MBABANE:Retiring Government Spokesperson Alpheous Nxumalo has accused King’s Spokesperson Percy Simelane and the editor of this Swaziland News Zweli Martin Dlamini of having romantic conversations about him adding that,he really doesn’t understand how the two(2) operate.
This comes after the King’s Spokesperson defied Nxumalo’s order directed to all public officials not to respond to the editor or comment when contacted by this Swaziland News.
But Nxumalo who banned others, continued to comment in other online platforms including the international media everytime the editor is interviewed on national issues.
On Tuesday, the King’s Spokesperson when speaking to this Swaziland News,distanced the King and clarified that Alpheous Nxumalo was not mandated to blast the United States(US) and fuel the looming targeted sanctions against the King and others.
The King through his delegation,has been trying to negotiate with the U.S. Senators to get the country’s side of the story before taking a decision on the sanctions.
But the Government Spokesperson subsequently made an arrogant statement, telling the US that, the King and/or eSwatini is not intimidated by threats of sanctions.
“In as far as the romantic conversation of Percy Simelane and Zwemart Dlamini are concerned, I have no comment because really; I am out of these two gentleman’s space of operation.I do get a lot of their respective conversations sent to me by both my friends and foes but I have taken deliberate posture of paying no attention to anything I consider of no value of substance to me personally and to the Government assignment located to me”, said the Government Spokesperson when responding to his online platforms on Wednesday.
On another note,editor Zweli Martin Dlamini said,Nxumalo made a mistake by imposing a decision that was not implementable adding that, he started working with Percy Simelane in the media more than five(15)years ago.
“Prime Minister Barnabas Dlamini personally made a call to me and introduced Percy Simelane saying if I don’t get hold of him,I must contact Percy either on public or personal issues.We hold different political views with Percy Simelane but he responds to me with trust because he knows I will never intentionally misquote him. If there’s something I don’t understand in his response I seek clarification before publishing because I understand the sensitivity of his job as a Spokesperson for a Head of State”, said the editor.
The editor accused the retiring Government Spokesperson of mixing politics with emotions something resulted to him losing professionalism and focus in his mandate to defend the eSwatini Government.
“Apheous Nxumalo won’t understand as he has just mentioned because he thinks two people can't work together professionally,if they don't hold the same political views.It’s my first time to see a Government Spokesperson who is always in the media fighting a journalist, I’m yet to see if his approach will work for Government.Even if I can criticize the King,Percy will reach out to me professionally if there’s something he wants to clarify and he will always get a fair mileage and defend his boss because as a journalist himself who worked with us in the media before,he understands how to engage with journalists”, said the editor.
Retiring Government Spokesperson Alpheous Nxumalo.