By Dylan Bettencourt
- MaMkhize was unveiled as the new president of Mbabane Highlanders AM on a three-year contract after Royal AM was kicked out of the PSL.
- Her son Andile Mpisane expected to make a football comeback as his mother rebrands the club with his initials and adds Royal AM gold colours.
Shauwn ‘MaMkhize’ Mkhize has found a new football home across the border, and she’s brought her son along for the ride.
On Saturday, the flamboyant businesswoman was unveiled as the new president of Mbabane Highlanders AM at an event in Eswatini. She stood proudly alongside her son, Andile Mpisane, as she promised to lead the club into a new era.
This comes months after her club, Royal AM, was expelled from the Premier Soccer League.
While MaMkhize didn’t buy the Eswatini club, she’s been given a three-year deal to run it. A local journalist said clubs in Eswatini are not sold, but rather handed over on contracts, like the previous boss, Bheki Simelane, who had an 18-month stint.
MaMkhize has already left her mark: she’s rebranded the club and added Royal AM’s gold to the Highlanders’ black and white kit. “This isn’t a takeover,” she said, calling it a partnership between Eswatini and South Africa.
Her speech was full of promises: “To the fans, you are the soul of this club… we’re not here to participate, we’re here to elevate.”
And then there’s Andile.
He hasn’t confirmed if he’ll be playing, but all signs point to a comeback. He was front and centre at the unveiling, MaMkhize renamed the club Mbabane Highlanders AM (Andile Mpisane’s initials), and he’s been dropping hints online.
Many thought Andile’s football career ended with Royal AM’s collapse. But MaMkhize has never stopped defending his talent, and now she may be creating a new stage for him.
Pictured above: Shauwn Mkhize and son Andile Mpisane.
Image source: File
