By Zweli Martin Dlamini

GOBOYANE: Thomas Nhlabatsi, a member of the Ngwane National Liberatory Congress(NNLC) was,on Saturday morning, found dead inside his house at Goboyane-Nkilongo in the eastern part of eSwatini as human rights violations and killing of political activists intensify in eSwatini.

It has been disclosed that, Nhlabatsi was leading the petition delivery at Nkilongo during the recent political unrest and as a result, he was allegedly wanted death by the Tinkhundla cruel regime amid ongoing operations to silence dissenting views in this tiny Kingdom.

Mswati’s regime has allegedly established a unit within the army known as the “Special Force” that secretly monitors and kills political activists who are leading the calls for democratic reforms, the unit allegedly works with hired State mercenaries.

Reached for comments on Wednesday,Mciniseli Nhlabatsi, a son to the late political activist confirmed the death of his father adding that, they suspected that he was killed by the soldiers who abducted him during the unrest.

“It’s true, he was found death inside his house on Saturday and doctors say he was heavily assaulted.We suspect that he was attacked inside the house at night and beaten by the soldiers who abducted him during the political unrest.But now I’m on my way to meet human rights lawyer Sipho Gumedze because he was the lawyer’s close friend”, he said.

The death of the influential political activist at Goboyane-Nkilongo comes after the assassination of human rights lawyer Thulani Rudolf Maseko, who was also attacked in his home and killed in front of his children and wife allegedly, by King Mswati’s mercenaries.

King Mswati’s alleged Chief Mercenary Arno Pienaar subsequently told the London Times that, they have a list of ‘terrorists’ to be killed while denying that lawyer Thulani Rudolf Maseko was among that list.

Eswatini labels political activists and human rights defenders who call for democracy ‘terrorists’.

Senior Superintendent Phindile Vilakati,the eSwatini police Spokesperson declined to comment about the killing of the political activist. 

Responding to this Swaziland News, Sibongile Mazibuko, the President of the Ngwane National Liberatory Congress(NNLC) expressed shock that the political activist has died but confirmed that, he was once abducted by soldiers during the recent political unrest and heavily assaulted.

“It’s shocking, the news you are telling me are shocking. What is wrong with this country?. Nhlabatsi abducted by King Mswati’s soldiers during the recent political unrest who assaulted him and even dragged him to a dam with crocodiles thretening to throw him there.The soldiers have been hunting again, so it means they eventually found and killed him”, said the NNLC President.

Lieutenant Tengetile Khumalo, the Army Spokesperson had not responded at the time of compiling this report.

Eswatini regime under the undemocratic Tinkhundla system of governance, has intensified a crackdown on pro-democracy activists.

State agents now visit homes in the rural areas at night and kill political activists who were identified to have organized protests that was seeking to topple King Mswati, who rules eSwatini as an absolute Monarch with Executive, Judicial and Legislative powers.

Despite calls for a political dialogue, the King responded by unleashing soldiers to shoot and kill dozens of protesting civilians merely for,demanding democratic reforms.

The United States(US) Congress has passed Resolution 174 calling upon the eSwatini regime to refrain from violating human rights and dialogue with those calling for democracy.

Reached for comments, Sivumelwano Nyembe, the Spokesperson of the pro-democracy MultiStakeholder Forum(MSF) said, the problem with the ongoing violence perpetrated by security forces against the citizens “is that it might create a culture of violence” and the citizens will start communicating with those in power through violence.

“That’s why we are calling for a dialogue because once violence becomes a culture of communication, even the citizens will communicate through violence.In this case, we have reasonable suspicion that, the political activist has been killed by soldiers because he has been under their surveillance and they even abducted and assaulted him during the unrest”, said the MSF Spokesperson.