NEWLY-INSTALLED CHIEF DIES WHILE UNDERGOING UEDF TRAINING

NHLANGANO - The newly-installed KaDlovunga leader, Chief Makhahleleka (Sicelo Vincent Dlamini), has passed on while undergoing training at the UEDF Infantry School in Mbuluzi.

Chief Makhahleleka (40), who had joined the Umbutfo Eswatini Defence Force (UEDF) as a recruit on Sunday December 11, 2022, died on Wednesday morning. KaDlovunga is  under Maseyisini Constituency in the Shiselweni Region. He joined the army following the announcement made by His Majesty King Mswati III that the young and fit chiefs would join the army recruits, who were recruited from the 59 constituencies.

Announcement

The King made this announcement at Ngabezweni Royal Residence on October 12, 2022, when he blessed chiefs from various chiefdoms across the country. It is worth noting that the army was recruiting aspiring soldiers, who were between 18 and 35 years old.

Chief Makhahleleka had only been a chief for 64 days, counting from the day when the King blessed him. The chiefdom had been without a chief for almost 20 years when the now deceased chief was blessed to take over.  His unveiling ceremony was held on October 28, 2022 at KaDlovunga Royal Kraal.

According to a source close to the matter, when the KaDlovunga chief joined the army recruits at the military infantry school on Sunday, he immediately partook in the vigorous training. However, the source alleged that at times, he would be excused from the training after reporting that he was not feeling well. “Bekafoma kakhulu (he used to sweat a lot),” the source said.

The source said as usual, in the morning of Wednesday, the army recruits went for a marathon and the chief partook in it. He said after the marathon, they did physical exercises and at around 8am, they were called to the parade square for a routine march exercise. He said it was during the march exercise that some of the instructors noticed that there was something wrong with the chief.

The source said before they could attend to him, he requested to go to drink water and he was allowed to do so. When he returned, the source said he then asked to go to the bathroom and again, he was given the green light. He said when he returned, he seemed weak and informed the instructors that he was losing strength.

Ambulance

Looking at the situation, the source said the instructors called an ambulance which rushed him to a clinic, which is within the infantry school. However, he said upon his arrival at the clinic, the medical practitioners who attended to him, said he needed special medical assistance and recommended that he be transferred to Dvokolwako Health Centre. Indeed, he said the ambulance rushed him to Dvokolwako Health Centre, but he died along the way. As such, the source said he was certified dead upon arrival.

Umbutfo Eswatini Defence Force Public Affairs Officer 2nd Lieutenant Tengentile Khumalo confirmed the demise of Dlamini, who was under their training battalion. “The army sadly confirms the unfortunate death of a recruit, who was at the training battalion at Mbuluzi Infantry School. However, a detailed report directed to my office has not yet been conveyed,” she said. Khumalo said the defence force and family had evenly lost and on that note, her office requested that the deceased’s family and loved ones be afforded due respect at the moment.

Passing

Meanwhile, some residents of KaDlovunga, who learnt about the sad news of the passing on of the chief later on the day yesterday, said they were shocked because he had just been installed. One of the residents was Gogo Simelane, who said they were happy when they learnt that he had joined the army.

“Abekwa nje, kani soneni (after he had just been installed (as a chief); what have we done (to deserve such)?” said one Gogo Simelane in vernacular. Conversely, a close relative, who is also among the princes of KaDlovunga Royal Kraal, confirmed that the elders of the chiefdom had received the sad news. He said yesterday morning, a delegation of members of the armed force was sent to the royal kraal to formally inform the family about the sad news.

He said the military men narrated what transpired from Sunday, when the now deceased chief reported for training and on the day he had complications, which resulted in him being rushed to a health facility. “We are all saddened by the demise of umntfwanenkhosi. After he was blessed by Their Majesties and officially installed as chief, we had hopes that most of the challenges we faced in the about 20 years without a leader, would be a thing of the past,” said the prince, who asked to remain anonymous.

Thereafter, he said after the delegation from the army had left, the family was locked in a meeting, which was emotional as it was hard for them to believe that their chief, who had just been installed, was no more.  

Privacy

When sought for comment, KaDlovunga Indvuna Anthony Khumalo said the royal kraal and family had asked to be given privacy regarding the matter at the moment. He said they did not have much information to share yet. However, he said he would be in a better position to comment about it once they, as an inner council, had been officially engaged by the family.

It is worth noting that this is not the first time for an army recruit to die while undergoing training at the military infantry school. In September 2013, a female recruit died after she was allegedly diagnosed with malaria at Raleigh Fitkin Memorial (RFM) Hospital. However, after viewing her body, her family suspected brutality and harsh training methods.

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