By Zweli Martin Dlamini

MBABANE:Richard Govuza Mngomezulu, the senior Deputy National Commissioner who was a Commanding Officer during the random shooting and killing of civilians has suffered stroke, he is currently lying helpless at Mbabane Government Hospital amid shortage of drugs.

The condition of the Deputy National Commissioner was confirmed by his relative after this journalist went ‘undercover’ to verify the information provided by sources within the health institution.

“Uphatsekile(meaning:he is sick)”, said the relative who was allegedly with the senior cop at the Mbabane Government hospital.

The source who alerted this journalist that  Mngomezulu was at the Mbabane Government Hospital said the senior cop was bitterly complaining about the shortage of drugs. 

“He is complaining that there are no drugs within the hospital,” said the source.

Mngomezulu been in the past months,unleashing the police to shoot and kill dozens of civilians merely for protesting in demand for democratic reforms, nurses who were protesting demanding drugs in hospitals were not spared from the police brutality.

A police officer within the Mbabane Headquarters told this Swaziland News that Mngomezulu has been away after the expiry of his employment contract. 

“As far as I know he is at home and was still negotiating with the King to renew his contract. I wasn’t aware that he was then admitted in hospital,” said the police officer within the Mbabane Police Headquarters.

An effort was made to contact the retired Senior Deputy Commissioner but, after several efforts,it transpired that his 7606 employment contract number was not available on the Mobile Telecommunications Network(MTN), Thereafter,his close relative who allegedly with him,was called to verify the information.

Reached for comments, Maxwell Dlamini, the Deputy Secretary General(DSG) of the People’s United Democratic Movement(PUDEMO) said it was very unfortunate that the Deputy National Commissioner,who has been attacking protestors when they raised issues that include shortage of drugs had found himself facing the very same problem at Mbabane Hospital.

“We can only wish him a speedy recovery but, this should be a wake-up call to other police officers and members of the public that the issues that we normally raise as PUDEMO, affects all of us. It’s very unfortunate that a whole Deputy Commissioner is now at the Mbabane Hospital where there are no drugs. This is the very same Deputy National Commissioner who has been attacking protestors when they were trying to raise such issues that include shortage of drugs in hospitals. The most painful part is that, once these police officers officers fall sick, Mswati does not offer them special medical treatment at his Manzana Royal Hospital, they go to the very same Mbabane Government Hospital where there are no drugs,”said the PUDEMO Deputy Secretary General.