WE DID NOT SUPPLY GUNS TO ESWATINI - EFF

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.

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