Times Of Swaziland: SNAT SUES PASTOR SIHLE FOR E75M

SNAT SUES PASTOR SIHLE FOR E75M
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Times Reporters on 29/05/2023 08:43:00


MBABANE – SNAT is suing King’s Office Estate Manager Sihle Dlamini for a sum
of E75 million.
The Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT), alleged that Dlamini, who
is also the King’s interpreter and pastor at Jesus Calls Worship Centre
(JCWC), purportedly accused the association of being a terrorist group. As a
result, SNAT wants the High Court to order him to compensate it to the tune of
E75 million. According to the association, Dlamini also accused it of financing,
supporting and promoting terrorism in the Kingdom of Eswatini.In its particulars
of claim, SNAT submitted that on February 10, 2023, at Nkoyoyo in Mbabane,
Dlamini held a television interview in which certain utterances and statements
were published on the electronic media and television.
According to the plaintiff (SNAT), Dlamini’s statements were widely
distributed in the Kingdom of Eswatini and were heard by the general public and
international community. “During the publication and interview by the
defendant at Chanel Yemaswati, the defendant uttered words to the effect that,
the plaintiff was promoting, supporting and financing terrorism within the
country, (the Kingdom of Swaziland) and that the plaintiff was a terrorist group
and called on the whole Christian community to stand up against this
organisation and reject the organisation,” alleged SNAT. The plaintiff
contended that the words that were purportedly uttered by Dlamini, in the
context of the aforesaid publication, were wrongful and defamatory to the
plaintiff in that they were intended allegedly by the defendant and were so
understood by the general and international public, who heard and listened to
the interview, to mean that the plaintiff was a terrorist organisation and was
financing and supporting terrorism and terrorist activities within the Kingdom
of Eswatini.
Criminal
It was further the plaintiff’s averments that the words that were allegedly
uttered by Dlamini during the interview also meant that the organisation and its
office bearers were engaging in criminal activities and, therefore, liable to
arrest and prosecution. The plaintiff further claimed that the words were
accordingly intended to reduce its standing in the eyes of all the recipients of
the words. These are allegations contained in particulars of claim, whose
veracity is still to be tested in court and the defendant is yet to file his
papers. “As a result of the defamation, the plaintiff suffered damages in its
reputation which amounted to E75 million. The plaintiff has suffered immense
damage to its reputation, both locally and internationally and with its
affiliates who are generally known to the public, as being associated with
terrorist groups/union and that the plaintiff finances terrorism,” reads part
of the plaintiff’s particulars of claim.
SNAT went on to tell the court that terrorism was outlawed in Eswatini and
internationally and in particular, the financing of terrorism was prohibited
internationally and within the kingdom. The association went on to bring it to
the attention of the court that terrorism was considered a crime and could lead
to punitive sanctions against it and its members to the extent that they might
be listed as an organisation which sponsored terrorism. “The effect of such
will prohibit and restrict the activities of the plaintiff and its members to
the extent that they may not conduct the normal business such as banking and
providing the services to the members in terms of its constitution and its
assets may be subject to attachment in terms of the Suppression of Terrorism Act
of 2008,” argued the association.
According to the plaintiff, despite lawful demand to the defendant, dated March
7, 2023, for payment of same, Dlamini had refused and or neglected to make such
a payment and to make any such a retraction of the alleged defamatory statement
and publication he allegedly made.
Membership
SNAT is a recognised union made up of 15 branches and nine national committees,
with a membership in excess of 15 000 teachers, registered in terms of the laws
of the Kingdom of Swaziland (Eswatini), with full legal capacity as a trading
entity. SNAT is represented by Lucky Howe of Howe Masuku Sibandze Attorney and
the matter is still pending in court. Early this year, a cabinet minister was
also at loggerheads with the executive of SNAT after he was accused of having
branded the leadership of the organisation as terrorists. The minister was
quoted by the media as having said his pronouncements came from the perception
that the SNAT executive was associating itself with terrorists. He said these
suspicions were compounded by the negative and nasty comments made on social
media, also questioning the union’s alignment with terrorists. He said the
SNAT executive must not make him a scapegoat but use this as an opportunity for
introspection. “The membership is well-behaved but the executive does not have
any good intentions,” he said.
Donation
The minister was further quoted as having advised SNAT executive to engage its
membership before taking decisions to make a donation to someone linked to acts
of violence in the country. He was referring to an incident in which SNAT Burial
donated a casket to the late Mlandvo Khumalo, who was shot and killed by
security officers, after he shot and wounded a member of the King’s regiment
(umbutfo) during the Incwala Ceremony. Khumalo had been declared a member of the
Swaziland Solidarity Forces. The donation was later revoked. The minister said
if the intentions of SNAT burial were pure, then they could have donated to the
victims who died at the hands of the deceased.
Meanwhile, SNAT Secretary General (SG) Lot Vilakati was quoted as having said
the minister’s utterances of threatening to deregister the organisation for
allegedly supporting terrorists were part of the reasons they felt they were
being branded as terrorists. When asked on whether the union bothered to engage
the minister to clarify his statement, he said they had not had the chance to do
so. “We realise that these are very serious allegations and wish to engage the
minister,” Vilakati said.