DPM: FORCES NOT TRIGGER- HAPPY

MBABANE – Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) Themba Nhlanganiso Masuku says security forces are not trigger happy.

Masuku was speaking during a press conference held yesterday evening at the Cabinet Offices. He was responding to questions from this publication about the people who were assaulted and shot by the members of the security forces yesterday. Masuku said whenever members of the security forces were deployed, they were meant to maintain peace and order. He said whenever they encountered resistance, they applied certain levels of force, depending on the circumstances and nature of resistance they were facing.

The DPM made an example of protesters who threw stones at the police or any member of the security officers. He said the police would not turn their backs and run, but would engage with them. Masuku said the police did not just wake up and decide to shoot people, but they were often compelled by the situation. He emphasised that the three security forces were all law enforcers and security service providers. He said in as much as the procedure may say police first, when a situation worsened, the other forces would be brought in.

Roadblocks

Masuku said this explained the recently noted instances where soldiers would be seen manning roadblocks. He stated that soldiers were also law enforcers and they would at some point be there to assist the police at roadblocks, depending on the situation. He noted that all members of the different security forces had a mandate to protect citizens and property. He said this mandate cut across all of them, hence they were obliged to live up to that mandate.

On another note, Masuku appreciated the nation for working together with government to ensure that Eswatini remained safe for all its inhabitants.
He stated that government was committed to ensuring that the rights of emaSwati to ply their trade, feed their families, send their children to school and access healthcare and other services would continue to be a priority.

He noted that yesterday was generally peaceful, despite a few skirmishes as a result of provocation from a few individuals, who decided not to heed government’s pronouncement that the proposed protest march was illegal and that no one should take part in it. He acknowledged the role played by State security officers in maintaining peace, the rule of law and order across the country, despite several attempts by small groups of people to disrupt operations.

Surveillance

“Even those who did not physically see the State security officers in their areas, there was surveillance covering all areas to ensure their safety and protection,” he added. He said that was why government wanted to continue appealing to the nation to use emergency numbers, fulfilling the siSwati adage that ‘you are your brother’s keeper’ (nawe uliphoyisa). Masuku urged the nation to be always vigilant and make sure that they continue to work together to defeat those who were hell-bent on disturbing the safety and social welfare of the nation. Masuku thanked the public transport operators for rising to the occasion and he assured them and the rest of the nation that government would continue to be there for their protection and safety. He reminded the nation that last night security would be provided and today and any other day. “Together, we can win. Together, we can continue to build our lives and take care of those who are underprivileged,” he added.

Pupils

He also encouraged teachers, school committees and parents to think hard and protect the future of pupils, by making sure that schools continued to deliver that critical service to future generations. He said education must come first because education came once. “You miss it, you will not recover,” he said. He added that government hoped emaSwati would learn not to take instructions and orders from faceless people, some of whom were living large outside the country, and whose livelihoods were not directly disturbed by the threats they so freely dished out to unsuspecting emaSwati.

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