By Wendy Magagula

LOBAMBA: Wander Mkhonza, the Secretary General of the Amalgamated Trade Union of Swaziland(ATUSWA) said Mduduzi Tfwala, the soldier who shot and killed himself at Ludzidzini Palace on Friday morning was protesting for living a miserable life while royalty was living large next to him.

Speaking to this Swaziland News, Mkhonza said most workers in the country including members of the security forces were suffering from depression as a result of being broke and this, he said, was caused by government's failure to fulfil social obligations.

“The soldier, by shooting and killing himself in the Palace was protesting, he could have killed himself in another place but he chose the Palace. It’s very painful to see people living an extravagant life next to you while you struggle, many workers including these soldiers are struggling because they have many responsibilities back home and the little money couldn’t sustain them anymore. Government is not taking care of the elderly and there are many orphans now,  even if you are working, you are expected to share that money with your relatives” ,said the ATUSWA Secretary General.

It has been disclosed that Mduduzi Tfwala(35) of Mahlanya who was working as a royal guard shot and killed himself with a service rifle on Friday at Ludzidzini Palace.

This disclosure comes in the midst of reports that civil servants including members of security forces were trapped in financial challenges as a result of government's refusal to award the employees a reasonable Cost of Living Adjustments(COLA) despite the ever rising inflation.

Lieutenant Tengetile Khumalo, the Umbutfo Eswatini Defense Force(EUDF) Spokesperson confirmed  the death of the soldier to the Times, she was not available when this publication tried to reach her for further comments and the new developments regarding the death of the soldier.

Members of the royal guard told this Swaziland News that Tfwala was having financial challenges and what worsened the situation was the fact that one of  his girlfriends who was  related to one of his superiors was pregnant and would consistently come to his workplace to demand money.

“He was complaining of financial challenges and what worsened the situation was the fact that his girlfriend who was related to one of the superiors was pregnant and would  consistently come to the workplace to demand for money. It seems he couldn’t take the stress anymore as the relative of the girlfriend who is senior in the army would put pressure on him to take responsibility of the pregnancy”, said a member of the royal guard.