MBABANE: Sibongile Mazibuko, the President of the Ngwane National Liberatory Congress (NNLC) has warned parents against releasing their children to attend the Umhlanga ceremony as the country was still mourning the death of protesters who were killed by Mswati’s forces.
Speaking to this Swaziland News audio channel, the NNLC President said those who would release their children must know that they might not come back and be made sacrifices by the King.
This publication, after obtaining electronic evidence reported how King Mswati deployed soldiers and the police to shoot and kill civilians at Mashibhini in Lobamba for ritual purposes.
“We were hoping that after the King summoned the Nation, he would announce a mourning period and send condolences to the families of the people who were killed but he didn’t do that. We are surprised that while we are walking through a pool of blood and dead bodies of our children, royalty can call a ceremony, you cannot dance during Umhlanga while the country is in mourning”,she said.
The President then warned that it was a norm that during such ceremonies, others would not come back alive and the security forces would not allow their relatives to view their dead bodies before burial because other body parts would be missing.
Government Spokesperson Sabelo Dlamini had not responded at the time of compiling this report.
King Mswati, through Indvuna Yembali Nonduduzo Zubuko summoned young girls to this year’s Reed Dance ceremony that will start on Thursday.
Umhlanga Reed Dance