By Zee
In a jaw-dropping twist worthy of a soap opera finale, South African business mogul and reality TV star Shauwn “MaMkhize” Mkhize has risen from the ashes of Royal AM’s dramatic PSL collapse to claim her place as the new president of Eswatini’s most decorated football club – Mbabane Highlanders AM.
Yes, you read that right: The Queen of KwaZulu-Natal has just taken over the kingdom of Eswatini football.
A crown restored… in foreign territory
Just three months ago, MaMkhize was facing disgrace and defeat. Her beloved Royal AM – the club she built, glamorized, and fiercely defended – was expelled from the Premier Soccer League after failing to settle a staggering R40 million debt to SARS. Players fled. Sponsors pulled out. Critics jeered.
But MaMkhize? She didn’t flinch.
Instead, she crossed borders, rewrote narratives, and emerged in Mbabane with a crown in hand and a statement that shook the continent:
“We’re not here to participate. We’re here to elevate.” And elevate she did.
Introducing… Mbabane Highlanders
The 13-time Eswatini Premier League champions, steeped in tradition and adored by thousands, now have a new name and a new era: Mbabane Highlanders AM — the “AM” of course standing for Andile Mpisane, MaMkhize’s son, heir to the throne, and a controversial figure in his own right.
Critics call it vanity. Supporters call it branding genius. MaMkhize calls it a legacy move.
Andile, once mocked for his cameo appearances in Royal AM’s first team, is now tipped for a footballing rebirth in Eswatini. The prince returns, and this time, the crown is family-forged.
From mockery to masterstroke
Let’s not forget: Royal AM was more than a club – it was a movement. Tracksuits that shimmered, private jets, bodyguards, fashion, flair, and fury. While others played football, MaMkhize played chess.
Even as her enemies rejoiced at Royal AM’s downfall, she was plotting her next move. And now? She’s turned a fall into a throne – not in Johannesburg or Durban, but in Mbabane.
And just like that, the fallen queen of South African football is now the ruling monarch of Eswatini’s football empire.
What’s next?
Andile Mpisane is reportedly training already, expected to sign soon.
Sponsorship deals are rumoured to be in the pipeline, with major South African brands eager to jump on the new cross-border project.
A media spectacle is being prepared = think docuseries, behind-the-scenes specials, and maybe even a Highlanders AM fashion line?
The streets are talking…
“She failed in South Africa and ran to Swaziland,” say the skeptics.
“She’s building an empire beyond borders,” say her fans.
Whatever side you’re on, one thing’s for certain: Shauwn Mkhize is not done.
She’s just getting started.
Royal AM may have died, but Highlanders AM is the resurrection.
And MaMkhize? She’s not just back – she’s international.
Zee’s final word
This isn’t just a football move. It’s a power move. A woman counted out by many has just bought herself back into the game = and not just any game, but the oldest and proudest football house in Eswatini.
Whether this becomes a story of revival or reckoning remains to be seen. But what’s certain is this: MaMkhize has returned – and she’s writing a new chapter in Southern African football, one bold headline at a time. – @NewsSA_Online
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