MaMkhize’s club Mbabane Highlanders AM have been kicked out of a tournament after the club was found guilty for fan violence that occurred last month.
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Mbabane Highlanders AM – the Eswatini club owned by South African businesswoman Shauwn Mkhize – have been expelled from the Ingwenyama Cup after being found guilty of multiple disciplinary offences stemming from violent scenes at the Mavuso Sports Centre in Manzini.
According to reports, the club appeared before a disciplinary committee following crowd trouble during their Ingwenyama Cup clash with Nsingizini Hotspurs. Chaos erupted late in the match after Hotspurs scored a stoppage-time goal, prompting Highlanders supporters to invade the pitch and assault the referee.
Match officials were forced to abandon the game just minutes before full time as security struggled to regain control of the situation.
Following a hearing in Mbabane, the disciplinary committee found Highlanders guilty on three charges: pitch invasion, assault of a match official and the throwing of missiles onto the field of play.
Despite pleading not guilty, the club was handed a series of financial penalties. Highlanders were fined R25 000 for causing the abandonment of the match, R50 000 for the assault on the referee and R3 000 for failing to control their supporters.
In addition to the fines, the team have forfeited the match, meaning Nsingizini Hotspurs advance to the quarter-finals of the prestigious competition.
Highlanders manager Richard Makhoba said the club has yet to decide whether it will challenge the ruling.
“At the moment I cannot comment in detail because we still need to consult with our legal team,” Makhoba was quoted by KickOff.
IOL Sport