3 INJURED IN WARDERS, 4 MEN SHOOTOUT

MANZINI - A shootout between two warders and four unknown men resulted in two minors being shot at OK Foods Kwaluseni, while a customer got injured as he attempted to run away.

The incident took place on Friday at around 7:45pm. The unknown men attacked the warders, who were in a white Toyota van, and were patrolling around the OK Liquor Store just before it was about to close for the day. The two minors; Sandziso Dlamini (16) and *Nsindiso (17) are pupils at Swazi National High School. The real name of the other pupil will not be revealed because his parents could not be reached for an interview at the time of compiling this report. It is said the victims of the shooting incident were quickly sent to the Raleigh Fitkin Memorial (RFM) Hospital, where they were treated.

Bullet

A bullet was reportedly lodged in a sensitive area in Sandziso’s stomach, while Nsindiso had a bullet removed from his right knee. They are both still admitted. The other victim, who is a man estimated to be in his 30s, only sustained minor injuries from the shooting. He was sent to hospital and later discharged. There have been claims that the men who were shooting at the warders attacked them on suspicions that they (warders) were responsible for the alleged ‘ill-treatment’ of incarcerated Members of Parliament, Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza of Hosea and Mthandeni Dube of Ngwempisi.

Narrating the events that led to the exchange of gunfire, an eyewitness said it was just before 8pm when gunshots were heard and seemed to have been directed towards the warders. He highlighted that while the men were shooting at the warders, they hurled insults at them and declared that they wanted to kill them. It is unknown how many of the men had guns.
“While the men were shooting, the members of His Majesty’s Correctional Services (HMCS) reportedly got under their vehicle to shield themselves from the bullets. None of them were hit. That is when they retaliated and started firing at the men,” the source relayed.

He further mentioned that the car belonging to the Correctional officers was shot at more than four times. The source claimed that as the men were shooting, they allegedly threatened to burn the warders with tyres wrapped around their necks. While under the car, the witness said the warders fired shots at the unknown men, and in that skirmish, the two boys and a customer were injured. OK Foods Kwaluseni Store Manager Sifiso Maseko confirmed that the incident happened just before 8pm, when they were preparing to close. Maseko said as per the norm, warders were outside to provide security.

He relayed that they heard noise from outside and he quickly went to check what was going on. He then saw customers at the grocery store lying on. Maseko shared that he later noted that the people who were shooting were behind the fence outside the stores. “They were shooting at the security forces’ vehicle and in the process, two minors, who usually sell cooked mealies around Matsapha, were shot,” he recounted.Maseko elaborated that a customer also sustained an injury on the knee during the shooting. He said no money was stolen and the staff was also safe, except for the three victims.  The store manager added that they went to visit the two minors at the RFM Hospital.

Admitted

Meanwhile, Sandziso is still admitted to the RFM Hospital. His father, Blessing Dlamini, who is a police officer, said he thanked God and the angels that his son was alive. He appreciated the OK Foods management for visiting the victims on Saturday. “This showed me that they truly care for their customers and may God bless them,” he said. The officer said he forgave the men who shot his son and brother, (the customer who was injured when trying to run away). HMCS Communications Officer Gugulethu Dlamini confirmed that two officers were shot at. The Correctional Services spokesperson said the officers were not injured save for the vehicle which was shot at five times. Although this is the first time officers of the HMCS have been attacked by unknown men, members of the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) have been on the receiving end of public attacks. In November last year, this publication reported that a police escort vehicle was shot at by unknown people while ferrying police officers at night.

The escort was one of the new vehicles that were bought by government recently. It was said to have had government registration number plates. The police vehicle was travelling between Mathangeni and the Matsapha Police Academy at around 8pm. Again, they were attacked in that same month. “We should not even count the events in which this happened, the work of national security forces is one. We implore the nation to refrain from disturbing security forces while at work,” pleaded Dlamini. The communications officer said everything should be done and addressed peacefully, not with weapons. When asked if it was true that the warders were intentionally attacked, she said it was difficult to say because the warders were at a place which was prone to attacks and the place was about to close.

Attack

“Whether they intended to attack us or had ulterior motives, we don’t know. As the Correctional Services, we are at the receiving end of criminal injustice,” she said. Dlamini pointed out that offenders came from communities and went through pastors, schools, police and the courts. She said the arrests of offenders who were then kept at Correctional facilities were not within their control. Even so, Dlamini said this did not mean people should attack national security forces. She reiterated her pleas to members of the public to respect the law and abide by it.  Deputy Police Information and Communications Officer Inspector Nosipho Mnguni confirmed the shooting. She said police were investigating a matter where unknown men shot at a HMCS vehicle at OK Foods Kwaluseni and no arrests had been made.  

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