By Dylan Bettencourt
- MaMkhize missed the 21 July deadline to register as the club’s new owner and may not have paid the full buyout amount.
- The club will continue under its current name as the new season kicks off, with MaMkhize’s plans now in doubt.
Shauwn “MaMkhize” Mkhize’s plans to take over Mbabane Highlanders in Eswatini have hit a wall after she failed to meet the official deadline to complete the deal.
According to Soccer Laduma, MaMkhize was expected to register herself as the new owner of the club by Monday, 21 July 2025. But Eswatini Premier Soccer League CEO Pat Vilakati confirmed that no documents were submitted.
MaMkhize had previously claimed she had already bought the club after her team, Royal AM, was expelled from the South African Premier Soccer League over unpaid tax debts.
But Vilakati said the deal was never finalised because both MaMkhize and current club director Bheki Simelane failed to sign the necessary handover paperwork.
Now, doubts are growing about whether MaMkhize paid Simelane the full amount they had agreed on.
Simelane reportedly has an 18-month contract with the club and cannot transfer ownership until he’s paid out in full.
There were also reports that MaMkhize planned to rename the team after her son. But with no paperwork submitted and the registration period closing soon, those plans appear to be on hold.
The new Eswatini Premier League season begins in August, and player registration is already underway.
For now, the Mbabane Highlanders will continue under their current management and name.
Pictured above: MaMkhize.
Image source: kwa_mammkhize
