Times Of Swaziland: E1.3M DAMAGE AS BEVERAGES MANAGER’S HOME, CAR TORCHED

E1.3M DAMAGE AS BEVERAGES MANAGER’S HOME, CAR TORCHED
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Times Reporter on 07/04/2022 08:47:00


TIMBUTINI – Sifiso Simelane suffered damages estimated to be around E1.3
million when his house and Audi A3 sedan were petrol- bombed by unknown
arsonists on Tuesday evening.
Simelane is the Eswatini Beverages Risk Manager, who recently testified in the
ongoing trial of incarcerated Members of Parliament (MPs), Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza
of Hosea Constituency and Mthandeni Dube, who was elected at Ngwempisi
Inkhundla. His homestead is located at Vulamehlo, Timbutini under Mafutseni
Constituency. This is a community which is located about 21 kilometres in the
south-eastern part of Manzini. It is worth noting that in his testimony, among
other things, Simelane reportedly informed the court that he did not see anyone
being shot. He reportedly admitted that he had heard gunshots being fired when
the crowd was being dispersed. However, he submitted that he did not see anyone
get injured or killed.
It is said following his testimony in court, the risk manager supposedly
received a call from a private number on March 23, 2022. The call, according to
impeccable sources, alluded to his submissions in court and was followed by
threats. He was said to have reported the threats at the Matsapha Police
Station. It was further gathered that on Tuesday, the day when his homestead was
set alight by the unknown arsonists, Simelane purportedly received a phone call,
through which he was informed that there were clients seeking his assistance at
his homestead, particularly people who wanted to consult him. It is worth noting
that the risk manager is also a traditional healer. When he received the phone
call about the supposed clients, he was at work and he allegedly made a promise
to come and attend to them.
However, along the way, he is said to have made a stop at a shopping complex to
greet some of his friends, whom he supposedly informed that he was rushing to
attend some clients who were waiting for him at his home. It was claimed that
thereafter, Simelane relaxed with his friends. The sources further purported
that when his acquaintances enquired if he still recalled that there were people
waiting for him and in response; Simelane told them that the clients would wait
if they really needed his assistance. Meanwhile, it has been gathered that the
people who purportedly presented themselves as clients at his homestead were two
males.
Arsonists
It was gathered that given the delay in the arrival of the risk manager, the
pair was joined by another two, who came from the northern part of the
homestead. In essence, this means that the suspected arsonists formed a quartet
and are said to have been together at the homestead at about 6pm. On the other
hand, the northern part of the homestead is in close proximity to a river
wherein a fence was cut so that the last pair could gain entry into Simelane’s
compound. Upon arrival, it was gathered that they reportedly ordered
Simelane’s son, a relative who had come to plait her hair, and his wife, out
of the house. This was reportedly after the quartet had asked for the
whereabouts of Simelane and alluded to him being a witness in the MPs case.
Subsequently, the quartet is said to have ushered the family members into a
rondavel, where they locked them in before returning to his three-bedroom house.
It was gathered that before dousing the house with petrol and throwing a petrol
bomb, the arsonists took two guns belonging to the Eswatini Beverages risk
manager. The house, which consisted of three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a living
room and a kitchen, was reduced to rubble as all items could not be saved. The
roofing of the house, which was tiles, caved inwards while the aluminium window
frames melted. Also, the window panes were said to have busted due to the
licking flames. This resulted in the upper parts of the wall around the house
being covered in soot.
Furthermore, the unknown arsonists also petrol-bombed his hatchback sedan, an
Audi A3. The car was near a water container, which partially melted during the
arson attack. Worth noting is that an indumba (consultation room), indlu
yakagogo (grandmother’s hut) and an under construction rondavel, were spared.
The sources said neighbours, who heard the explosions and also saw the smoke and
flames of the fire, raised the alarm. This resulted in the Eswatini National
Fire and Emergency Services (ENFES) personnel and the police being called to the
scene.
Responded
It was gathered that considering the distance of the gravel road, which is about
5 kilometres, the emergency personnel responded promptly to the call, but could
not save the items which were inside the house and the vehicle. In fact, they
said despite their prompt response, the car and all items inside the house had
been reduced to rubble when the police and fire fighters arrived. Given that the
efforts to extinguish the fire lasted until late into the night on Tuesday,
about 20 police officers returned to the scene yesterday. The officers were from
the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), Serious Crimes Unit (Lukhozi),
Operational Support Services Unit (OSSU), Scenes of Crime Department and those
from the K-9 Department, who brought a sniffer dog. The police officers prepared
for their investigations from as early as 7am and were at the scene until just
after 12pm. The team partitioned itself into two as some officers followed the
sniffer dog which from the house led the officers where the fence was cut. The
team was said to have been led by the sniffer dog across the Mzimpofu River, up
until they reached the road where it is suspected the arsonists boarded their
vehicle and fled the scene.
While at the forest, which is adjacent to the river and across the homestead,
the sniffer dog reportedly led the officers to exhibits that had been burnt by
the arsonists. Meanwhile, the other team was left within the compound and it
comprised of the Scenes of Crime Department. The officers from this department
with those from OSSU and some CIDs, searched for evidence within the homestead.