PATIENT INHALES TEAR GAS, MP TO THE RESCUE

MBABANE – Somntongo Member of Parliament Dumisani Mbhamali yesterday came to the rescue of a patient who was abandoned next to the Engen Filling Station after inhaling tear gas.

The patient who was confined to a wheelchair inhaled the tear gas fired by police officers when dispersing some of the incarcerated MPs’ supporters. It was gathered that the supporters who forced their way to the capital city after they were turned back at various roadblocks manned across the country roads, proceeded to the filling station where they anticipated feedback from the MPs’ legal team.

Roadblocks

One of the roadblocks which saw some of the MPs’ supporters being turned back was manned along the Mbabane-Manzini Freeway, at Mvutjini. Noted was that some of those who were turned back were clad in red T-shirts with EFFSWA and CPS inscriptions. The supporters were travelling in a mini-truck. Worth noting is that the MPs’ supporters and the MPs’ legal team had found it a better strategy to  meet at the filling station as they believed that police officers could not fire tear gas next to the fuel pumps. The police are said to have fired tear gas a few metres away from the filling station before forcing the supporters out.

Eyewitnesses claimed that the police officers removed the patient from the crowd before firing the tears gas, which, however, reached her.  “I don’t know this woman, but I am familiar with her face since she frequently visits the Mbabane Government Hospital for medical checkup. I usually see her with her children,” said a hospital employee found at the scene. The employee was among the good Samaritans who provided the patient with water after she inhaled the tear gas. The employees further stated that she believed that the patient was on her way to the hospital when she inhaled the tear gas. 

At that time, some police officers were littered around the garage with an armoured tactic vehicles and truck parked on the other side of the road. Mbhamali promised to ferry the patient to hospital. The MP returned in a space of five minutes and loaded the patient into his car and drove her to the Mbabane Government Hospital. An independent investigation by this publications pointed out that the patient was Bahlalisile Kunene of Magwaneni in Mbabane. It was established that she was waiting for transport to ferry her home after visiting the hospital.  The investigations pointed out that the officers of the law removed Kunene from the crowd before they fired the tear gas but it reached her.

Departure

The gathering of the MP’s supporters happened a few minutes after PUDEMO President Mlungisi Makhanya had stated before his departure at the High Court that he would make a plan to update the supporters on what transpired in court as he had an opportunity to follow the proceedings. Makhanya left the High Court along with Manzini Regional SWAYOCO Chairperson Sakhile ‘Aw’viva’ Nxumalo. The duo had an opportunity to follow the proceedings as they were among those allowed entry into the courtroom. Makhanya said the act of turning back people by the police officers showed that Eswatini was allegedly not governed by laws.

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