Swallows FC supporters were not consulted over club’s announced return

The return of Moroka Swallows has taken the club’s Supporters and Shareholders Steering Committee by surprise, despite nearly two years of work by fans to help restore the Dube Birds.

Walter Mokoena announced the re-establishment of Swallows FC last Friday, but the committee issued a statement on Wednesday distancing itself from the plans.

The development has also reportedly caught former owners linked to ex-chairman David Mogashoa off guard, according to KickOff.

Committee chairperson Thulani Mayekiso said supporters were confused and disappointed that they had not been informed before the announcement was made public.

“No one can be aggrieved with the return of The Birds because this is what we were all working towards, but the bottom line for us is (that) we should not have found out the way we did, particularly given the effort we have put in for almost two years on our own as supporters,” Mayekiso said.

He said the committee had expected at least some form of consultation before the announcement.

“The least that could have happened could have been maybe a consultation or an engagement, but not to find out through media like that. Everybody had that assumption (that they are involved) judging by the phone calls and messages of congratulations we received, which kept us surprised,” he added.

Supporters initially believed they had been included in the plans because of the messages they received after Mokoena’s announcement. Mayekiso said the committee then had to explain that it had not been involved.

“There was this excitement and people were thinking that we’re involved and we were explaining at the same time that had it been us, the supporters would have known beforehand because we speak to them first before we speak to the outside world,” he said.

Mayekiso also indicated that the management previously associated with Mogashoa might not have been involved in the latest attempt to revive the club.

He said the breakdown in relations with Mogashoa’s management had centred on assurances that supporters would be kept informed about any significant developments.

“This is what actually brought us crossed lines with the David Mogashoa management, the fact that we were given an assurance and we were promised on more than one occasion by the then management to say, ‘There is no development, whether positive or negative, that will ever be undertaken without the supporters knowing’ and so we were grateful for that,” Mayekiso said.

The committee’s statement was issued after the announcement, as supporters sought clarity over who was behind the proposed return of Moroka Swallows and what role, if any, they would have in the club’s re-establishment.