By Musa Mdluli

MBABANE:Percy Simelane, the King’s Spokesperson says members of the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) operate independently and “have own way of identifying where to strengthen security”.

This comes amid complaints suggesting that, criminals are allegedly terrorizing citizens in the rural areas and when contacted, police justified that “they are busy with the ongoing Incwala ritual ceremony”.

Responding to this Swaziland News on Monday when asked by editor Zweli Martin Dlamini why police

neglected the citizens in favour of Incwala, the King’s Spokesperson said, the law enforcement agency operate in accordance with their training and knows where to strengthen security should a need arise.

“Our experience is that the core business of the police is law enforcement by which they ensure protection of everyone but they don't watch over individual communal people. Secondly police operate in accordance with their training without consulting anyone to clear them for duty.It is them that know which areas to cover with serious policing at a point  in time.They do not owe anybody and explanation why they preferred a certain area over another because anything that borders on security is not subject to discussion in public.It is our experience too that where the  nation converges for event,police are  more visible”, said the King’s Spokesperson when responding to editor Zweli Martin Dlamini.

Senior Superintendent Phindile Vilakati, the Police Spokesperson failed to respond when asked why police cars were deployed to provide services at Ludzidzini Palace during the ongoing Incwala ritual ceremony while alleged criminals terrorize citizens in the rural areas.

Concerned citizens contacted this Swaziland News complaining that, these days, police officers have dumped the whole country attending Incwala, leaving emaSwati vulnerable to be terrorized by alleged criminals.