GUN-TOTING EX-PS GRABS MERC FROM TEACHER WHO IMPREGNATED NIECE

PIGG’S PEAK – A teacher who owns a car wash was excited when a van drove in, thinking it was a customer until an uncle to the mother of his children alighted from the vehicle and trouble began.

The teacher, Nhlanhla Mnisi, who also owns a pharmacy and a grocery store, alleged that the man, who is a former principal secretary (PS), alighted from the vehicle armed with a pistol. Mnisi said he knew the ex-PS because he was an uncle to the mother of his two daughters aged 15 and nine years. The former PS’s name will not be revealed as some of the allegations against him could not be substantiated.   The incident is said to have happened around 5:30pm on Tuesday around a place known as Ndlalambi near Buhleni. Mnisi said he had a long-standing feud with the former PS, who has been demanding that he should offer payment in the form of cattle for impregnating his niece as per the siSwati custom.

He said the former PS ordered him to get behind the steering wheel. “Ngena emotweni,” the former PS is said to have ordered Mnisi. Mnisi said upon noticing that the ex-PS had a firearm, he was terrified and he did not want to react because there were clients at the car wash. He said he entered the vehicle and he drove it while the ex-PS sat in the passenger seat. The other vehicle was driven by the ex-PS’s relative. After this, Mnisi was allegedly ordered to drive the vehicle to the former PS’s homestead where they parked.  Mnisi alleged that the former PS then ordered him to leave. “Angifuni kukubona uyinga yinga, ngitokutsela nge nhlavu,” the former PS is said to have told Mnisi meaning, “I do not want to see you loitering here or I will shoot you”.

He said the vehicle that was taken from him is a Mercedes-Benz sedan model. He said he was surprised by the ex-PS’s action to forcefully take his newly-acquired vehicle. “When I had a Mazda Demio, he did not take it,” alleged Mnisi. Mnisi was asked why he had not offered the family the cattle they required as per the siSwati custom, to which he said he was still arranging that. He said he also had other challenges that he was still trying to resolve. He further said paying the fine (inhlawulo) was not something he could do on his own but needed to involve his family as well. The matter was also reported to the Pigg’s Peak Police Station.

Mnisi confirmed that he had approached the police to report the matter because the ex-PS’s action was similar to a robbery. He said the police managed to call the former PS and they spoke about the issue in the presence of the station commander. Mnisi said his intention was not to open a case against him (ex-PS) but all he wanted was his vehicle.

Agreed

The former PS is said to have agreed to give back the vehicle he had taken from Mnisi. However, Mnisi said he was afraid to fetch it unless someone fetched it on his behalf. “I am still traumatised,” he said. When he was called, Mnisi alleged that the ex-PS had handed back the vehicle to him, but it was delivered by someone else. The former PS, when reached for comment, said the incident was a family matter. He said the matter should not be politicised. This was after he was called to shed light on what transpired and led to him impounding the Mercedes-Benz sedan from Mnisi.

In an interview, the former PS made it clear that he had retired from politics and that he should be respected. “This is a family matter between me and Mnisi and let us not politicise it. I am old and no more working and wonder if it is a matter that needs to be publicised, let me be respected,” he said briefly, before hanging up.

Meanwhile, Hhansense Dlamini, who is a traditionalist and a commissioner at Eswatini National Court said: “The businessman, Nhlanhla Mnisi and the former PS were both wrong.” He said it was becoming common for men to impregnate women and not pay the fine as per custom. “It is wrong,” he said. Dlamini said it was wrong for Mnisi to stay all these years without at least approaching the family and discussing how he would offer the fine for impregnating their daughter. “They did not have to follow him around,” he said.

He said Mnisi was the one who should be bothered to approach the family and not the other way round. He said under normal circumstances, impregnating a girl required an offer of five cattle. He further said Mnisi should offer another beast he referred to as umdzalaso. This means that Mnisi should have been fined 10 cattle according to Dlamini. He further said while the former PS had the right to demand inhlawulo, as a senior member of the woman’s family, he should follow the right procedure. “What he did was similar to theft of a motor vehicle,” said Dlamini. “He should have followed the proper channels,” said Dlamini.

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