UNPRECEDENTED: 11TH PARLIAMENT LOST 11 MEMBERS

MBABANE – With a few days left before His Majesty the King dissolves the current Parliament, the august House will end its five-year term having lost 11 members along the way.

Four of these were Cabinet ministers, including a sitting prime minister (PM); eight of them were elected representatives; four were Senators; and seven were members of the House of Assembly (MPs). Senator Mike Temple was the first member of the 11th Parliament to pass away when news broke in the morning of June 21, 2019 that the politician, businessman and philanthropist had collapsed following a morning exercise session at his home and was confirmed dead at Medisun Hospital in Ezulwini. Temple was an influential politician who was known for his pivotal role in lobbying for certain individuals who contested for seats in Senate. His political influence went beyond Eswatini’s borders as he was also a member of the Pan African Parliament (PAP), where he served as the Chairperson of the Permanent Committee on Finance and Monetary Affairs and had on May 15, 2019, presented the Budget of the Pan African Parliament for 2020 fiscal year to the plenary.

The businessman was a member of the Inyatsi regiment and his regiment name was Mkhanyakudze. He was believed to have close ties with Sive Siyinqaba National Movement – a political organisation initially formed as a cultural movement and is in favour of multiparty democracy. Temple was reportedly not a sickly person, hence his sudden demise was described as ‘shocking’. Suspicions were that he may have suffered a heart attack and efforts made by the medical staff at Medisun to resuscitate him were unsuccessful. News of the senator’s sudden death shocked many as people reacted by stating that they had just seen him a day or two prior when he attended an official assignment in his capacity as chairperson of the Bushfire Festival. He was laid to rest On June 29, 2019.

The second member of the 11th Parliament to pass on was veteran politician Senator Chief Nzameya Nhlabatsi of KaNzameya in the Shiselweni region. He died in the mid-morning of August 13, 2020 in one of the country’s private hospitals where he was admitted after reportedly complaining of flu-like symptoms and was said to have later experienced breathing difficulties. Chief Nzameya served the King and country for over 20 years as a politician in Parliament and in advisory councils. He is one of the elder statesmen who knew the Tinkhundla System of government like the back of his hand. The third member and perhaps the most high-profile member of the 11th Parliament to pass away was the then PM, Ambrose Mandvulo Dlamini, who died on December 13, 2020. This was hardly two years after he was appointed PM by His Majesty King Mswati III on October 27, 2018. Aged 52, Dlamini died while hospitalised in neighbouring South Africa, where he had been transferred to for purposes of speeding up his recovery after he tested positive for COVID-19. He was the first leader to die of COVID-19 and his death received the attention of media houses across the globe; including CNN, Al Jazeera, BBC, SABC News and News24, to name but a few.

World

Heads of State and governments from all over the world sent their condolences and they described Dlamini as a good leader. Among them was President of the Republic of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa, President of the Republic of China (Taiwan), Tsai Ing-wen and then Kenya President Uhuru Kenyatta. Ramaphosa, on behalf of the government and people of South Africa, expressed his deep condolences to the royal family, government and people of Eswatini. President Kenyatta said Kenya stood with the people of Eswatini as they mourn their departed leader. Maldives Foreign Affairs minister Abdulla Shahid said he was deeply grieved to hear of the passing away of Dlamini. Taiwan Presidential Office spokesperson Xavier Chang relayed Tsai’s remarks, saying that Prime Minister Dlamini had always supported Taiwan’s participation in the international community.  President Tsai directed Taiwan’s Embassy in Eswatini to express condolences on behalf of the government of Taiwan.

The President of Somaliland, Muse Bihi Abdi was also among the world leaders who passed their condolences and he said they stood in solidarity with the country in this difficult period.
 Dlamini was a staunch Christian and was a senior member of the Jesus Calls Worship Church (JCWC). Before being appointed PM, he was Chief Executive Officer at MTN Eswatini; before that he was the Managing Director at Nedbank Eswatini. He was laid to rest on December 26 in accordance with royal dictates and a State Funeral Service was held at his parental home at Nhlanhleni on Christmas Day (December 25, 2020), having been preceded by a memorial service held at his church in Matsapha on December 24.

Almost three weeks later, the country was hit by the death of a fourth politician when Minister of Public Service Christian Ntshangase died on January 16, 2021. He died while admitted to hospital for COVID-19-related illnesses. Ntshangase, who was one of the most charismatic members of the 11th Parliament, had attended the State Funeral Service of the late PM and delivered a speech on behalf of his Cabinet colleagues.He had even joked about the late PM’s staunch Christian beliefs, stating that he had told Dlamini that his determination of the biblical rapture having taken place would be based on the disappearance of him (Dlamini).  

Almost a week later, another politician in Senator Jimmy Hlophe died, also due to a COVID-19- related illness. Hlophe died hardly three months after he was elected into Senate to replace the late Mike Temple. He died while receiving treatment at Manzini Clinic, where he was admitted after he was transferred there from Medisun. Hlophe’s Senate election win was filled with controversy after some elected candidates were disqualified while others withdrew their candidacy. To this day, Hlophe’s seat has been left unfilled after back and forth court battles regarding the legitimacy of some candidates seeking to take up the position. Days following Hlophe’s death, the country was once again faced with sad news after the passing on of Minister of Labour and Social Security Makhosi Vilakati. He too died in a South African hospital, where he had been rushed to after contracting COVID-19.

Deputy Prime Minister Themba Masuku said Vilakati died after being admitted for a specialised procedure arising from COVID-19 infection. Vilakati was transferred from the Lubombo Referral Hospital to the hospital in South Africa as the required treatment was not available in Eswatini, Masuku said in a short statement. Vilakati was one of the youngest Cabinet ministers and was a Member of Parliament for LaMgabhi Constituency. Previous to his political career taking off, he was a practising attorney and run his own lawfirm under the style Makhosi C. Vilakati Attorneys.

Senator Peter Bhembe, who was the Minister of Natural Resources and Energy, became the sixth politician and member of the 11th Parliament to pass on in February 2022, while undergoing specialised treatment at a South African health facility. Bhembe served as Managing Director at the Eswatini Water Services Corporation (EWSC) for around 26 years before he retired and was appointed into Cabinet in 2018. Prior to his death, he had disclosed to the Times SUNDAY that he suffered from a a heart condition and had a device inserted in his body to monitor his heart beat.

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