LOZITHA:Lieutenant General Jeffery Shabalala, the former Army Commander, will soon smile to the bank after King Mswati ordered current Head of the military Moses Mashikilisane Fakudze to approve the processing of his about five hundred thousand Rands(R500,000.00) gratuity.
Shabalala has been persecuted by Army Commander Fakudze who refused to approve the payment of the gratuity and went on to unleash soldiers to harass the former Army Commander, blocking him from coming closer to the King or attending National events in Army uniform.
But a document in possession of this Swaziland News and leaked from the Ministry of Defense and State Security “confirms that, on the 1st October 2025, Army Commander Moses Mashikilisane Fakudze complied with the King’s order and wrote a memo to Defense Principal Secretary Prince Sicalo urging him to facilitate the payment”.
Worth-noting, in the said document, Fakudze respected Shabalala by properly mentioning or referring to him as the “General” but the Army Commander previously told the media that, Jeffery Shabalala was no-longer a soldier but “Mr Shabalala” hence he must not be saluted even by soldiers.
“The Office of the Commander UEDF has the honour to herein request your venerated Office to kindly facilitate the remittance of gratuity for the former Commander General Jeffery Sipho Tshabalala. The Ministry may recall that the former Commander’s term of contract was prematurely terminated,” reads the memo in part with referrence number CMDR 002/10/25.
Reached for comments by this Swaziland News on Wednesday afternoon, Army Spokesperson Lieutenant Tengetile Khumalo referred comments to the Ministry of Defense and State Security.
“Kindly touch base with the Ministry Mlangeni in this regard”, said the Army Spokesperson.
But Sanele Malambe, the Under Secretary in the Ministry of Defense and State Security was not immediately available for a comment.
On another note, the approval of Jeffery Shabalala’s gratuity marks a new era in the governance of the Army as Moses Mashikilisane Fakudze previously vowed not to approve the payment saying Shabalala will never be allowed anywhere near the King, be referred to as the “General” or be saluted as “he is no longer a soldier”.
Former Army Commander Jeffery Shabalala was ousted by a royal linked powerful faction led by ex-Commander Sobantu Dlamini, the late Defense Chief Officer Prince Sihlangusemphi, Major General Prince Simelane, Head of King’s Close Protection Unit Major General Collen Lasco and Brigadier General Thembinkhosi Mngometulu among others.
But a Prince within the Ministry of Defense told this publication that, the King regards Jeffrey Shabalala as his trusted soldier.
Jeffery Shabalala was the Head of State Intelligence, he was then promoted by the King to the position of Army Commander.
Former Army Commander Jeffery Shabalala.