By Chris Dlamini
Capital City giants Mbabane Highlanders South African (SA) Managing Director (MD) Chief Ally Kgomongwe wants charges preferred against the club’s National Supporters Committee (NSC) interim Chairman Mfanuzile ‘Fash’ Dlamini.
Following a meeting with a section of the team’s concerned supporters and management on Saturday in Pretoria, it was concluded that the under-siege director must open a case against his interim NSC Chairman Mfanuzile ‘Fash’ Dlamini.
This came about after the supporters questioned Kgomongwe why he was not providing replicas anymore.
“I still haven’t received money for the replicas sold by the NSC, yet I still had to pay the supplier who was least impressed with our dealings. We do have a kit sponsor here in Pretoria just waiting for our green light, but we are still trying to reach an agreement as their colours have the red of Mbabane Swallows which would be on the front of our kit,” Kgomongwe told the supporters.
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He said Umbro was also strongly under consideration as he had tasked the management to bring three potential brands to consider for the club’s kit and merchandise.
“The first thing we must do before we bring new merchandise is gather evidence on the last two sets of replicas which remain unaccounted for and press charges against those responsible. As of now, it’s clear we must press charges against our interim NSC Chairman and those implicated,” said Kgomongwe in agreement with the supporters who had shown the director some of the transactions allegedly deposited into the interim NSC leader’s MoMo account.
Dlamini was not the only implicated member in the replicas’ issue which was once widely reported by one of the local dailies late last year when Highlanders supporters started expressing concern about the lack of new merchandise, including a stable team kit.
Kgomongwe has been under fire over the lack of team merchandise for supporters and alleged non-payment of salaries for the three months.
This saw an impasse in the team that led to the director deciding to suspend team activities to allow the faction against his reign to take over and show their mettle for two games. This was against Young Buffaloes, a match they won, shocking Buffaloes much against expectations before losing 2-0 to traditional Derby rivals Mbabane Swallows.
“This team belongs to the loyal Highlanders supporters, and it is up to them to decide the future. My view is that I personally can’t let Highlanders get relegated. I’m just waiting for January to boost the young talent we have signed this season. If we allow the few supporters to do as they please, then the whole Mbabane Highlanders is likely to suffer badly, and we don’t want that. I’m not saying I’m perfect, but this is not how I expect things to be resolved. I’m reachable telephonically, and Highlanders people are always welcome here in Pretoria to discuss any issues to help the team prosper,” Kgomongwe responded to the supporters.
The meeting took place at the posh Food&Chain Restaurant in Pretoria on Friday evening. Present were the club’s Public Relations Officer (PRO) Kenneth Dlamini, Manager Simiso ‘Space’ Jele, head coach Mthunzi ‘Lomphofu’ Ginindza, and the five supporters, most of whom have served in the NSC branches.
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“We are here to request official team merchandise, but we also understand why you stopped it. We can help with information as we still have the transfer deposit evidence on our phones indicating who was receiving the replicas’ money,” declared the supporters.
Kgomongwe agreed with the supporters and MC that perhaps charges had to be pressed against all the implicated individuals in the replicas’ sale, and these include a former player and some who are still contracted.
Kgomongwe cried foul late last year over the unaccountability of slightly more or less E100 000 supposedly sold replicas. He revealed only about E100 000 was received while a huge chunk of the merchandise remains unaccounted for.
“We will have new merchandise, but let’s deal with the past as well and then put sound structures in place to handle our business,” Kgomongwe said.
He also concluded that the MC must arrange a supporters’ meeting date so he could come and address all the pertinent issues with them as they used to do before. Kgomongwe said it was also prudent that the team’s loyalists made a sensible choice that would help the club’s existence rather than hamper it.
Kgomongwe emphasised he was not perfect, but he was passionate about Highlanders and still had the resources to lead the club.
“We have signed new but young talent that just needs time to gel. We also know we need experience, and January is just around the corner to sign those quality players. This needs to end before our next match while we sit and resolve the differences. I appointed Fash, and he remains the only legit remaining appointee alongside Mpapane in the structure. We need to reconsider the structure together as Highlander’s people,” said Kgomongwe.
Meanwhile, Dlamini acknowledged the money from branches but said for the second time his hands were clean in this matter.
“I only took 52 replicas from those tasked to sell for the branch committees and submitted it to the club’s ex-chief Executive Officer (CEO) Musa Masuku who passed it on to the Manager Simiso ‘Space’ Jele.”
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He said it was a fact that the replica sale did not go accordingly, but there were a lot of people involved with players and MC members also allegedly selling them for as low as E150 to E250.
Dlamini had initially explained last year that he was not to blame here, but one of the people Kgomongwe had also entrusted to sell the replicas. The said official is no longer serving on the team. Kgomongwe had also mentioned the former official in his meeting with the visiting supporters.
