By Zweli Martin Dlamini

LOBAMBA: Ncumbi Maziya, the member of the Ludzidzini Council said King Mswati respected the late powerful unionist Jan Sithole not Jabulani Nxumalo.

This is contained in an electronic evidence and details of a meeting between Maziya, the then member of the Elections and Boundaries Commission(EBC), Chairman Chief Gija Dlamini and Princess Nkosungumenzi, the meeting took place at the EBC offices in Nkhanini shortly after the 2013 elections.

“Mine bengiseNkhosini ngiyokhuluma yona lendzaba, ngatsi ngifaka ligama laJabulani Nxumalo yatsi iNkhosi “awungiyekele ngalomuntfu loyo longatati kutsi umephi. Uncono naJan longafihli kutsi umaphathi hhayi lona longalana aphindze abe ngale, ungametsemba kanjani-ke umuntfu lonjalo?”(meaning) I was with the King and when I talked about Jabulani Nxumalo, the King stopped me saying we should not even talk about that hypocrite, even Jan is better because he doesn’t hide his political affiliation”, said Maziya, the then member of the Elections Commission.

Jabulani Nxumalo, a member of Mangololo has been struggling to be recognized by the King with a political appointment since leaving the SFTU over twenty(20) years ago.

Close analysis of the electronic recording suggests that the meeting was also attended by Richard Phungwayo, the EBC Head of Secretariat and it was meant to discuss the procurement of a voting system.

It has been disclosed that Jabulani Nxumalo, the then Deputy Secretary General of the now defunct Swaziland Federation of Trade Union(SFTU) was involved as an agent for Face Technologies, a South African company that supplied the voting system to the EBC.

Questions were sent to Jabulani Nxumalo, however, he had not responded at the time of compiling this report.

But when speaking to this journalist during an interview with the then Swaziland Shopping, Nxumalo confirmed being involved in the procurement of the voting system, at the time, he was still waiting for payment from the EBC that was delayed by the infighting between Maziya and the Chief Gija.

Ncumbi Maziya in earlier comment, threatened to report this journalist to appointing authority for consistently exposing him.

“Angitsi nawe utfunywe ngulabo-Gija bangani bakho, nami-ke ngitobika kulona longitfumile(meaning: Just because you were sent by your friends bo-Gija to write about me, I will also report you to the one who sent me”, said the now Ludzidzini Council member.

In the recording, Maziya speaks for about forty-five(45) non-stop bragging how he is close to the King, without giving the other EBC members a chance to speak. He also revealed how Mswati hated Lobamba Lomdzala MP Marwick Khumalo whom he referred to as “Umsekenya”.

The then EBC member also ordered Head of Secretariat Richard Phungwayo to fire an employee refereed to as Thabo whom he accused of lying about him to Chairman Chief Gija Dlamini.

“Uyini Thabo lakaEBC? Akacoshwe Thabo ngoba ungicambele emanga kumtfwaneNkhosi, uma ungamcoshi Thabo yePhungwayo, mine ngitawucosha wena(meaning: What is Thabo’s status here at the EBC? he must be fired. Phungwayo, if you don’t fire him, I will fire you”, said the then EBC member.