Times Of Swaziland: FIRED SOLDIER SUBMITS SICK NOTE FROM INYANGA

FIRED SOLDIER SUBMITS SICK NOTE FROM INYANGA
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Mbongiseni Ndzimandze on 20/04/2021 14:45:00


MBABANE – A soldier who was discharged from duty after he allegedly absented
himself from work for five months has produced a medical report from a
traditional healer as proof that he was indisposed.
The medical report from the traditional healer, affiliated to the Traditional
Health Organisation, is annexed to court documents where Mfundo Bonginkhosi
Nkambule is challenging his dismissal from the army.  Nkambule was allegedly
discharged from the army by the King in consultation with the then Army
Commander, Sobantu Dlamini. On the strength of the medical report provided by
traditional healer Mbobozehluzo Dlamini, who is a trained and qualified member
of the Traditional Health Organisation,   Nkambule wants the court to compel the
current commander general of Umbutfo Eswatini Defence Force (UEDF) to, among
other things, furnish him with written reasons why he was dismissed.
He is also praying for an order declaring his discharge from the army to be
unlawful and also direct the commander general of UEDF to reinstate him in the
army forthwith. These are allegations whose veracity is still to be tested in
court and the respondents are yet to file their papers. In his application,
Nkambule submitted that he was employed by the army as a soldier on July 1,
2005, and was based at Mdzimba for the duration of his service.
Services
He informed the court that he diligently and continuously performed his duties
from this date until on or about the year 2017. “On or about March 2017, while
in the service, I succumbed to a sickness which was related to witchcraft. As a
result thereof, I could not work on account of this sickness which affected me
mentally,” submitted Nkambule. He alleged that he accordingly sought help from
traditional healers through the assistance of his parents as the sickness was
purportedly infected on him through black magic and/or through the use of muti.
According to the applicant (Nkambule), he could not attend work for a period of
five months and throughout this period he did not have recollection of events as
the sickness affected his memory.