Swazi Observer

FULL STORY

EX-OFFICIAL CONFISCATES 5 UNDER-20 PLAYERSâ€™ PASSPORTS

By Sibusiso Masilela | 2018-03-22

SOCCER – FIVE national Under-20 and Premier League stars could miss next weekend’s AFCON qualifier against Malawi following a former senior official’s decision to confiscate their passports.

The official, whose name is known by this publication, is alleged to have taken the passports of the players upon the squad’s return from Zambia in December last year where the team competed in the finals of the continental youth competition.

The affected players are Premier League players in the likes of Mlamuli Msibi and Junior Magagula (both Royal Leopard), Fanelo ‘Order’ Mamba (Young Buffaloes), Ndumiso Mabuza (Mbabane Highlanders and Allie Matse (Manzini Wanderers).

A source close to the matter asserted that the official claimed to be the one who helped the players get the passports before travelling to Zambia.

“The players are stranded as their passports are with the former official. He is said to have told some officials that he has already destroyed the documents. This has forced the squad management to drop these players from the squad currently in camp at Caritas centre in Manzini where it is preparing for the match against Malawi,” the source said.

Two of the affected players, who preferred to speak on condition of anonymity, also confirmed the news when reached.

“The official took our passports upon our return from Zambia when we were at the border gate and he did not bring them back to us up to today,” he said.

Another player expressed his shock about the decision of the former official. “The official took our passports soon after we entered the Swazi side and he told us he would destroy them because he is the one who helped us to get the passports and he did not get along with other officials.”

The said official refuted the claims made by the players when also reached on the matter.

“I never took anyone’s passports and why would I do such a thing since passports are personal and they belong to individuals,” he said briefly.

National Football Association of Swaziland Marketing and Communications Officer Muzi Radebe said he was yet to get a briefing on the matter.

“This is news to me and I haven’t heard anything to that effect,” he said.

The national Under-20 side will next weekend travel to Blantyre for the first leg match and will play the return leg two weeks later at the Somhlolo National Stadium.

The junior national side is now under the guidance of Matsapha United coach Dumsani ‘DU’ Makhanya, who recently replaced former Buffaloes coach Mandla ‘Sitofu’ Dlamini.

share story