I-Royal AM ‘entsha’ isizobagijimisa ku-Eswatini Premier League (EPL)

AKUNGABAZEKI ukuthi abathandi beqembu laseThekwini ebeligijima ku-Betway Premiership, i-Royal AM bazithokozele izindaba zokuvuka kweqembu labo nakuba selivumbuka Eswatini.

Kule mpelasonto kwethulwe usomabhizinisi u-Shawn ‘MaMkhize’ Mkhize njengomengameli omusha weMbabane Highlanders emuva kwezingxoxo ebese zidonse isikhathi eside.

Abalandeli bebhola bebazi ukuthi uMaMkhize uzothenga iMonani Pirates FC okuyiqembu asuke kuleli wahlangana nezikhulu zalo Eswatini. Emasontweni edlule kube sekuvela ukuthi usezingxoxweni esezikuvuthondaba neMbabane Highlanders.

Kube sekuthi ngoMgqibelo, mhlaka-12 Ntulikazi (July) 2025, iMbabane Highlanders yethula uMaMkhize njengomengameli wayo omusha futhi yenza izinguquko egameni layo.

Ngokomlando waleli qembu uMaMkhize uzoba ngumengameli walo wokuqala wesifazane. Nokho abaningi banemibuzo ngomlando wakhe ebholeni laseNingizimu Afrika, ukuthi uzokwazi yini ukubuyisa udumo lwaleli qembu eliteketiswa ngokuthi ‘Ezimnyama Ngenkani’ noma nazo uzozithela ngehlazo.

IMbabane Highlanders isinqobe izicoco ze-league, Eswatini Premier League (EPL) amahlandla ayishumi nantathu (13), kanti bagcine ukunqoba i-league ngo-2001. Nge-season edlule i-league iphele leli iqembu lihleli endaweni yesishiyagalombili (8th).

Ngesikhathi kwethulwa izinguquko emcimbini obuwubukhazikhazi, kwaziswe abalandeli ukuthi igama leqembu selizokwengezwa ngezinhlambu u-AM (Andile Mpisane) okuyisinqamulelo segama lendodana kaMaMkhize bese kuba IMbabane Highlanders AM F.C. I-logo yeqembu izoqhubeka ibe nombala omningi omnyama kodwa seyizogqiza ngoyigolide.

Ekhuluma kulo mcimbi uMaMkhize uthe lobudlelwane buzohlanganisa amazwe amabili. “Lobu ubudlelwane obuhlanganisa iNingizimu Afrika ne-Eswatini”, kusho yena.

Ngaphambi kokuthenga leli qembu uMaMkhize udlule ebunzimeni njengoba obengumengameli walo, u-Bullet Simelane ubengafuni ukudedela izintambo.

Kuzokhumbuleka ukuthi uMaMkhize uzithola eseqalaza amaqembu Eswatini nje ingoba iqembu abeliphethe i-Royal AM lihlakaziwe emuva kwezinkinga elibe nazo ne-SARS njengoba belikweleta imali engaphezu kuka-R40 million, liphinde lakhishwa ku-Premier Soccer League (PSL). Ngaphezu kwalokho kubuye kwavela izinsolo zokuthi wakokotela isayini yesihlobo sakhe ukuze akwazi ukuqhoqhobala i-Royal AM futhi uphinde walahlekelwa imali engu-R27 million ngokushenxa kwabaxhasi.

Muva nje kunezinsolo zokuthi usebudlelwaneni obungalungile nabantu abakhulu kuleli kuhlanganisa nosopolitiki ababandakanyeka emacaleni okukhwabanisa.

Abantu abaningi ezinkundleni zokuxhumana baphawulile ekhasini leqembu bezwakalisa izimvo ezihlukene ngokwethulwa kukaMkaMkhize njengomengameli omusha weqembu.

Abaningi babona ukufika kwakhe kuMbabane Highlanders kuyithuba lokuvuka kwaleli qembu futhi kuzoba nezithelo ezinhle ekugqugquzeleni ukwenza kahle, ukuba khona kwezinsiza nokuligqamisa.

“Lizozisola leli qembu ngokuzimatanisa naye”, kusho u @UnplayableZA egqamisa umlando we-Royal AM.

Akwaziwa noma iqembu eselakhiwe kabusha lizokwazi yini ukumelana nomncintiswano wezimbangi ezifana no-Young Buffaloes. Ngokwesithembiso sikaMaMkhize, uthe uzokwenza isiqiniseko ukuthi ithalente lezwe athenge kulo iqembu liyaqhakaza futhi uzoqikelela ukuphathwa kahle kwezimali okuyiphutha elenzeke eseku-Royal AM. Abantu bezwe lase-Eswatini bazobe bebhekile ukuthi ubuholi bakhe buzoyibuyisa yini impumelelo yeMbabane Highlanders AM noma isazoqhugela.