By Zweli Martin Dlamini

MBABANE: Aspiring Phondo Member of Parliament(MP) Bongnkosi Dube, a driver to Justice Minister Pholile Dlamini-Shakantu allegedly used dirty politically tactics to defeat Sicelo Shabangu, who was to later compete with him at the Secondary Elections.

This is contained in a leaked cellphone conversation where the aspiring Pondo MP, was communicating with a woman who was a supporter of aspiring MP Sicelo Shabangu.

It has been disclosed that Dube allegedly claimed to have influenced the outcomes of the elections at Lushikishini uMphakatsi by lobbying about three(300)residents to vote for former Ngwempisi Member of Parliament(MP) Veli Shongwe and remove Sicelo Shabangu whom he said,was a threat to him considering his popularity.

The new Phondo Constituency was established by the Elections and Boundaries Commission(EBC), it covers other Chiefdoms that were previously under Ngwempisi Inkhundla.

“I used my own tactics to defeat Sicelo by urging some of my voters to vote for Veli so that Sicelo can lose,he was too popular and a threat to me in the Secondary Elections. Now, we are working towards defeating Veli, nyalo sishaya Veli”, said the aspiring MP.

A questionnaire was sent to Bonginkosi Dvuba, the Justice Minister’s driver and aspiring Phondo MP, however, he had not responded at the time of compiling this report.

Reached for comments, former MP Veli Shongwe confirmed that, Dvuba claimed to have used some political tactics during the Primary Elections so that, he can then defeat him in the upcoming Secondary Elections.

“Ugcagcalata labantfu uyabedzele nje, wati ngani kutsi bani wavotela bani ngoba umuntfu usuke ayedvwa nakavota. The people will decide who they will vote for during the upcoming Secondary Elections, he can’t act like people are his animals that, he can drive them to his own direction.Ukhona umuntfu longatsi une-bantfu yena uvele abagalele nje abakhombe lapho afuna khona. He claimed to have first told the people to vote for me so that he can defeat someone, now he claims he will tell the very same people not to vote for me, ucabanga kutsi bakhe labantfu uyabagalela nje. Kahle-kahle wedzelela labantfu”, said the former MP.

Sicelo Shabangu and former MP Veli Shongwe were competing at Lushikishini uMphakatsi while the Justice Minister’s driver was competing at Khabonina Chiefdom.