By Zweli Martin Dlamini

MBABANE:Deputy Speaker Madala Mhlanga and other Members of Parliament(MPs) who vigorously supported the ongoing demand for a salary increment for junior police officers,might be reported to King Mswati for amplifying the voices of the financially struggling cops in Parliament, an investigation conducted by this Swaziland News reveals.

Other MPs who might be reported to the King include Mayiwane MP Sicelo ‘NkhungaNkhosi Dlamini who moved the motion and Lobamba Lomdzala MP Marwick Khumalo who also amplified the motion during the debate.

The motion was supported by a majority of the MPs after being seconded by the Deputy Speaker in the House of Assembly Madala Mhlanga.

But the plot to report the vibrant MPs to the King was allegedly discussed last week in a secret meeting attended by members of the Police Executive Command, including National Commissioner Vusi Manoma Masango.

The meeting was allegedly held at the Police Headquarters-Mbabane ahead of another meeting for junior police officers that was held at the SNAT Centre on Saturday.

Tension escalated after the junior police officers went on rampage subsequent to the deployment of other armed cops at SNAT Centre who were allegedly ordered to monitor and prevent the aggrieved officers from holding the meeting, the junior police officers alerted this Swaziland News to monitor the meeting live while the confrontation was manifesting.

The National Commissioner later told the cops who were deployed to compile all the names and “force numbers” of the officers who attended the meeting.

But the plight of the junior police officers who were neglected and deprived a salary increment despite the existence of a Government Gazette awarding them same, has attracted the attention of Supreme Court Judges, Parliament and the independent media, Chief Justice(CJ) Bheki Maphalala and Supreme Court Judge Phesheya Dlamini wondered what “is wrong with demanding a salary increment?”.

Reached for comments, Sergeant Dumsile Khumalo, the Secretary General(SG) of the Royal Eswatini Police Staff Association(REPOSA) confirmed knowledge of the plot to report the MPs to the King including intimidating Judges to drop the matter as “it threatens State security”, at least, according to National Commissioner Vusi Manoma Masango.

“In fact,the National Commissioner and members of the Executive Command are allegedly plotting to first report the junior officers to Civil Service Commission(CSC) Chairman Simanga Mamba, meet and intimidate the Supreme Court Judges before reporting the MPs who supported the motion to the King”, said the Secretary General.

Senior Superintendent Phindile Vilakati, the eSwatini Police Spokesperson declined to comment about the matter.

But King’s Spokesperson Percy Simelane when responding to this Swaziland News on Sunday evening wondered what those who “are allegedly plotting to report the MPs to the King seek to achieve as the King is aware and following what is happening in Parliament”. 

Simelane then clarified and maintained that,his Office does not have a record of a plot by the Police Executive Command to report the MPs to the King adding that, should it happen, it would be the first of its kind.

“We have no record of the Police Executive Command concerns and effort to report some Parliamentarians to the King. Our experience is that the King follows Parliamentary debates remotely and doesn't miss anything.It would therefore be strange for anyone to seek to report to the King what members said in Parliament. We are not aware of any similar case before, it would be a test case if it happens”, said the King’s Spokesperson.

Junior police officers in this tiny Kingdom of eSwatini are financially struggling after being deliberately neglected in a salary re-structuring that was Gazetted by Government.

Senator Isaac Magagula, the then National Commissioner of Police allegedly created about twenty(20) Deputy, Senior Deputy and Assistant National Commissioners positions with an alleged intention to loot the millions that was meant to benefit even junior police officers.

Magagula and the Police Executive Command, first mislead the King that they were benchmarking with the Southern African Development Community(SADC) when allegedly looting the millions meant to increase salaries for both junior and senior police officers under Phase one(1) and two(2).

As a result, the money that was budgeted for the junior officers salary increment was ‘looted’ by the Executive Command including the current National Commissioner Vusi Manoma Masango triggering tension as the standard of living for junior police officers “is now very low”.