LET’S FORGIVE THOSE WHO CAUSED DAMAGE - PM

LOBAMBA – Should those who caused damage be forgiven?

This was a question asked by some worshipers, after Prime Minister (PM) Cleopas Dlamini suggested that the country should consider adopting the biblical scripture in which Jesus said: “Forgive them, father, for they know not what they are doing.” The PM spoke about a message that was preached by Pastor Thembi Mdluli. Mdluli quoted Luke 23:34 in which she quoted the Bible verse which narrates that while being nailed to the cross, Jesus prayed that those who crucified  him should be forgiven, because they did not know what they were doing.

The message was preached yesterday at Lobamba National Church during the National Easter Service. When the PM spoke, towards the end of the service, he said he was impressed by Mdluli’s message.  He said the verse she quoted was a good one. Addressing Her Majesty Indlovukazi and the throngs of congregants who had attended. Dlamini suggested that the country should consider forgiving those who caused damage.
He said considering the situation in the country, a lot of damage had been done.

“The damage was caused by people who had been deceived by others and they had no idea what they were doing,” he said they should be forgiven because if they were to be punished one after the other, this could end up causing even more damage. The PM said when someone did something that they were not sure of, they were likely to cause a lot of damage.

Actions

“If you could ask them why they committed the acts they did, they would say they had no idea,” said the PM. He said this was because they simply did not know what they were doing. The PM, however, did not mention the words political unrest, nor did he give specifications of what he was referring to by the word ‘damage’. Using siSwati, the PM said, “Ngitse nangibuka kulesimo lesikuso Ndlovukazi, ngakhandza ngatsi kunemonakalo kakhulu lowentiwe bantfu bayengekile.” Translated, “When I take look at the situation we are currently in Your Majesty Indlovukazi, I  notice that there was a lot of damage that was caused by people, who were deceived.”

Alpheous Nxumalo, the Government Spokesperson when reached for comment stated that, “write what the honourable prime minister said.”
It is worth noting that since June 2021, the kingdom was under an unstable political climate, in which property was damaged through arson and according to the Human Rights  Commission  Report, 46 people were killed, while government acknowledged 34 fatalities. It was alleged that some of the people were killed by members of the security forces during protests. The violent protests lasted for about a week, but after that, many structures were destroyed. The damaged structures included burnt government properties, schools, police stations, cars and even the Pigg’s Peak Magistrates Court. Also, as a result of the unrest, many people were killed, including members of the security forces, with the majority being police officers through assassinations.

Destroyed

Just after the unrest occurred in Eswatini, South Africa experienced a similar situation, after the arrest of former president Jacob Zuma.
Several shops were looted and destroyed. The police arrested over 1 000 people.Meanwhile, throngs of worshipers travelled from around the country to attend the Easter services. Many of the people who attended were from the Churches in Zion, as well as the Jericho sects. During the event, seven pastors  preached the word of God. The pastors who preached were Thembi Mdluli, Thembi Mdlovu, Bishop Galuja Dlamini, Nomsa Magagula, Thandekile Zulu, Themba Mdluli. Jerome Sangweni and Lomalungelo Lukhele.

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