MBABANE: Cebile Dlamini, the Secretary General of the Swaziland Rural Women Assembly (SRWA) said they would deliver a petition on Wednesday at the Manzini Regional Headquarters calling for the arrest of Prince Majaha who allegedly threatened to kidnap Swaziland News editor Zweli Martin Dlamini’ s wife Nompendulo Mkhonta and his children.
This is not the first time the editor’s wife faces persecution, on or around 10th April 2021, Nompendulo Mkhonta was kidnapped by a battalion of armed police officers led by Senior Superintendent Clement Sihlongonyane, she was assaulted and tortured at the Mbabane Police Station and ordered to reveal the whereabouts of her husband
.Speaking to this Swaziland News, Cebile Dlamini, the Rural Women Secretary General said as women they felt they should demand an investigation and the subsequent arrest of Prince Majaha for the serious allegations and further warned the police that anything that might happen to the editor’s wife, they would account.
“We will march to the Manzini Regional Headquarters tomorrow to deliver the petition, Prince Majaha must be investigated and subsequently arrested for these allegations. We want to warn the police that anything that might happen to Nompendulo, they will be held accountable” said the Rural Women Secretary General.
On or around 12th June 2021, this publication reported that King Mswati's son Prince Majaha was plotting to kill the editor, kidnap his wife and children.
Electronic evidence in our possession suggests that on Thursday, Prince Majaha allegedly had a telephone conversation with one member of the royal family where he expressed serious concerns that his father was now stressed about the ongoing critical articles and as a result, the Prince suggested that at least children and the wife of the editor must be kidnapped if all the systems to trace him were failing.
The Prince allegedly used a Siswati word “badliwe timfingo”(meaning: the children and the wife must disappear and be killed). However, the member of the royal family allegedly dismissed the suggestion by Prince Majaha saying the issue of the editor has attracted the attention of the international community adding that anything that might happen to anyone close to him might cause serious trouble for the country and its authorities.
“Where is his wife and children? because if everything fails, kumele badliwe timfingo(meaning: they must just disappear and be killed”, Prince Majaha allegedly said.
King Mswati recently took the editor of this Swaziland News to the High Court of South Africa over the ongoing critical articles about him, his Government and members of the royal family, the editor through his lawyers is opposing the application.
It has been disclosed that Prince Majaha and the member of the royal family had the telephone conversation while the latter was part of eSwatini royal delegation that went to the Zulu Royal Kraal under King Misuzulu to prepare for the wedding of the new King.
On or around 31st January 2021, this publication reported how Prince Majaha mocked the mysterious death of Jan Sithole, the President of the Swaziland Democratic Party(SWADEPA), a doctor\'s report confirmed by his political party later emerged raising allegations that the powerful political activist allegedly died from poisoning. The Prince was later quoted by the Times of Eswatini saying he would never forgive the late Jan Sithole adding that he hated anyone who was giving his father a hard-time by calling for democracy.
A questionnaire was sent to Sabelo Dlamini, the eSwatini Government Spokesperson who also speaks on behalf of the royal family, however, he had not responded at the time of compiling this report. Dlamini recently told the British Broadcasting Corporation(BBC) Africa Daily that citizens in eSwatini are free to express themselves and that no journalist has been killed or attacked for speaking against the Government.
Reached for comments, Colani Maseko, the President of the Swaziland National Union of Students(SNUS) said the editor played a huge role in elightening emaSwati regarding the hidden things in the country adding that through the editor, their voices as young people were now heard internationally.
“As young people, our voices are now heard internationally, through Zwemart, we are now speaking to the BBC and the struggle is intensifying. We are saying if Majaha wants to kill or touch his family, he must start with us, Zwemart is us and we are Zwemart. It is important to remind Majaha that we are the last generation to be oppressed”, said the Students President.
Prince Majaha