MBABANE: Sibusiso Shongwe, the former Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs and recently appointed member of the Teaching Service Commission(TSC) has fled to ‘exile’ as powerful Judges intensify moves to arrest him on criminal charges.
It has been disclosed that,Shongwe angered a powerful political clique within the corridors of power for allegedly influencing the dismissal of Mbongwa Ernest Dlamini, the President of the Swaziland National Association of Teachers(SNAT).
Insiders revealed that after the dismissal of Dlamini, some Judges and other powerful individuals felt Shongwe was threatening the education of their children as teachers might protest and halt exams due to the TSC decision and thereafter, a political unrest might erupt.
But it appeared that the issue of the SNAT President was just a ‘scapegoat’ matter as the power-struggle is allegedly linked to the looming political appointments to be announced by the King.
The powerful individuals allegedly held secret meetings, questioned why the SNAT President was dismissed shortly after the former Justice Minister’s appointment into the TSC, a resolution was then taken to deal decisively with the former Justice Minister..
Reached for comments, Sibusiso Shongwe, the TSC member and former Justice Minister confirmed that, he fled to South Africa on Friday after receiving intelligence information about a plot to arrest him.
“Its true, I fled to South Africa on Friday after receiving intelligence information suggesting that,certain Judges and others in corridors of power want to do something to me. Letinye tintfo tifuna bese utibuka from a bird-eye view ungaphandle.In fact, they were angered after the King re-appointed me yet they thought they had buried me politically”, said the former Justice Minister.
When asked to clarify if the persecution was not triggered by the TSC decision to dismiss SNAT President Mbongwa Ernest Dlamini, the former Justice Minister confirmed that, he was also receiving a backlash over the matter.
“You will recall that in 2015, I was not arrested by Barnabas alone but he was with his friends who are still holding powerful positions.So they thought they were done with me. Nangu Sibusiso Shongwe soyaba-surpriser uyavumbuka. But even on the matter of Dlamini(SNAT President),I am receiving a backlash and I’m surprised why I’m being persecuted for that because it’s a TSC decision”, said the newly appointed TSC member.
Efforts to reach Amos Mahlalela, the Chairman of the Teaching Service Commission(TSC) proved unsuccessful at the time of compiling this report.
The names of the Judges and other individuals who were plotting the arrest of the newly appointed TSC member cannot be revealed for now pending further investigation by this publication.
But Chief Justice (CJ) Bheki Maphalala who is allegedly the mastermind behind the syndicate plotting the arrest of the former Justice Minister, had not responded to this publication despite consistent efforts to reach him.
It has been disclosed that the newly appointed TSC member is hoping for a possible return to eSwatini after the King comes back from the United Nations(UN) General Assembly in NewYork.
On another note, it has been revealed that, some Judges felt Shongwe might soon climbed the political or judiciary ladder further, and his “political enemies were seeking to prevent that by throwing him behind bars” while the King was away in NewYork.
Former Justice Minister Sibusiso Shongwe.