MBABANE:Sifiso “Smallz” Mahlangu, an alleged member of the Underground Forces who was allegedly bribed by King Mswati’s regime to poison and kill eSwatini opposition leader Mlungisi Makhanya, the President of the People’s United Democratic Movement(PUDEMO) has spoken for the first time since he fled from the house of the political activist.
Makhanya was declared wanted by the eSwatini regime and a two hundred thousand Rands(R200,000.00) reward was offered to those who will kill or abduct him, PUDEMO Deputy President Wandile Dludlu said in a press briefing on Wednesday morning.
Speaking in a viral video inside an accommodation that looks like a Guest House,Sifiso Mahlangu accused the PUDEMO leader of misappropriating donor funds.
“He was misappropriating donor funds while we starve”, he said.
Government Spokesperson Alpheous Nxumalo declined to comment regarding the matter.
But Penuel Malinga,the PUDEMO Secretary General said as an organization, they were focusing on the health of the President and the matter of the ‘boy’ was handled by the South African police.
“That matter is being handled by the police while we focus on the health of the President. We know that the regime always try to shift the focus everytime they kill or attempted to kill political activists”, said the PUDEMO Secretary General.
Mahlangu is on the run and another young man who was within the residence of the PUDEMO President is alleged to have witnessed the self-confessed attempted murder suspect with a new iPhone talking to an unknown individual after poisoning, locking Makhanya inside the house and grabbing his cellphones.
Fortunately,Makhanya managed to gain access to one of his cellphones that was not identified by the suspect and called individuals he trust for help, at that time, he was already struggling to speak.
When some members of PUDEMO called other cellphones of the President that were already at the hands of the suspect, Mahlangu allegedly answered, telling them that, the “President was fine and relaxing with his girlfriend” inside the house when in fact he was almost dead and being killed by the suspect.
The suspect who was staying at the PUDEMO President’s residence “is then alleged to have spread the information to a Facebook platform that is not known for publishing without verifying information, saying Makhanya was poisoned by “his girlfriend”.
The intention according to sources close to the matter was to try and counter any suspicion suggesting that “the Tinkhundla regime or State might be involved”.
The Tinkhundla regime operates through various Facebook platforms including some perceived to be supporting democracy to infiltrate and spread propaganda against PUDEMO, the eSwatini’s main liberation movement.
But the propaganda seems to be rejected by the international community as more international PUDEMO allies accuse King Mswati’s regime for the alleged poisoning.
After learning that the false alleged State sponsored narrative suggesting that, Makhanya was poisoned by a girlfriend was not gaining momentum, Mahlangu was accommodated in a Guest House and, allegedly ordered to record a video confirming that he attempted to kill the PUDEMO President and that, he took a personal decision.
As confirmed by PUDEMO Secretary General Punuel Malinga, the South African Police Service is currently investigating the matter and the South African Communist Party(SACP) called for an urgent arrest of the suspect.
Sifiso Mahlangu.