MBABANE:Velaphi Mamba,an influencial eSwatini human rights defender is wanted dead by King Mswati’s regime,an army helicopter was seen conducting surveillance at his home-Sithobelweni on Saturday.
Eswatini is ruled by King Mswati as an absolute Monarch,human rights defenders are arrested or killed for demanding democracy.
Mamba,who recently graduated with a Masters in Public Administration (MPA)from the United States(US) Harvard University,worked closely with assassinated human rights lawyer Thulani Rudolf Maseko,the Chairperson of the pro-democracy MultiStakeholder Forum(MSF) in corresponding with international organizations to facilitate a political dialogue as part of peaceful means to transform eSwatini into a new democratic dispensation,Maseko was assassinated allegedly,by King Mswati’s mercenaries.
It has been disclosed that,the King’s regime identified Mamba as a person who “is funding the struggle for democracy in eSwatini” due to his previous employment with the Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa(OSISA).
Colani Khulekani Maseko,the then President of the Swaziland National Union of Students(SNUS) who was abducted and heavily assaulted by King Mswati’s army on the 17th May 2022, confirmed that during the torture,the soldiers questioned him about the whereabouts of Velaphi Mamba who is a founding member of the MultiStakeholder Forum(MSF), a coalition of pro-democracy groups in eSwatini.
“They demanded to know the whereabouts of Velaphi Mamba”, said the then Students Union President.
It has been disclosed that, State intelligence agents were planning to kidnap Velaphi Mamba's children,Sinelive and Asiviwe Mamba,together with his wife,Cebsile Mhlanga.
As a result,Mamba was forced to evacuate his family to a place of safety abroad while he pursued his studies at Harvard University in the USA.
A questionnaire was sent to Government Spokesperson Alpheous Nxumalo,however,he had not responded at the time of compiling this report.
Reached for comments on Tuesday evening regarding the latest developments surrounding his homestead,Mamba said, “there’s nothing that the Tinkhundla regime” can do to stop the tide of the revolution.
“There is nothing in this world that the Tinkhundla regime can do to stop the tide of the revolution.We are inextricably welded to the cause of the freedom of our people. History has found us and it is time for freedom. The time for Tinkhundla elapsed at the moment when it massacred emaSwati with impunity in June 2021.EmaSwati must prepare for a new democratic government”, said the MSF founding member.
On another note,dozens of civilians including human rights lawyer Thulani Rudolf Maseko were allegedly killed by King Mswati’s regime.
As disclosed by the King’s mercenary Arno Pieenar when speaking to the London Times, the regime “has a list of human rights defenders” to be killed and Velaphi Mamba who is the Treasurer General(TG) of the People’s United Democratic Movement(PUDEMO) “is believed to among the list”.
The home of PUDEMO President Mlungisi Makhanya, at Malindza in the Lubombo Region was surveilled by an army helicopter before being bombed allegedly, by Mswati’s army, the soldiers were hoping that Makhanya and his family were in the house.
Eswatini Human rights defender Velaphi Mamba.