By Zweli Martin Dlamini

The bundle of documents and electronic evidence in our possession that substantiate how King Mswati allegedly sent Tibiyo TakaNgwane's Managing Director Absalom Themba(AT) Dlamini to forcefully grab the multi-million sugarcane project from Hlane residents suggest that AT is one of the most corrupt King’s allies in this country.

Perhaps, let me clarify that despite the evidence dating back to 2016 suggesting that AT has been directly involved in grabbing properties and projects from poor people on behalf of the King, the media has been soft on him, in fact he has been portrayed as a God fearing man who cares about the people of  Eswatini.

But now the dots are connecting, the Tibiyo TakaNgwane Managing Director employed Mbongeni Mbingo from the Times as Swazi Observer Managing Editor and captured him with an over E50,000.00 per month salary paid directly by Tibiyo TakaNgwane because he wanted the media to protect and portray him as a man of integrity, it was corruption in the first place that Absalom Themba Dlamini could own and control almost all journalists through Mbongeni Mbingo, the then Chairman of the Editors Forum.

The evidence that implicates AT Dlamini who represents the interests of the King in various companies in the country in his capacity as Tibiyo TakaNgwane Managing Director is sufficient enough to conclude that he is an extension of the oppressor such that he pushed residents of Hlane into poverty by grabbing their project.

As you read this article, there are widows who, together with their orphans, don’t know where the next meal will come from despite that their husbands who were members of the Hlane Takhamuti Farmers Association died after investing in that sugarcane project, their tears will fall upon AT Dlamini and Mswati. Surprisingly, both of them claim to be Christians, King Mswati even went as far as acting like a Preacher during National Christians gatherings. 

It should be noted that a captured media is dangerous to any society because it portrays the innocent as criminals and glorifies corrupt individuals like AT Dlamini, he has never been exposed by the media despite the overwhelming evidence proving that he uses the King’s powers to grab projects from poor people. Instead of holding him accountable in the public interest as per the fundamental role of the media, captured journalists usually gives him huge coverage when he donates to churches, to blind the people that he is a man of integrity.

Absalom Themba Dlamini must visit Hlane and donate to the various orphans and widows who are now struggling despite that their fathers died after investing in this project, hoping heir families would survive even after their death. 

Now, the grabbing of the Takhamuti Farmers Association from residents of Hlane, not to mention other Swazis who are homeless after they were evicted from their land in various areas to give way to King Mswati’s projects, suggests that there is a serious problem in this country that needs to be fixed.

It’s very unfortunate that we have a media that sides with the corrupt and powerful to oppress even widows who invested their last cent in the Hlane project, no sane journalist can conceal what King Mswati, the Hlane Governing Council and the Tibiyo Managing Director did to the poor residents of Hlane.

The least is said about Senator Sylvia Mtsetfwa, the then Lubombo Regional Administrator who was part of the King’s emissaries that grabbed the project, as a woman, she ought to have known the pain these widows  and orphans are going through.

When we advocate for women empowerment, we want people like Sylvia Mtsetfwa to fight this injustice not to side with corrupt individuals like AT, as a successful businesswoman Sylvia should be independent minded and be the voice of the voiceless in Parliament not to behave like a hungry political puppet who worships King Mswati for food.

In conclusion, it is important for all Swazis and the international organisations like the European Union(EU) to understand that Mswati has never cared for the Swazi people, he only takes advantage of the poor people by tricking them into establishing  projects that only  benefit him and his family, in this regard, EU must intervene and save the poor people of Hlane whose project has been grabbed by a dictator.

International organisations reported that this country has about 70% of the population living below the poverty line, perhaps, this is what King Mswati, AT Dlamini and his royal allies want. Shame on you AT for siding with the King and royalty in oppressing poor Swazis including orphans and widows!