MBABANE: Jan Sithole, the founder and President of the Swaziland Democratic Party (SWADEPA) has died.

The death of the former Secretary General of the now defunct Swaziland Federation of Trade Union (SFTU) was confirmed to this Swaziland News by the Spokesperson of his political party Mbongseni Shabangu on Saturday morning.

“We confirm that our President died yesterday morning” said the Spokesperson.

Reached for comments, Maphatsa Sithole, the wife to the late political activists confirmed the death of the SWADEPA President.

“It’s true Nkhosi, he has passed on and this was on Friday morning, he met his death while here in Nelsprit at home” she said.

The death of the former Member of Parliament for Manzini North comes few months after the death of another founder of SWADEPA Archie Sayed who died around June 2020.

Speaking to this publication, Mlungisi Mkhanya the President of the People’s United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO) said he was officially informed by SWADEPA regarding the sad news, he said PUDEMO will soon release a message of condolences.

Political parties are banned in Swaziland (now eSwatini) and any criticism of King Mswati and his government is regarded as treasonous, a crime that comes with a death sentence upon conviction.

The SWADEPA President's death comes few days after Lucky ‘Obama’ Matsetjwa, a former police officer was working closely with the then National Commissioner Isaac Magagula revealed that suspects are poisoned in prison. Matsenjwa was thrown behind bars by the then National Commissioner now Senator on fabricated criminal charges because he had crucial information on how suspects including those who oppose King Mswati are killed in Swaziland, he was saved by Judge Mbutfo Mamba who acquitted him due to lack of evidence.

Jan Sithole was arrested on numerous occasions for demanding democratic reforms in Swaziland and insiders within his political party confirmed that doctors discovered that he was poisoned.

“We spent more E100 000.00 as a political party for his medical check-up because we wanted to get the truth and indeed, doctors cited poison”said an insider within SWADEPA.