By Zweli Martin Dlamini

MBABANE: Mthokozisi Makhunga is the Economic Freedom Fighters(EFF)Swaziland member who,as alleged by Nhlangano Mayor Mashumi Shongwe,spied and provided information to him regarding the underground operations of the Swaziland International Solidarity Forces(SISF).

Mashumi stands accused of hiring hitmen to shot and kill his wife Tigezile Magongo-Shongwe amid a domestic dispute.

The Times of eSwatini reported on Friday that the murder suspect,in his bail application, alleged that an EFF Swaziland(EFFSWA)member tipped him about Solidarity Forces plans,however,the name of the EFFSWA member was not mentioned.

The Times further reported and quoted detective Sizwe Mazibuko who allegedly interviewed the EFFSWA member who disclosed that Mashumi asked him if he knew members of the underground forces  and why they were not operating in Nhlangano.

“The applicant mentioned to the member that he was no longer happy with his wife. He then asked the member if he knew the so-called underground forces and why they were not coming to operate in Nhlangano. I submit that it became clear to me when interviewing the member that the applicant wanted to kill his wife and pin her death to the so-called underground forces”,submitted detective Mazibuko.

But Mayor Mashumi Shongwe, the murder suspect denied that he tried to communicate with the underground forces with an intention to kill his wife, instead, he said he was protecting Montigny Investments and State assets by gathering information with regards to their plans with an intention to strengthen security.

Mashumi whose Swaziland Economic Improvement Workers Union(SEIWU)is representing workers at Montigny Investments said he was employed by the very same company to protect its forests and other properties.

“So, for the protection of the company,I had this man who informed me of every plan they had against Montigny;as such, security would be beefed up to protect the assets of the company. This person was giving me access to the secret operations of the underground forces, which information was pre-empted to me, and in turn I would advise the company as well as the State about their planes operations”, said the murder suspect as quoted by the Times.

Reached for comments,Nombulelo Motsa, the President of the EFF Swaziland confirmed that their Deputy President was the one at the centre of the bail application on allegations that he was providing information to the murder suspect.

“We can confirm that Makhunga is the one who was providing information to Nhlangano Mayor Mashumi Shongwe and we are currently dealing with the matter internally as EFF”,said the EFF Swaziland President.

Makhunga sent a message to this journalist on Saturday saying we were related as Swazis, this was a few hours after this journalist posted a front page of the Times and vowed to investigate and uncover the name of the EFF member who spied Solidarity Forces.

“We are related Nkhosi,na-President wami nje Nombulelo babe wakhe lomncane ngu-Tsintsibala,” said the EFF Deputy President.

Subsequent efforts to reach Makhunga for a comment proved unsuccessful at the time of compiling this report as soon thereafter, his numbers were not available.

But a senior member of the Executive Command of the Solidarity Forces said they don’t have records of a member with a Makhunga surname.

“In our records, we don’t have a member with a Makhunga surname. If Mashumi claims Makhunga was giving him information about plans of the Underground Forces,he must publicly disclose those plans so that we can know he was speaking the truth”,said the senior member of the Executive Command of the Solidarity Forces.