WE SHALL MEET DURING DIALOGUE – MPHANDLANA TO DPM

MANZINI – “I have nothing much to say to the DPM other than to say we shall meet during the dialogue.”

This was said by well-known political activist Mphandlana Shongwe during a thanksgiving ceremony hosted by Dr  Nash Shongwe Foundation held at the Divine Healing Ministries International yesterday. Shongwe said this to a full auditorium when he was being presented with a blanket by Dr Nash. His remarks drew laughter from the audience and the Deputy Prime Minister (DPM), Themba Masuku, who was the guest speaker during the event. Mphandlana was spruce as he adorned an all-black suit, a red tie, and black and white shoes. After he was called to the podium by Bishop Dr Nash to receive his blanket, the auditorium burst into applause coupled with whistles. In jest, Bishop Dr Nash said Mphandlana should not be allowed to speak as he would talk politics.

Podium

Meanwhile, when the DPM took to the podium, he reminisced when he was still the minister of Finance wherein he would have road trips with Mphandlana.
He said: “I also used to drive with Mphandlana as Finance minister to make him enjoy the comfort of a Mercedes Benz. I don’t know if he still has the boots he used to wear.” Also, in his remarks, the DPM remarked that Mphandlana had promised him that they would meet during the National Dialogue. Masuku said he was glad that he (Mphandlana) shall partake in it this time around.

Following this, Masuku applauded the support that was being extended to the man of the cloth – Bishop Dr Nash – as the foundation he was heading was not his personal item but a service vehicle to the community. Masuku said the elderly, who Dr Nash was offering gifts to, were full of wisdom and values that the country needed. He said people who had deserted the elderly were seen by vandalism stones and the burning of infrastructure. “This is because they have lost the values they need in life. Destroying property and burning infrastructure is a setback as the infrastructure they destroyed needed to be fixed again,” Masuku said.
The DPM said following the announcement that His Majesty King Mswati III committed to dialogue, many concerns came to the fore. This, he said, was surprising as emaSwati had engaged in dialogue before and no person was compelled to attend.

In the past, Masuku said the elderly played a pivotal role as they made submissions at the royal kraals that led to the birth of the Constitution of the land. In this exercise, he said, there was no violence and the public voluntarily participated just like some people were not taken to task for not partaking. “Nothing was burnt and I appreciate that emaSwati will make submissions and seek amendments if need be.” Furthermore, Masuku said there were many bishops who were proclaiming death and were not seen praying for good in the country. He said all their prophecies were about gloom such that some were even praying for an interim government and the collapse of the current administration. While saying this, in jest Masuku said: “I wonder if I shall be in the interim government.” He implored the citizenry to read the Constitution so that during the dialogue, all shall go smooth. Also, he pleaded that the youth should not be left out in gatherings so that they could know the customs of Eswatini.

Land

“We left them behind when going to meetings in royal kraals and it is for this reason that they are now buying Swazi Nation Land (SNL) at E40 000 instead of offering a cow as allegiance.” In his closing remarks, Masuku said people who did not take care of the elderly and abandoned them would be followed by curses.
Meanwhile, following the speech by the DPM, Mphandlana claimed that there was ‘truth malnutrition’ in some of the assertions. The political activist claimed that the current political state in the country was a result of the Constitution. Mphandlana said: “I honestly pray that we should not engage in politics when in such platforms. This is why I had made a brief statement that we’ll meet during the dialogue.”

He said the reason this should not be the subject when the elderly and vulnerable were present was because most believed assertions made by leaders in society without being able to fact-check such statement. Mphandlana said he would approach Dr Nash to convene a meeting between him and the DPM so that he (Masuku) could withdraw his statement. On the other hand, Pastor Griffiths Dlamini said as the clergy, they should not take sides in the political arena but should be truthful and assist in healing those who were hurting.

“We should not favour Mphandlana or support the DPM; but should be at the centre and heal those who are hurting.” Meanwhile, over 500 people benefitted from E200 000 spent by the Dr Nash Shongwe Foundation yesterday. The foundation hosted a thanksgiving ceremony which was attended by politicians, men of the cloth, the elderly, orphaned and vulnerable children (OVCs) and people with disabilities. Among the people who graced the event was former Prime Minister (PM) Prince Mabandla, ex-Mbabane west legislator, Johane Shongwe, Bishop Samson Shongwe, Pastor Griffiths Dlamini, former National Commissioner (NATCOM) Isaac Magagula, political activist Mphandlana Shongwe and many others.

Dr Nash said organising the event and buying the gifts for the attendees cost about E200 000. The gifts that were handed out to the people included 430 bags of 10kg mealie meal, 300 loaves of bread, 100 buckets of five litres sour milk, 60 blankets, eight double beds and toiletry. Shongwe said his foundation came to life in April and was subsequent to a long history of assisting people. He said its birth resulted in many businesses and individuals donating towards its success. Among the sponsors of the foundation, he said, was the ex-NATCOM who constantly made contributions and had offered E5 000 for the event yesterday. He also said there was a sponsor that did not want to be disclosed that contributed two cattle annually and had also offered E60 000 towards the function.

Storm

Shongwe made donations towards the church of Bishop Samson Hlatshwayo which was destroyed by a storm recently. He also donated E5 000 and toiletry to Gogo Nde’s orphanage while offering E3 000 and a blanket to two congregants. Furthermore, six elderly people received beds and blankets while two of them were donated to Mkhiweni Constituency, MP Michael Masuku and Phondo Indvuna Yenkhundla, Sibongile Motsa. The two politicians were also offered bags of mealie meal which along with the bed, they would donate to the needy within their constituencies.

Also, Manzini North Indvuna Yenkhundla, Fana Tsabedze received 20 bags of 10 kg mealie meal to donate to the destitute within the constituency. Worth noting is that, most of the elderly were overcome by emotions when they received the  beds and blankets. In dissuading them from crying, Dr Nash poked fun at them and wondered why they were crying. He said when they were excluded from lists, they cry and when being recipients, they shed tears. “Am I committing suicide by making these donations? People are crying endlessly,” he said, much to the amusement of the attendees. In appreciating the gifts that were extended to them, some of the recipients pledged to make annual contributions towards the foundation.

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