MAYIWANE: Bathini Dlamini, a resident of Mayiwane in the Hhohho region was, on Saturday morning, allegedly grabbed by Mswati’s ritual men(bemanti) for calling them dogs that deserve to be killed.
It has been disclosed that the ritual men were escorted by armed soldiers when invading Mayiwane to harass residents as part of the ongoing Incwala ritual ceremony.
An electronic questionnaire was sent to Lieutenant Tengetile Khumalo, the army Spokesperson, however, she had not responded at the time of compiling this report.
Reached for comments, Bathini Dlamini’s brother said his brother was busy with domestic chores at home, when he saw dogs passing by, he then suggested that the dogs must be killed because they were feasting on our chickens’ eggs.
“While commenting about the dogs, Bemanti emerged from no-where and questioned him why he was referring to them as dogs that deserved to be killed. My brother was not referring to them but the dogs,” he said.
Reached for comments, human rights Sibusiso Nhlabatsi described the conduct of BeManti as a gross violation of human rights in the name of culture.
“BeManti does not have the power to arrest or detain anyone and if they felt there were threats issued against them, they were supposed to report those threats to the police,” said the human rights lawyer.
Mayiwane resident Bathini Dlamini grabbed by Mswati’s ritual men(bemanti) for calling them dogs that deserve to be killed.