LOBAMBA: Five(5) people were brutally shot and killed at Lobamba Mashibhini by King Mswati’s security forces for alleged ritual purposes in the midst of the political crisis.
This is contained in an electronic evidence sourced from the Ludzidzini Royal Palace that further exposes details of other highly sensitive killings that were planned against leaders of the pro-democracy movement including Siphofaneni MP Mduduzi ‘Magawugawu’ Simelane.
An independent investigation by this Swaziland News uncovered that on 03 July 2021 at around 1815hours, about eight(8) soldiers and six(6) police officers from Lobamba Police Station were deployed at Mashibhini to brutally kill the citizens as part of a ritual operation to urgently collect human blood that was to be mixed with muti known as ‘Mahlabasihlangane’.
It has been disclosed that ‘Mahlabasihlangane’ is a ritual wood that was then planted at Sibaya(Kraal) after being painted and mixed with the human blood as part of kubetsela(strengthening the Monarch). This was done about two weeks before King Mswati summoned the Nation on the 16th July 2021.
The electronic evidence further reveals that prior to the brutal killings, the soldiers and the police were given rifles, some of them were deployed to control traffic at Nkhanini, Lobamba Police Station traffic circle and along the Mashibhini Gables Road to make sure that no car was allowed to enter Mashibhini while the killing was executed, the operation was commanded by one George Ndzimandze, a police officer who also works with the royal traditional healers.
Thereafter, three white Ford Ranger cars entered Mashibhini and opened fire, killed the innocent citizens, the royal ritual agents quickly collected blood that was urgently needed at Ludzidzini Royal Palace.
Reached for comments, George Ndzimandze, a police officer under the Criminal Investigation Department(CID) who was allegedly leading the operation denied being part of the officers who shot citizens at Mashibhini.
“I was not there Nkhosi at the time of the shooting, but I was assigned to do other duties as part of harvesting emabele, I was not part of those officers. Even now as we speak, I’m not at work”,he said.
An independent investigation by this publication further uncovered that the shooting occurred shortly after one Bhili Dlamini, who is in charge of royal traditional healers came back with a report suggesting that blood was urgently needed to conduct kubetsela, Dlamini had been assigned to do what is known as kuphengula(consult traditional healers) in the midst of the political unrest.
Efforts to reach Bhili Dlamini proved unsuccessful at the time of compiling this report.
But Ludzidzini Governor Lusendvo Fakudze when reached for comments, confirmed knowledge of the incident that there were people who were shot and killed at Lobamba ,Mashibhini, however, he said such matters fall under the jurisdiction of the police.
“Cha ngayiva leyo, asati kutsi benta njani laba bemtsetfo. Nami ngayiva nje kutsi kwenteke intfo lekanje, ngatsatsa-ke kutsi kusetandleni temtsetfo loku(meaning: I am aware of the matter but im not sure how the law enforcement handled it)” ,said the Ludzidzini Governor.
A royal insider who spoke to this publication and was very close to the operation told this publication that after the shooting, the blood was collected urgently from the dead bodies and taken to Ludzidzini Palace.
“After the shooting that occurred next to the Chicken Dust babese sebayambonywa masinyane, kwatsatfwa lengati isashisa(meaning their bodies were covered while the fresh blood was being collected,” said the insider.
Questions were sent to Superintendent Phindile Vilakati, however, she had not responded at the time of compiling this report.
Reached for comments, Elliot Mkhatjwa, the Chairman of the Swaziland Democratic Party(SWADEPA) said Swazis must take serious action against the killing of civilians.
“Even those who are quiet thinking they are not involving themselves in politics, they risk being killed for ritual purposes. It is now clear that people are being killed any how in this country and we must stop this urgently”,said the SWADEPA Chairman.
George Ndzimandze who was leading the operation.