MBABANE:Sizwe Maziya, the former Times of Swaziland journalist, was allegedly recruited as a police spy under the Intelligence Unit after assisting the law enforcement agency with pictures of protecting teachers who were subsequently arrested and appeared before the Nhlangano Magistrate Court.
Maziya is the spy police officer who was exposed by this publication on Sunday after he manipulated his media connections to trace top journalist Eugene Dube who sustained injuries after being attacked by a battalion of armed police officers for writing critical articles about King Mswati.
An independent investigation by this Swaziland News uncovered that Maziya, while working as a Times journalist in 2012 violated journalism ethics and photographed teachers who were protesting during the Waya Waya strike, the information was later shared with the Intelligence Unit and used to arrest the educators.
It has been disclosed that the teachers who were arrested include Elliot Nyawo(Ngwane Practising Primary School) Dan Mthunzi(Mahamba High School) Cebile Mazibuko of Mbukwane High School and Lungile Maziya of Mabamba Primary School. They were arrested for allegedly disrupting classes and threatening their colleagues at Nyamane High School who were refusing to take part in the strike action.
Reached for comments, Mbongwa Dlamini, the President of the Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT) said it was very unfortunate that in this country, anyone who wants to climb the political ladder or gain favors from those in power targets teachers.
“We are aware of the teachers who were arrested, and we have noted with great concern that anyone who wants to gain favors from those in power wants to be seen crucifying teachers. As an organization, we feel it’s high time we know these people who are crucifying teachers so we can monitor them as well” said the President.
An investigation by this publication suggests that the police had no evidence that empowered them to arrest the teachers as they were not present at Nyamane when the alleged disruption occurred, however, they were assisted by the pictures provided by Maziya who was working as Times of Swaziland journalist at the time.
Sources alleged that after the arrest of the teachers, arrangement were then made by the Police Executive Command to recruit Maziya into the police service, he now works as a spy within the Intelligence unit.
Eugene Dube, the editor of the Swati Newsweek who also writes for this Swaziland News as a freelance journalist also confirmed that he was attacked by the police after being traced and betrayed by Maziya.
“For the past week he has been calling me pretending to be appreciating my stories when in fact he was on a mission to trace my location. When he calls, he normally pretends as if he is still working as journalist and talk about articles. At some point, he asked me to assist in revealing the whereabouts of Musa Ndlangamandla, he is actually targeting independent journalists”said the Swati Newsweek editor.
But Sizwe Maziya, the former Times journalist denied the allegations saying he was not aware of the matter.
“I am not aware of what you are talking about” he said when responding to our questions.
Speaking to this publication Warnder Mkhonza, the Secretary General of the Amalgamated Trade Union of Swaziland (ATUSWA) said he was aware that former journalist Sizwe Maziya was now working for the Police Intelligence Unit as a spy.
“He once tried to send me a friend request, but I ignored him after learning that he was now an Intelligence Officer not a journalist” said the ATUSWA boss.
Police spy Sizwe Maziya