MBABANE:Government Spokesperson Alpheous Nxumalo has denied that the eSwatini Government snubbed an Extraordinary Summit that sought to find solutions to the ongoing political crisis in the Kingdom.
In a public statement released on Wednesday, Nxumalo said a delegation attended the Summit but was later informed that the Summit has been cancelled.
“On the afternoon on 19 July 2022, a delegation from the Kingdom of Eswatini that was attending a preceding SADC Meeting, the 24th Ordinary Meeting of the Ministerial Committee of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defense and Security Cooperation at the DIRCO in Pretoria was verbally advised by the SADC Secretariat that a decision had been taken to cancel the Summit and official correspondence was to follow thereafter,” said the Government Spokesperson in a public statement.
But SADC insiders told this Swaziland News that the same delegation was informed that the Summit had been cancelled after Mswati indicated to the highest authorities of SADC that he won’t attend.
“It’s true that a delegation from eSwatini arrived but those were junior officers from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs who attended another meeting and cannot engage with Heads of State. The King indicated to the highest authorities of SADC that he won’t attend,” said an insider within the SADC Secretariat.
On Tuesday afternoon, the South African Department of International Relations sent a message to the media confirming that the Summit has been cancelled.
“Please take note the extraordinary summit of the SADC Organ Troika, scheduled for July 21 2022, has been postponed until further notice. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause,” reads a message sent to the media by the Department of International Relations in South Africa.
After unleashing his soldiers to allegedly shoot and kill dozens of civilians merely for demanding democratic reforms, Mswati has been dribbling SADC refusing to account or engage in a political dialogue.
King Mswati.