By Mduduzi Hlophe

NYANYALI: Residents of Nyanyali under Nkwene Inkhundla have questioned why the two children who disappeared during Incwala ritual ceremony were never reported missing by the police as per the norm.

This transpired during the ongoing protests across the country in demand for democratic reforms and social justice among other, the Nyanyali residents expressed their disappointed in which the case of the missing children were handled by the police when they delivered their petition at Nkwene Inkhundla on Tuesday 

“These police officers who are right before us, arrested a mother to one of the missing children. Her only crime was being in pain and to demand for her missing child. After she was released from custody she was told not come back here , even then the police continued to threaten her wherever she was not to speak and express the pain of losing her child. All missing persons notices are published in the newspapers but we have never seen a notice about these two missing children. We need to understand how useless we are to this Tinkhundla system of government. There are no teachers in schools, no medication in hospitals and we have no roads but royalty continues to live a lavish lifestyle at our expense”, said one of the residents.

Questions were sent to police Spokesperson Phindile Vilakati, however, she had not responded at the time of compiling this report.

Reached for comments, Sibongile Mazibuko, the President of the Ngwane National Liberatory Congress (NNLC) said the suspects were known and they confessed to the crime but the police being the agents of this oppressive government protected them. 

\"We all know that the children disappeared during the incwala ritual ceremony which is characterised by ritual killings and also a lot of people go missing during elections. Now that Ayanda is sick and also suffering from the trauma and stress of losing her child, they are anticipating that she be declared unfit to appear in court so the case  can die a natural death”, said the NNLC President.

Ayanda Dlamini, the mother of one the missing children was allegedly tortured and subsequently thrown behind bars by the police for demanding her child. Women rights organisations that include Liphimbo LaboMake, One Billion Rising, the Swaziland Action Group Against Abuse(SWAGAA) later raised voices demanding justice for Ayanda Dlamini.