Times Of Swaziland: No link between missing  children, elections - Percy

No link between missing  children, elections - Percy
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BY SIBONGILE SUKATI on 23/08/2013 02:29:00


MBABANE – Government has said the disappearance of children should not be
linked to the ongoing national elections.
Government Spokesperson Percy Simelane said the public should not believe that
the disappearance of children and women was linked to people being murdered by
candidates who were hoping for Parliament seats.
“People have always disappeared in the country because there are generally bad
people who sometimes kidnap or murder people for various reasons,” said
Simelane.
Simelane’s statement comes after three children disappeared over the past
week; namely Babongiwe Vilakati (8) from Ngculwini, Mantombi Matsebula (6) who
went missing from Kudzeni preparing to attend church last Sunday and meanwhile
Ndwandwe (13) who disappeared at Mbuleni on Tuesday.
Simelane said he was also surprised that no aspiring Members of Parliament or
former MPs were condemning the acts because they were the same people who should
be at the forefront to dispel the belief that because it was elections time
children would disappear.
“I have also heard reports that there are some children who have stopped going
to school because they fear that they would be kidnapped or murdered and I want
to encourage the parents to encourage the children to go to school,” said
Simelane. The government spokesperson said on national radio that when he grew
up he was also afraid of getting home late after school because his parents had
always told him that emazimu (cannibals) would eat him. “There are just people
who are thugs and one can advise that the children walk  in groups to try and
prevent such incidents,” he said.
He said a few years ago women went missing from Elangeni in Lobamba and it was
believed that they had been killed for election or ritual purposes.
“However, it was discovered that there was a serial killer who had nothing to
do with any parliamentary aspirations,” said Simelane.
Simelane also encouraged Swazis to embrace persons living with albinism and said
it was only in foreign countries where there was a belief that such persons’
body parts had some powers.
‘... Chief Magudvulela out of order’
MBABANE – Government Spokesperson Percy Simelane has said former senator Chief
Magudvulela is out of order for stating that widows were not allowed to
participate in the elections.
Speaking on national radio yesterday morning Simelane said the Chief as a
community elder, should be at the forefront in the protection of the national
Constitution, which was unveiled by His Majesty King Mswati III in 2005.
The press secretary likened the prince to a defender in a soccer team and said
people in the chief’s position should play Number 5, which was the main
defence of a soccer team. “Section 28 (3) of the Constitution puts it clear
that a woman shall not be compelled to undergo or uphold any custom which she is
in conscience opposed to,” said Simelane.
He said it was not only the chiefs who were supposed to defend the Constitution,
but all Swazis.
“However, I expect community leaders to support the King and desist from
making such statements,” said Simelane.