SOCCER – The Eswatini Football Association (EFA) and the Premier League of Eswatini (PLE) have complied with the High Court’s directive, submitting the requested Mbabane Swallows Football Club documents within the 72-hour deadline.
All eyes will be on the High Court tomorrow as the legal battle over the control and ownership of Mbabane Swallows FC resumes before Judge Zonke Magagula.
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This follows last week’s court order directing the PLE and EFA to submit all documents associated with the club, covering the period between 2016 and 2023.
The case was brought by Mbabane Swallows (Pty) Ltd, which is seeking an interdict against Swallows President Absalom Ngwenya, stopping him from running the affairs of the club.
The company, represented by attorney Mduduzi Hlophe of M. Hlophe and Associates, argues that Ngwenya occupies the position of president without proper authority.
Hlophe told the court that his client had been deprived by the PLE of access to crucial club documents, which contain information that could determine whether the club was ever legally managed by the company. He questioned who had elected Ngwenya to lead the team, insisting that the registered company holds full authority over the club’s management.
During the previous sitting, Judge Magagula expressed disappointment that representatives of both the PLE and EFA were not present during proceedings, describing their absence as a sign of disregard for football governance in the country. He further remarked that such attitudes were among the reasons national teams continue to perform poorly on the international stage.
The judge, however, dismissed Swallows (Pty) Ltd’s request to bar the club from participating in PLE competitions, stressing that football activities and players should not be disrupted while the ownership dispute is being resolved.
Mbabane Swallows (Pty) Ltd spokesperson Bhekithemba Ginindza confirmed that their lawyer had now received the documents from the football authorities as directed by the court.
“Our lawyer has informed us that we have received the documents. However, there is nothing much I can say at this stage since the matter will be debated in the court of law tomorrow,” Ginindza said.
Tomorrow’s court proceedings are expected to focus on the documents submitted by the PLE and EFA, which could prove key in determining the rightful ownership and leadership structure of Mbabane Swallows FC.
Efforts to reach Swallows FC PRO Knowledge Ngwenya for comment were unsuccessful as his phone rang unanswered.
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