LOZITHA: An electronic recording of a secret meeting where King Mswati’s State Intelligence officers plotted to assassinate Students President Colani Maseko and then frame influential youth leader Sakhile ‘Awviva’ Nxumalo as a suspect has been leaked to this publication.
Sakhile ‘Awviva’ Nxumalo is the President of the Swaziland Youth Congress(SWAYOCO), being the Youth League(YL) of the People’s United Democratic Movement(PUDEMO).
Before this recent plot to kill him,Students President Colani Maseko was abducted by the army on the 17th May 2022 during a protest at the University of Eswatini(UNESWA),he was tortured next to Mswati’s Engabezweni Palace and subsequently rushed to Mkhiwa Clinic-Manzini in a critical condition.
An independent investigation conducted by this Swaziland News uncovered that the meeting where Colani Maseko’s assassination was plotted, was held at the Ministry of Defense and Security Headquarters at Lozitha on or around November 2022.
Assassinated human rights lawyer Thulani Maseko’s name features prominently in the plot by King Mswati’s State Intelligence.
The high level State Intelligence meeting was allegedly attended by among others,Prince Sicalo,the Principal Secretary(PS) in the Ministry of Defense and Security,Major General Collen Lasco,the Head of the Royal Close Protection Unit(RCPU)and Phocweni Commanding Officer(CO)Brigadier General Thembinkosi Mngometulu who is allegedly commanding a unit that shot and killed dozens of protesting civilians during the unrest.
In the recording, clarified during an interview with one of the Intelligence Officers who was allegedly part of the meeting,the officers plotted to use a recently purchased technological system from Israel and create a fake text message from Students President Colani Maseko to human rights lawyer Thulani Maseko and pro-democracy Bishop Mpendulo Nkambule.
It has been disclosed that the Israel system purchased by King Mswati’s army has the capacity to generate fake text messages as if they were sent by the particular targeted individuals.
According to the electronic evidence in our possession, Brigadier General Thembinkosi Mngometulu said in the ‘fake’ message directed to the assassinated lawyer and the Bishop, Colani Maseko,the President of the Swaziland National Union of Students(SNUS)would be reporting that he was being accused by Sakhile Nxumalo, the PUDEMO Youth League President of selling members of the Solidarity Forces to the State and that they wanted to kill him.
The plot was that after sending the messages to human rights lawyer Thulani Maseko and Bishop Mpendulo,the army would then proceed to assassinate the Students President and then Sakhile ‘Awviva’ Nxumalo would be framed and arrested for ‘killing’ Colani Maseko.
“The message must be sent to Thulani Maseko and Bishop Mpendulo,it must appear as if Colani is reporting to Thulani Maseko and the Bishop that Awviva and the Solidarity Forces want to kill him.Awviva is the right-hand man for Mlungisi and some PUDEMO members are against the killings and once we arrest Awviva, others within PUDEMO will then rise-up and demand that Mlungisi must also be arrested. Batawutsi nabo Mlungisi akaletfwale lelicala kungabi ngu-Awviva kuphela,”said Brigadier General Thembinkosi Mngometulu in the electronic evidence.
Reached for comments, Wandile Dludlu, the Secretary General of the People’s United Democratic Movement(PUDEMO) said they have always known that the killing of political leaders, particularly PUDEMO members was orchestrated by Mswati’s Government.
“The truth always has a way of showing up. PUDEMO has absolutely no doubt that the killing of leaders of progressive formations and PUDEMO leaders in particular is done by His Majesty's Government,” said the PUDEMO Secretary General.
A questionnaire was sent to Lieutenant General Tengetile Khumalo, the Army Spokesperson, however, she had not responded at the time of compiling this report.
In the electronic electronic evidence, Brigadier General Mngometulu went to say Sakhile Nxumalo, the PUDEMO Youth League President must be arrested and falsely ‘branded’ as a Solidarity Forces member and that he appeared in a video footage where members of the underground forces invaded Nyakatfo area in the Hhohho region.
One of the Intelligence Officers asked Mngometulu how long must the army wait after sending the messages before implementing the assassination and the Brigadier General responded;
“It must be three(3) different days, maybe the question would be, who do we start with. When this happens, laba(police) won’t respond quickly to the assassination scene because they will think it’s a trap by the comrades who want to kill them,” he said.
Brigadier Mngometulu said the planned assassination of the Students President and the subsequent arrest of the SWAYOCO leader will divide PUDEMO members ahead of the Elective Conference.
“So kutawutsi kuyiwa kule-conference ye-PUDEMO kutawube sekucatjenwe,Sakhile utawube aboshiwe Students leader lesingulo! is dead. Konkhe kubuya kuphi, kunangu(meaning: Before the PUDEMO Conference, they would be fighting among themselves, Sakhile would be arrested, Students leader would be dead, all the blame would be shouldered by this one,” said Brigadier General Thembinkosi Mngometulu when narrating the assassination sketch plan.
PUDEMO was highly expected to hold the Elective Conference referred to in the State assassination plan in November 2022, however, it was postponed to February 2023.
This disclosure regarding the plot by Mswati’s intelligence to kill political activists comes amid calls by the international community for a transparent investigation into the assassination of highly regarded human rights lawyer Thulani Maseko.
Reached for comments,human rights lawyer Sibusiso Nhlabatsi said such electronic evidence obtained by this Swaziland News validated what the Maseko family and the international community has been calling for, an international transparent investigation into the assassination of lawyer Thulani Maseko.
“This validates our suspicions that the Maseko family are calling for an open and transparent investigation because if such recordings like the evidence you have in your possession emerge, not painting the State in good light, how can then the Maseko family trust any process that will come from the State,” said the eSwatini human rights lawyer who doubles as the Spokesperson for assassinated lawyer Thulani Maseko’s family.
Efforts to seek a comment from pro-democracy Bishop Mpendulo Nkambule who is critical of King Mswati’s regime proved unsuccessful at the time of compiling this report.
Speaking to this Swaziland News on Sunday, Students President Colani Maseko said no amount of intimidation and conspiracies to assassinate would stop him from fighting for the rights of students and democracy.
“I will continue to advocate for the rights of students and democratic reforms and I would like to urge all young people to fight for their rights even in the midst of the political killings,” said the Students President.
Reached for comments, PUDEMO Youth League President Sakhile ‘Awviva’ Nxumalo said such disclosure suggested that the country does not have any intelligence.
“This is an indication that the country does not have any intelligence,if the State can plot such assassinations with the hope that the people will easily believe them once they frame innocent people,” said the SWAYOCO President.
A questionnaire was sent to Government Spokesperson Alpheus Nxumalo, however, he had not responded at the time of compiling this report.
It is alleged that King Mswati’s mercenaries in collaboration with the army and the police assassinated human rights lawyer Thulani Maseko, a few hours after Mswati threatened those calling for democracy.
Other political activists and human rights defenders that include PUDEMO National Organizer Penuel Malinga, human rights lawyer Maxwell Nkambule and others survived assassination attempts by the State.
TIBIYO HOUSE: Ministry of Defense and Security.