Picture: Instagram
It seems like trouble is piling up for embattled entrepreneur and reality TV star Shauwn “MaMkhize” Mkhize.
The latest reports from Soccer Laduma indicate that her efforts to acquire the Eswatini Premier Soccer League club, Mbabane Highlanders AM Football Club, were unsuccessful.
This comes after MaMkhize had reportedly purchased the club following Royal AM’s expulsion from the Premier Soccer League due to unresolved issues with the South African Revenue Service (SARS).
According to previous reports, MaMkhize had planned to rename Mbabane Highlanders in honour of her son. However, a new report suggests that the club will revert to its original name after MaMkhize missed a deadline to register herself as the new owner.
The Eswatini Premier Soccer League CEO, Pat Vilakati, confirmed that MaMkhize had until Monday, July 21, 2025, to register herself as the new owner, but she failed to meet the deadline.
Vilakati explained that MaMkhize and the old director, Bheki Simelane, were supposed to sign handover papers to register MaMkhize as the new owner, but that didn’t happen.
The CEO also suggested that MaMkhize might not have paid the compensation fee to acquire the club from Simelane, who signed an 18-month contract with Mbabane Highlanders FC. Vilakati further stated that Simelane cannot hand over the club to MaMkhize if the compensation fee has not been paid.
It’s unclear whether MaMkhize can appeal to change the club’s name during the upcoming 2025/26 season or if she has to wait until the season concludes.
The 2025/26 Eswatini Premier Soccer League season is set to begin in August 2025, with the main registration period for eligible players already underway.
As things stand, the club is likely to revert to its original name, and MaMkhize’s future plans for the team remain uncertain. Soccer fans wait eagerly to see how this situation unfolds, as well as what the future holds for MaMkhize’s football ambitions.