MBABANE: Ayanda Mhlongo, the Deputy Secretary General of the Swaziland National Union of Students(SNUS) has been suspended with immediate effect rape allegations involving an eight-year old minor.
The suspension was announced by Secretary General Wakhile Lukhele in a statement sent to this Swaziland News on Tuesday afternoon.
“The Swaziland National Union of Students (SNUS), a students’ organization fighting and advocating for the rights of all people, more especially minority groups such as women, the disabled and children, has noted with great concern, heartbreak, and disappointment on the news that recently broke out on the arrest of the union’s Deputy Secretary General, Ayanda Mhlongo, on allegations of rape of an 8 years old minor and illegal possession of dagga, as per a charge sheet seen by the executive members of the students union.The SNUS as a principled and human rights-promoting organization does not take lightly the allegations levelled against the union’s deputy secretary general, more especially on the rape allegations of a minor who deserves our protection at all possible times,” reads the statement in part.
Lukhele said as a students’ union they condemn all forms of abuse regardless of whoever was suspected for such gruesome, horrendous and inhuman offences.
“In light of the above, the union notes that the matter is still under investigation and the veracity of the allegations against the deputy secretary general comrade Ayanda Mhlongo are yet to be tested and/or proven in court. As such, the students’ union likes to bring to the attention of the public that the SNUS deputy Secretary General has been suspended with immediate effect pending finalization of his matter in court,” reads the statement released by students organization.
RAPE ALLEGATIONS: Arrested Students Union Secretary General Ayanda Mhlongo suspended.