LAZWIDE, KIDS IN SAFE PLACE AS HIT LIST RUMOUR SPREADS

SITEKI – Siphofaneni Member of Parliament (MP) Nomalungelo LaZwide Simelane and her children have been taken to a safe place following warnings that she was in a purported ‘hit list’.

News about the existence of the ‘hit list’ started circulating on social media platforms after the shooting and killing of Human Rights Lawyer Thulani Maseko. LaZwide’s husband and former Siphofaneni MP Mduduzi ‘Gawuzela’ Simelane, confirmed that his wife had to find an alternative place of safety as a precautionary measure. When asked if she had left the country and if her parliamentary duties would not be affected, ‘Gawuzela’ said his wife was in Eswatini, hence she would perform all her Parliament duties accordingly.

“We have crossed this bridge before and we shall cross it once again by God’s grace. For a full four months, before petition deliveries, I lived with threats of assassination and God carried me and my family through. Once again, the God who carried us through during that time shall carry us through even now,” he said.

Threatening

When further asked if his wife knew the people who had the ‘hit list’ and if they had called or sent threatening messages to her, ‘Gawuzela’ did not elaborate but insisted that the MP would report the threats in Parliament when the time was right. However, he was doubtful if such an action would help. When further asked if his wife had reported the threats to the police, he did not respond. Addressing the late Maseko’s family yesterday, as members of the Swaziland Liberation Movement (SWALIMO) mourned with the family at KaLuhleko in Bhunya, the Siphofaneni MP called for unity among emaSwati.

LaZwide urged the nation to pray for peace in the country and went on to state that the killings happening in the kingdom were exacerbated by the fact that people were calling for democratic reforms and dialogue. She said she heard that her name was on the now famous ‘hit list’. However, she said she would not go into hiding after the threatening news. She urged the country’s authorities to heed the voice of the masses and convene the national dialogue. She said: “It appears that our government has been entrusted to hear the people and also resolve the current impasse. As an MP, I was elected at a time when emaSwati wanted to be heard and their wishes of how they wanted to be governed. As I am standing here, I am standing on blood spilt for speaking what they want.

“We must not fear death as emaSwati. I urge the nation to stand firm and resolute as we need to unite and be together. We won’t retreat, but continue to fight as one. We are not turning back, even if being threatened with death, we won’t stop as more people died for voicing out what they want,” she said. LaZwide also expressed belief that Maseko’s death was politically motivated.  “Thulani would be alive if he wasn’t talking politics. I know that I am next on the list that is being held by someone, but I will not be afraid, nor run away. It is better to die for the purpose that God called you for. Let us not be afraid as all of us must unite at this time,” she concluded. When asked if she knew those who were threatening her, she did not respond.

Money

Meanwhile, LaZwide dismissed talks that the Parliament seat was meant for the Simelane family as there was money involved. Siphofaneni Indvuna Yenkhundla Mzimela Simelane said he was not aware that LaZwide was taken into a safe place after  safety concerns. “I am not aware and I have tried to call her but I was not successful (in getting through to her),” the indvuna said. The House of Assembly Speaker, Petros Mavimbela, said the matter had not been reported to his office.

A close source said LaZwide and her children were taken to the safe place after the threatening news started circulating on social media platforms.
“I think the death of Thulani prompted the Simelane family to do something about the safety of LaZwide and the children. It is at this time that they took the drastic measure to ensure that they were safe,” said the source. SWALIMO Spokesperson Thantaza Silolo said they received the information that the Siphofaneni MP was allegedly next on the purported ‘hit list’. Silolo said subsequent to the information, she had to be taken to a safe place.

“We condemn this new trend of killing as a solution to the political and security challenges facing the country. We strongly believed  that dialogue and a negotiated settlement should be the path to take, for we all know the reasons behind the strife in this beautiful nation,” the spokesperson said. When asked if he knew where the threats came from, Silolo did not elaborate on the subject matter. Gilgal MP Sandla Fakudze said he knew about the threats after he saw them circulating on social media platforms.

“I was not aware that she went into a safe place after the circulating threats on social media,” he said. His counterpart at Nkilongo, Timothy Myeni, said he was neither aware of the threats, nor that the Siphofaneni MP had gone into a safe place. Myeni encouraged LaZwide to trust in God for protection. The legislator further mentioned that it was disheartening that there was a way to resolve this current political situation in the country through dialogue, but it was being ignored. He said he heard Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Thuli Dladla encouraging Russia and Ukraine to engage in dialogue to resolve their differences.

Dialogue

Myeni said government should do the same and ensure that a dialogue was held to resolve the political impasse in the country. “People want to talk and should be given that platform. Government should take that initiative and host the dialogue,” he said. Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Superintendent Phindile Vilakati said police gave protection to every person in need of such. Meanwhile, Maxwell Nkambule, the Siphofaneni-based lawyer, who was shot at with a hail of bullets by unknown people in December last month, had to go to a safe place for his safety. PUDEMO National Organising Secretary Penuel Malinga, together with his wife and son, also left the country for safety reasons, after the recent shooting incident at their family house at Mobeni Flats in Matsapha.

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