The battle for control of Mbabane Highlanders FC in Eswatini has taken a dramatic new turn, further complicating the situation.
Following the previously reported developments where former Royal AM owner Shauwn "MaMkhize" Mkhize missed the deadline to change the team's directorship in Eswatini—meaning the team technically still belongs to reported current director Bheki "Rubber" Simelane—a third party has now emerged with claims to the club.
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South African-born businessman Alfred Ally Kgomongwe has now claimed that he, not Simelane or MaMkhize, is the owner of Mbabane Highlanders FC. Kgomongwe reached out to the Siya crew to express his view on the matter.
"I see that there is confusion as to who really owns Mbabane Highlanders FC. I am the rightful owner of that club. I don't even know how the Eswatini Premier Soccer League (EPSL) changed the directorship from myself to Bheki Rubber Simelane. I own 80% of the club shares," Kgomongwe told Soccer Laduma, providing documents to support his ownership claim.
Kgomongwe, who also owns Extension Gunners FC in Botswana, expressed confusion about how the club's directorship was transferred.
"If there is supposed to be a change of ownership of Mbabane Highlanders I am the only one with the rights and power to decide who I can give the club to. They should talk to me. It's my team. Even if Mbabane Highlanders can win the CAF Champions League or any trophy, the prize money won't go to Rubber Simelane, but it will come to me because I am the rightful owner and director of Mbabane Highlanders," Kgomongwe added.
However, Mbabane Highlanders' current Public Relations Officer, Lington Gule, disputes Kgomongwe's claims, suggesting there are two different entities involved.
"It's important to make Ally and his camp aware that Mr Simelane has never and will never refuse to hand over Mbabane Highlanders to anyone, be it MaMkhize or Ally himself. All what Mr Simelane is asking for is compensation because he invested some money into this project. In business you don't just wake up and cancel contractual agreements. Once you do that then you need to pay. So, let it be clear that Mr Simelane is not holding onto power," Gule told the Siya crew.
"Regarding Highlanders being his company, Mr Ally must approach the registrar of companies. Mbabane Highlanders LTD is not Mbabane Highlanders FC. He owns Mbabane Highlanders Ltd which is not a football team. Mr Simelane is the current director of Mbabane Highlanders FC. Those are two different things," Gule added.
When contacted for comment, EPSL CEO Pat Vilakati told Soccer Laduma that this issue, with the contrasting claims to ownership, is causing significant problems due to the conflicting information.
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"People believe l was in the Mkhize and Simelane meeting, of which l was not. What people should know is that a club's change of ownership is for clubs. Not us. We accept and verify compliance only. So that was not done on the deadline date," Vilakati told the Siya crew.
The situation leaves Mbabane Highlanders FC in a state of uncertainty as the new season approaches, with three different parties all claiming various rights to the club's ownership.
Soccer Laduma contacted Mkhize about her potential claim to own Highlanders, but the former Royal AM had not responded by the time this report was published.
Photo by Alfred Ally Kgomongwe
