Times Of Swaziland: COPS STOP NKILONGO YOUTH MEETING

COPS STOP NKILONGO YOUTH MEETING
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Thokozani Mamba on 31/01/2022 10:22:00


SITEKI – A proposed meeting by Nkilongo Inkhundla youth was allegedly blocked
by the police last week.
It has been gathered that the youth had planned to hold the meeting at the
inkhundla centre last Saturday but were informed last Thursday that they could
not. As a result, they tried to seek an alternative venue around Matata. To
ensure that the meeting did not take place, it was gathered that officers from
both His Majesty’s Correctional Services and those from the Operational
Support Services Unit (OSSU) monitored the Matata Town.
In an interview with Nkilongo Inkhundla Youth Organising Secretary Sanele
Sihlongonyane, they had arranged to convene a meeting with their Member of
Parliament (MP) Timothy Myeni to engage him on how best he could assist them in
soliciting financial assistance from government in kick-starting income
generating projects. Sihlongonyane said they had also anticipated getting
feedback about their demands that were contained in a petition they delivered to
their MP last year. He said they were barred from using the inkhundla due to the
current political climate, but they had secured a place within the Matata Town.
“We had made all our preparations as we had made a formal request to the
inkhundla council and the regional administrator’s office was engaged. We
wanted to find out on strategies that could be introduced to assist us as the
youth. We had set Saturday because the youth comprise mostly of school-going
children and some are working. We were told that the meeting could be convened
outside the inkhundla premises and we got permission to use an alternative
place,” he said.
Shocked
Sihlongonyane claimed that the police were informed but they were shocked last
Thursday to receive news that an instruction had been issued to stop the
meeting. According to an informed source, an order, was issued by the Lubombo
Regional Police Commander, Charles Magagula after being informed of the
purported meeting. The Lubombo RA Themba Msibi could not be reached when called
yesterday. Lubombo Regional Police Commander, Magagula confirmed that police
stopped the purported meeting as it was against the current COVID-19
regulations. Worth mentioning is that meetings were banned by the Minister of
Housing and Urban Development, Prince Simelane, last year.
Permission
Deputy Police Information and Communications Officer Inspector Nosipho Mnguni
said police never stopped the meeting as the youth members did not show up as
they had not secured permission. Nkilongo Indvuna Sandziso Mamba confirmed the
proposed meeting saying: “We received a letter as inkhundla that they wanted
to meet the council to discuss development issues as the youth. The meeting was
not allowed inside the inkhundla premises considering the current state of
affairs, hence they were told to secure another venue within the Matata town,”
he said. The Nkilongo Inkhundla has six imiphakatsi, namely; Mayaluka, Phafeni,
Crooks, Gamula, Lusabeni and Lunkutfu.
Meanwhile, last year, close to 200 Nkilongo youth delivered a petition to Myeni
in the presence of close to 50 police officers.  Some of the demands contained
in the petition included that he should move a motion that seeks to address the
people’s need for a full democratic government and an elected prime minister
by 2023. They also called for the MP to move a motion to stop the proposed
construction of the new parliament and reverse the already approved loan with
immediate effect. They also demanded permanent employment of teachers with
immediate effect and opening of the mining industry in the country to reduce the
high rate of unemployment. Furthermore, the youth called government to address
the shortage of drugs in the country’s clinics and hospitals, and ensure free
access to quality medical attention as well as the availability of ambulances
across the country.