Times Of Swaziland: WE DID NOT SUPPLY GUNS TO ESWATINI - EFF

WE DID NOT SUPPLY GUNS TO ESWATINI - EFF
================================================================================
BY NTOMBI MHLONGO on 07/07/2021 08:57:00


MBABANE - South African political party, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF),
has rubbished an allegation that it brought arms into the Kingdom of Eswatini.
The allegation was made by Minister of Foreign Affairs and International
Cooperation Thuli Dladla when she made her submissions before the SADC Organ
Troika delegation which arrived in the country on Monday morning on a
fact-finding mission.
This was after the country was marred by violent protests which saw businesses
and offices being vandalised and looted, while some members of the public were
injured and others killed. Government, through Dladla, accused some Members of
Parliament (MPs) of roping in internationals to assist them in their quest.
Transported
She also alleged that the group (EFF) had further transported arms from
neighbouring South Africa to arm insurgents in the country, which was against
SADC protocols. However, it seems like the South African political party has not
taken kindly to the allegation. In a statement sent to this publication
yesterday, EFF National Spokesperson Vuyani Pambo said the party had noted what
he termed ‘nonsensical allegations made by the Eswatini Government’. He said
the allegation demonstrated the country’s aloofness and lack of understanding
of what was happening. “The political unrest in Eswatini started in 1973 with
the declaration that ‘all political parties and similar bodies that cultivate
and bring about disturbances and ill-feelings within the nation are hereby
prohibited’. The banning of political parties ensured and necessitated the
ongoing political unrest in Eswatini. “In this instance, the EFF in Eswatini
has been leading well in the struggle for a multiparty democracy in Eswatini,”
said Pambo.
He mentioned that his organisation would not stop supporting the people of
Eswatini and would show support with everything they needed which was within the
party’s capacity. He emphasised that the Government of Eswatini and the
authorities should not be misled and must refrain from making what he termed
‘baseless allegations’. “No guns have been supplied by the EFF South
Africa yet and we are closely in support of all the progressive forces in
Eswatini, which include PUDEMO and EFF Eswatini,” he stated.
Protestors
During the engagement with the Troika delegation, which took place at the Royal
Villas, Dladla alleged that the EFF was providing the protestors with moral and
physical support by being on site and assisting them to strategise. The minister
said the EFF was an organisation from SA and as government, they were surprised
to see how, while there was talk of regional integration, it found some people
from a neighbouring country trying to negate the process. “It is disheartening
that this group transported arms from our neighbouring state to arm insurgents
in the kingdom, which is against the SADC protocols,” said Dladla. It is a
fact that the three MPs who have called for the election of a prime minister
(PM) by the people are Hosea MP Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza, Siphofaneni MP Mduduzi
‘Gawuzela’ Simelane and Ngwempisi MP Mthandeni Dube. However, the MPs had in
several interviews maintained that they were not being sponsored by anyone, let
alone foreigners, but wanted a government which was elected by the people, for
the people. They have further condemned the destruction of property by the
people, stating that they did not condone such acts.