By Zweli Martin Dlamini

The scramble by eSwatini Government officials including Cabinet Ministers to be seen helping Mozambican refugees entering this country in large numbers in the midst of the political unrest in the neighboring country, leaves a lot to be desired.

It should be noted that, the Tinkhundla regime is known for neglecting its own citizens but on Wednesday, a truck from the Ministry of Health was seen delivering drugs at Malindza Refugee Camp amid shortage of drugs in public hospitals.

A smartly dressed man who looked like Health Minister Mduduzi Matsebula was also seen next to the truck during the delivery of the alleged drugs, this Government has reduced it’s national mandate to such ‘politicking’ where a whole Cabinet Minister “is seen performing duties of a Foreman or Supervisor”.

Well, as a country we are obligated to take care of refugees but, it seems Government is targeting international financial support by playing into the media or public gallery since the unfortunate political unrest erupted in Mozambique.

I am saying this because, even before the political unrest erupted in the neighboring country, some refugees at Malindza Camp were contacting this Swaziland News expressing their frustration with the manner in which Government, particularly officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs were treating them.

But now, the entire Cabinet seems to be operating at Malindza Refugee Camp while ordinary citizens of this country face serious social challenges amid failure by the Tinkhundla regime to deliver basic services including health care.

But let me briefly tell this story before concluding my article;

One day an unknown man arrived at home(LaMgabhi eTiyeni), it was around 8pm “watsi ushonelwe lilanga ucela kufihla inhloko” and my grandmother Inkhosikati LaMndzebele took a beautiful blanket reserved for visitors, the man was warmly welcomed and served with delicious food.

As a grandchild I was not allowed to use that blanket “watsi Gogo mine ngiyahlupha ngitayichamela, yetivakashi leNgubo”.

But in the morning, the unknown man was no where to be found, he had disappeared with my grandmother’s blanket, there was a brief moment of sadness and disappointment as Gogo was walking around, she even searched around trees “etaleni” hoping to see the man who had disappeared with her beautiful blanket.

So as emSwati, it’s part of our culture to take care of visitors, some of us grew-up under grandparents who were upholding this culture of generosity and upholding the spirit of “Buntfu”, in IsiZulu they call it “Ubuntu”.

I am sharing this story of my late grandmother and the unknown visitor because it is relevant to the ongoing scramble for refugees by Government and/or Cabinet Ministers.

The Malindza Refugee Camp is under the jurisdiction of Home Affairs Minister Princess Lindiwe, she must be allowed to work on issues involving the refugees including their welfare, of course, with the help or in collaboration with other relevant Ministries and Government Departments.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is another relevant Ministry in this regard but, it’s surprising now to see even the Ministry of Health taking pictures when delivering a few plastics and boxes of drugs at Malindza Refugee Camp.

What is the ultimate political agenda in all this scramble for the attention of the Mozambican refugees?.

This Government is now operating like a political parasite, using every plight of vulnerable people to cash money from international donors, the unfortunate Mozambique political situation will be manipulated to cash money from unsuspecting donors in the name of these refugees.

But I am not saying my opinion in this regard to right because I don’t have the monopoly to think, my suspicion or conclusion might be wrong or misguided but, time will tell, this is Tinkhundla regime.