Swazi Observer

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SA BUSINESSMAN DUMPS WANDERERS!

By Sibongiseni Zondi | 2018-06-21

SOCCER - SOUTH African businessman Mehluli Nhlengethwa says he no longer has interest in joining embattled Manzini Wanderers as a director.

The businessman, who has links with Wanderers’ ladies team, had been linked with a directorship role at the Manzini giants.

The Swazi Observer reported yesterday that Wanderers supporters, led by their National Supporters Committee (NSC), wanted the club’s current directors to step down to make way for Nhlengethwa. The current Wanderers board of directors is made up of Sandile ‘Chief’ Dlamini, Peter Mathaba, Bheki Shongwe and Reverend Percy Mngomezulu.

However, Dlamini, speaking to this publication on Tuesday, said there was no way one man could run the club while adding that Nhlengethwa would have to work with them at the ‘Weslians.’

Nhlengethwa has now come out to distance himself from the senior team, stating that he will focus all his attention towards the ladies team.

“The recent events leading to me drafting this statement have made me realise that my dream and vision will remain my dream and vision. I will continue with my duties and responsibilities with the ladies team and would like to state that from today onwards I will cease all talks and engagements regarding the senior team. I can only hope that those I have met and shared my dreams with will see to it that it is realised,” Nhlengethwa wrote in a statement sent to this publication yesterday.

Approached

Elaborating on the vision he had for the club, the South African businessman added that he had been approached to help with the senior team towards the end of the 2017/18 season but noted serious divisions within Wanderers.

“On inception of the talks I personally observed a lot of divisions within the various structures and the first task I embarked on was to ensure that unity is achieved. My dream was to unite all the various stakeholders thus I embarked on various stakeholder engagements as it would not have been a good move to just jump on a moving train and hope for the best. I employed all my management skills and acquired knowledge to prepare a SWOT analysis around the common goal, unity,” he added.

Nhlengethwa added that he never wanted status at Wanderers but only wanted to help turn the fortunes of the club around.

Allow

“Mehluli Nhlengethwa seeks not to be a sole director, nor buy Manzini Wanderers, nor advocate for violence and I will not allow such to be done in my name. I am one who does not chase the spotlight. In all my years of practice, I have always guarded against positions but rather build structures that will ensure that the vision at hand is achieved. Manzini Wanderers is a family and belongs to all who love it and want to see the team achieve good results. The team belongs to the supporters, the donors, the players, the technical team, the marshals, the elders and there are some who just prefer to be silent partners but at heart they have the team’s best interests,” Nhlengethwa added.

Asked to respond to Nhlengethwa’s statement, Wanderers director ‘chief’ said he had no comment. “We have no comment on the matter. If Nhlengethwa wants to talk to us, he will come to us. He knows where to find us. So we have no comment,” Dlamini said.

Also reached for comment yesterday, Wanderers NSC Chairman Lucky ‘Majaivane’ Dlamini said they would not accept Nhlengethwa’s decision. “We do not welcome his decision. We will speak with him but we do not accept this decision,” Dlamini briefly said.

Wanderers, SwaziBank Cup runners- up and fourth place finishers in the MTN Premier League last season, are set to travel to Durban in South Africa where they will partake in a couple of pre-season friendly matches.

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