By Zweli Martin Dlamini

KWALUSENI:Sibusiso ‘Mabhanisi’ Dlamini,the Kwaluseni Member of Parliament(MP) allegedly organized a ‘fake’ football tournament with an intention of de-campaigning former Indvuna YeNkhundla Purine Bhembe ahead of elections.

It has been disclosed that businessman Welile Vilakati who is related to the MP allegedly approached the late Kwaluseni MP Sibusiso Nkambule’s son Menelisi Nkambule and asked him to organise a football tournament.

Vilakati allegedly pledged to sponsor the football tournament to the tune of ten thousand Rands(R10,000.00).

But Menelisi Nkambule was allegedly told to include Purine Bhembe’s name when organizing the football tournament as if he was collaborating with the former Indvuna YeNkhundla.

But when the time came for participants of the tournament to receive their prizes, MP Sibusiso Mabhanisi Dlamini’s relative allegedly disappeared without handing over the money and the angry participants approached Purine Bhembe demanding their money.

Reached for comments,Menelisi Nkambule, who was promised the position of Bucopho by MP Mabhanisi agents when they plotted the ‘fake’ football tournament,confirmed to this Swaziland News that indeed, he was approached to organize a football tournament and include Purine Bhembe’s name.

“I can confirm that I was approached  and offered a sponsorship for a football tournament but,on condition that I include Make Purine Bhembe’s name. I met the sponsor at the S&B Restaurant. When the time came for presentations, the sponsor disappeared and I was told to implicate Make Purine Bhembe as if she was the one who organized the tournament and subsequently disappeared with the money,”he said.

MP Sibusiso Mabhanisi Dlamini who allegedly masterminded the fake football tournament, declined to comment when reached by this Swaziland News.

Speaking to this publication, Purine Bhembe, the Kwaluseni former Indvuna YeNkhundla said she was surprised to learn that she organized a football tournament when in fact, she knew nothing about it.

“This was meant to tarnish my reputation ahead of elections,” said the ex-Kwaluseni Indvuna YeNkhundla.

Efforts to reach Welile Vilakati, the businessman who allegedly pledged to sponsor the tournament, proved unsuccessful at the time of compiling this report.

On another note, MP Mabhanisi Dlamini allegedly sabotaged a road project at Logoba on fears that Mshoza Hlophe who facilitated it might stand for elections.

The road project later commenced about two weeks ago, after this publication consistently reported about it.