PUDEMO SENIOR MEMBER QUITS FOR TINKHUNDLA

MBABANE – Bonakele ‘Bobo’ Metfula, known for her vibrancy and ability to mobilise marches, earned herself a top position in PUDEMO’s women’s league.

However, on March 17, 2023, she decided to put all that vibrancy into the Tinkhundla  System of Government. Within a few months, Metfula rose in the political ranks and was selected as the National Organising Secretary (NOS) for the People’s United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO). Organising marches, especially, including the delivering of petitions were her speciality. She did not only organise marches around Mayiwane, her home area, but around the country.

At some point, she accompanied members of the progressives to neighbouring South Africa (SA), where she enthusiastically joined and led marches in song and dance. With a voice usually louder than a megaphone, Metfula could be heard even during loud protests. On March 17, 2023, Metfula quit the organisation she has been serving. In a letter written on the said date, addressed  to the organisation, titled ‘Resignation letter’, she began with the words ‘revolutionary greetings.

Metfula then addressed the executive of the women’s league, stating that she was resigning with immediate effect. She thanked her former colleagues in the political organisation and said she was resigning as the NOS of PUDEMO Women’s League and apologised for any inconvenience caused. The letter was brief, with only two paragraphs, but straight to the point. Noteworthy, PUDEMO had taken the stand not to support the elections and that they would not be sending any representatives to contest. It was for this reason that Metfula’s letter was met with shock by her fellow colleagues who wondered why she was resigning.

Some political parties have been supportive of the elections and have continued to encourage their members to register so that they could make intended changes from ‘within’. When she was reached at her home during the week, Metfula confirmed that her letter of resignation was not ‘fake news’ but that indeed, she had officially resigned from the PUDEMO’s women’s league. She said she had thought through the decision and even consulted with some family members.

Reason

Metfula said the first reason she gave for resigning was that she decided to choose family over politics. She said it conflicted with her family values and she had also taken a stand to vote in the 2023 National Elections. “I am not taking up any position I will just register and vote,” she said after she was asked if she was ‘eyeing’ any position. She lamented that the problem she had discovered while still a member of the political organisation was that there was a lot of ridiculing. Metfula said while PUDMO ‘preached’ democracy, they did not practice it.

She said the organisation did not respect individual’s opinions or views on democracy. “When you decide to say something they do not agree with, they say you are defiant,” she alleged. She said this was one of the reasons that made her realise that it was not working for her. Metfula also admitted that while she rose up quickly in the ranks, she had not been a member of the organisation for a long time but joined at the beginning of last year.
Metfula became so influential in the organisation that she was responsible for organisation’s many events, particularly marches and also meetings around northern Hhohho though her influence was not just limited there.

Arrested

When members of the organisation were arrested for protesting on matters related to their political activities, Metfula was in the forefront to ensure that bail was organised and that they were released. She attended several court cases for people who were arrested during the unrest. She said she was quitting the organisation and that she was now purely focussing on the elections to be held later this year. This year, the final (Secondary) elections will be held on September 2023.

Metfula admitted that though she resigned, many people were not aware that she had quit the organisation. She said it was as if the organisation did not want her to resign but she said she had made her decision. Further, Metfula said she wanted to apologise to the umphakatsi for mobilising marches and giving them a tough time. She said this was because she wanted to them to know that she was committed about helping to uplifting the community.

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