By Zweli Martin Dlamini

MBABANE: Eswatini King through his Private Secretary Sihle Dlamini came hard on South African President Cyril Matamela Ramaphosa for announcing that the Southern African Development Community(SADC) has appointed a Panel of Elders to try and resolve the political crisis in the troubled Kingdom.

Dlamini, who was allegedly acting on behalf of King Mswati created a Facebook Page where he blasted the South African President for announcing the appointment of a Panel of Elders, however, the King’s Private Secretary was very careful by avoiding to mention the name of the Head of State.

“A Head of State uttered outright lies saying there’s a Panel of Elders that has been appointed, there’s nothing like that,” said the King’s Private Secretary.

But royal insiders told this Swaziland News that King Mswati ordered his Private Secretary to counter the information or narrative by the media suggesting that a Panel of Elders would visit the Kingdom of eSwatini.

“The King is very angry with President Cyril Ramaphosa, he believes he is out to remove him from power. You must understand that diplomacy doesn’t allow the King to publicly attack another Head of State so he sent his Private Secretary to correct this narrative,” said the royal insider.

Mswati refused  to attend SADC Troika Summits while President Ramaphosa was still the Chairman after the South African President stated clearly, when addressing the media that he advised the King to participate in a political dialogue with all stakeholders.

The sentiments by King Mswati’s Secretary were supported by Government Spokesperson Alpheous Nxumalo when speaking to the South African Broadcasting Cooperation(SABC) on Tuesday, Nxumalo expressed disappointment that a Head of State decided to leave a SADC meeting while it was in progress, convene a press conference and announced the appointment of a Panel of Elders.

“It is very unfortunate that one particular and single leader of the SADC States who stood-up to make a presentation and a submission in the meeting, decided to leave the meeting before it close and convened a press conference and disseminate misinformation and disinformation.Every meeting of SADC as Heads of State, the resolutions are reflected only, in one document,” said the Government Spokesperson when speaking to the SABC on Tuesday.

The eSwatini Government Spokesperson subsequently ‘attacked’ SABC International Editor live on air accusing her of being ‘creative’ when dealing with eSwatini political issues.

President Ramaphosa is the only Head of State who announced that SADC has appointed a Panel of Elders when addressing journalists during the SADC Summit in the Democratic Republic of Congo(DRC).

“SADC is going to take this firmly in hand, setup a fact-finding mission and send a panel of elders to go and find effective ways of dealing with the situation,” said President Cyril Ramaphosa, the out-going SADC Troika Chairperson when addressing journalists during the SADC Summit held in the Democratic Republic of Congo(DRC).