By Zweli Martin Dlamini

MBABANE: Shops allegedly linked to King Mswati were allowed to operate during the Incwala holiday, while other outlets were forced to close by the State police.

The outlets allegedly linked to Mswati that were operational on Wednesday, 22nd December 2021 include Ok Foods and Pick&Pay among others.

Lincoln Motsa, the Director of Ok Foods confirmed during the official launch of the Re-Construction fund that he was merely Mswati’s ‘boy’ in charge of Ok Foods.

“Your Majesty, ngingumfana wakho lobuke letitolo taka Ok Foods”, he said.

Pick& Pay is allegedly linked to royalty  through African Alliance where the King alley represented by his Financial Advisor Sthofeni Ginindza while Foreign Affairs Minister Thulisile Dladla represents Queen Ntombi Tfwala.

“I am no longer working at Pick&Pay but went there yesterday, it was fully operational, only the bottle store was closed”, said a source.

Efforts were made to reach King’s Financial Advisor Sthofeni Ginindza, however, his phone rang unanswered.

Other independent insiders confirmed that selected companies with alleged links to Mswati operated the whole day on Wednesday, while companies owned by ordinary citizens were forced to close after the police armed with guns,  invaded their premises to make sure they don’t operate.

Johannes Manikela, the Chairperson of the Federation of Eswatini Business Community(FESBC) for the  Hhohho region confirmed receiving information that some companies were operating during the Incwala Day while others were forced to close.

“This means as journalists you need to do your job and investigate what is so special about these companies. As businesspeople, our businesses were affected by the COVID-19 but we were forced to close yesterday. Then you ask yourself, what was so special with the companies that were operational because we believe we all belong to the same government”, said the FESBC Chairperson.

Commerce Minister Mancoba Khumalo’s phone rang unanswered when this publication tried to reach him for a comment.

King Mswati rules eSwatini as an absolute Monarch, his word automatically becomes law. On Wednesday, he deployed armed police officers to force companies to close as part of demonstrating respect for his Incwala ritual ceremony.