By Zweli Martin Dlamini

MBABANE:Zandile Sihlongonyane, the daughter to Assitant Commissioner Clement Sihlongonyane says his father has been very supportive and patient with his “uMkhwenyana” Sicelo Matsebula even when she was facing abuse.

In a leaked audio, Zandile Sihlongonyane, a police officer based at Manzini Police Station, told a close relative that his father never abused his position as a senior police officer against Matsebula but instead, he was supportive to the marriage.

The audio recording further suggests that, at some point Matsebula “who owns a small business in Manzini” was robbed and his application to own a gun was rejected by the police, Assistant Commissioner Clement Sihlongonyane allegedly came-in and negotiated that he be allowed to own a gun.

But subsequently, in the midst of the arguments with his wife, Matsebula would then allegedly shoot in the air, thretening the Assistant Commissioner’s daughter thus worsening the conflict.

“I am a police officer and my father is a police officer, we work with guns but never threaten to arrest or shoot him. In fact he once assaulted me and I decided to just heal and not open a case kodvwa ngaya esibhedlela emaphepha adokotela akhona. Yati nje nawendzile uba nako lokutsi kumbe lomuntfu utawushitja ungajaki kumbopha utawuze acabange kutsi wentiwa kutsi uliphoyisa, naBabe wakho liphoyisa. You end-up not knowing how to handle a character like this one,”she said in the audio which cannot be released for ethical reasons as it was shared by a close family member and the cop was speaking to the relative in confidence.

Efforts to reach Zandile Sihlongonyane for an official comment proved unsuccessful at the time of compiling this report.

On another note, in the audio recording , Zandile Sihlongonyane appears to be willing to continue with the marriage and protect her husband despite all the things he did to her.

But Zandile Sihlongonyane wants her husband to stop abusing her and firing guns in the air whenever, there’s a minor argument. She also wants her husband to stop insulting his father Clement Sihlongonyane who assisted him in many ways, the top cop is alleged to have contributed and supported his daughter and “uMkhwenyana” while they were building a house Mkhulamini.

“I can’t tolerate a husband who insults my father, you don’t do that as a husband, insulting your wife’s father. We went to uMphakatsi nakhona licala limikiswe nguye, yati angikaphatseki kahle ngoba Babe ugcine ahlutfuka asatjela Maketala khona leMphakatsini nasihlangene atsi “wena ute umgogodla”. How does it feel when our parents exchange heated words in front of us over our marital issues that could be resolved?. On the issue of school fees for the children, he verbally abused me and then said, we will both contribute 50% how do you respect a husband who disregard his duties as a man to take care of his family?. I can afford to pay school fees and did just that and kept quiet. Nalomntfwana lasamphika nyalo bayamtjela leMphakatsini batsi “cha phela Matsebula yenta DNA test sibone kutsi LaSihlongonyane uphingile sitoteka licala mbamba. Ugcine nje sekahlazeka khona lena,” she said.

Reached for comments by this Swaziland News, Sicelo Matsebula confirmed firing shots in the air but denied that the shots were aimed at his wife, Matsebula told this publication on Saturday that, Assistant Commissioner Clement Sihlongonyane was forcing him to continue with the marriage.

When asked if he ever caught his wife cheating, Matsebula said he never caught her but suspects that, she might be busy with someone.

“When firing the shots in the air, bengdubula tahhukulu ekhaya lami. I never caught her cheating it’s just the mere suspicion,” he said.

In other audios sourced from Nyakeni uMphakatsi, Assistant Commissioner Clement Sihlongonyane told the Inner Council (Bandlancane) presiding over the matter that, he only advised that, his daughter and uMkhwenyana must resolve their differences because to the best of his knowledge, they love each other but merely facing marital problems that could be resolved.

“Bayatsandzana laba, at some point my son-in-law (uMkhwenyana) bekalemaveni kodvwa atfumela imali anike lowami bakha likhaya. My daughter would request my van and other cars to transport building material and I would agree because, she is my daughter. I am of the view that, they love each other but merely going through marital challenges,” said the Assistant Commissioner during a meeting at Nyakeni uMphakatsi.