past weekend, the South Africa-born MD had a meeting with the team supporters at Ezulwini Casino Sports Ground. The gist of the meeting was to give clarity on issues affecting the club, especially why Kgomongwe threatened to leave the club as patrons allegedly refused to give to the director’s demands.
“They wanted me to give them about E1.5 million,” he said.
Kgomongwe explained that the patrons want him to leave his shares with them and it’s like they are saying when he died they take his shares. He said that got him thinking that it meant he could even get shot here so he said enough is enough and wanted out.
“If they can write that I give my 80 percent shares to the supporters because they pay money at stadium, then I’ll sign without a problem,” he said.
Kgomongwe said all he was asking for as he returns to continue changing Highlanders to the force they are known to be in Africa, was unity and transparency then there will be enormous success while also calling for the respect of the patrons as elders but pleaded with them to step aside and allow him and his management to do all the work and they will deliver.
Meanwhile, Kgomongwe told the supporters that today (Monday) is the D-day for them with the clauses.
“I am meeting the Patrons then I’ll know if they remove or they don’t’.”
Nonetheless, Kgomongwe made one thing clear, that he was with the team and not leaving after his family was convinced to allow him to continue as its director. The supporters wanted the patrons in another meeting where they can also speak for themselves and also be told that they were no longer needed as football had moved on.
On another note, Kgomongwe added that their team is doing well this season and should be number one if it was not for these disruptions.
“I believe now we’re preparing for Africa. This is our time, the time that the Lord has given us. Where I have a problem is when He says go to Africa then someone among us says no. Leopard are just a point away and they play before us this weekend and we’re also yet to play them so I’ll see to it that we remove them from the top when we play them and we are off to Africa. I told my financial advisor in SA that I smell CAF this time and he said not a problem, he has about E7 million that he can give us to use,” Kgomongwe said.
He said they were CAF Club Licensed for the tournament because of authentic financials which would not see them wait to beg anyone or expect money from the Premier League of Eswatini (PLE) like most clubs do when they qualify for the CAF interclub tournaments.
Kgomongwe said the certificate from CAF had nothing like patrons or elders which called for the amendment of the team’s constitution.
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