Before the political unrest, National Commissioner William Dlamini believed in engagement with journalists, not intimidation, assault, or torture.
I remember receiving a call from the National Commissioner in 2019 who said, “Unjani yeMlangeni, ngishayelwa nguNdvubankhulu lana ngatsi sekukhona lokubhalile futsi, ngiyamangala kutsi sekwente njani ngoba ngatsi niyavana nalomuntfu wakini, Ungakhona kuta nini ngalapha sikhulume ngitomnika report kutsi sesikhulumile. Nawe ubese wenta kakhulu mani ngala kule-Nkhosi, nciphisa.”
But I am sure the National Commissioner later realized that the Tinkhundla system does not believe in dialogue and engagement and he might lose his job for soft, he started to be brutal against journalists.
The truth is that politicians, government officials, and State security agents are not expected to interfere with the work of journalists, but National Commissioner William Dlamini had a skill for engaging the media.
Perhaps, after learning that the National Commissioner was soft on me, those in power instructed the late Deputy Commissioner Sam Mthembu to torture me, and I am fully aware that the command did not come from William Tsintsibala Dlamini.
It was Information Minister Princess Sikhanyiso who first sent me a threatening text around 1am after I wrote a critical article exposing her and around 6am,a battalion of armed police officers invaded my home.
I am therefore warning senior police officers to stop implementing unlawful orders with the hope that we will blame everything on National Commissioner William Tsintsibala Dlamini.
Dlamini should be held accountable for the crimes he committed against the people, particularly the killing of civilians during the political unrest, but some orders, particularly the harassment of journalists, were implemented by Senior Superintendent Clement Sihlongonyane and the late Deputy Commissioner Sam Mthembu.
Other monsters include Deputy Commissioner Richard Mngometulu and Manoma Masango; they sometimes take orders directly from the authorities.
These senior officers must know that some of us don’t easily forget and are always eager to see monsters held accountable for the atrocities they committed against the people.
National Commissioner William Dlamini.