MBABANE – Mbabane Highlanders Managing Director (MD), Bheki ‘Rubber’ Simelane, has resigned, burying the month-long speculation.
Simelane, ‘Rubber’, departed peacefully and with an act of goodwill, paid-off the teams’ rent for at least a month.
The club’s Public Relations Officer (PRO) Lington Gule confirmed the reports.
“The Patrons are divided about who should be the President of the Club,some want Simelane some want somebody else so he doesn’t want to cause division within the Patron Structure hence the reason to step aside,” Gule told Independent News.
For sometime, the ‘Bull’s’ fans were hoping that he was going to at least finish his 18 months contract with the club.
The initial charges he pressed against the club’s patrons after they had allegedly wanted him out yet he was still on contract, were withdrawn. Simelane had demanded E1 000 000 from them.
The departure continued to happen despite Gule initially publicly assuring the local football fraternity that the MD was staying for the duration of his contract.
Simelane’s stepping down comes at a time where there has been a division and factionism with the club’s patrons.
One faction rallied behind Simelane while another was vouching for the South African businesswoman, Shawn ‘Mamkhize’ Mkhize. She is also the former owner of Royal AM F.C. The team was booted out of the Betway Premiership by the Premier Soccer League (PSL) due to Mamkhize’s failure to pay her taxes.
Even though Mamkhize’s name is loudly uttered in the corridors of our local football these days in relation to the Highlanders MD’s vacant seat, it has still not been confirmed if she will take over after Simelane.
Gule also said he was not sure if Mamkhize’s interests sought by the fans were reciprocated.
“I’m not sure [because] I’m not privy to the deliberations of the Patrons. It’s unfortunate ke kutsi konkhe lolokwentekako kwenteka ngesikhatsi lapho khona ngabe kulungiswa indzaba yebadlali (It’s unfortunate because this is happening at the time whereby we could be talking about the players),” he said.
With the new season fast approaching, Highlanders leadership would be looking for someone to take over the MD’s seat.
Highlanders does not only partake in the 2025/2026 MTN Premier League but also compete to bring back the team’s dignity and glorious days.
Discussion about this post