EX-SA PRESIDENT MBEKI IN ESWATINI

MBABANE – Prime Minister (PM) Cleopas Dlamini says Eswatini and the Republic of South Africa (SA) are more or less the same.

He said this during a courtesy visit by former SA President Thabo Mbeki. Mbeki had paid a courtesy visit to His Majesty King Mswati III, who was represented by the PM. Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs Pholile Shakantu was also part of Cabinet ministers who welcomed the former SA head of State, who was accompanied by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Thabo Mbeki Foundation, Max Boqwana. Mbeki’s visit to the country is to deliver a key note address at Waterford Kamhlaba United World College’s Africa Week commemoration event, which will be held today.

The Africa Week is a Waterford Kamhlaba student-led initiative that ran from Wednesday and will end on July 29, 2023. The PM, during the courtesy visit which was at Cabinet, conveyed apologies from the King. He stated that the King returned late from his trip to Lesotho where he had attended the 60th birthday celebration of the Basotho King.

Remarked

The PM, who was full of smiles, welcomed Mbeki to the kingdom and remarked that Eswatini was a second home for many SA nationals. “The ANC and Eswatini have a very long standing relationship that dates back to King Sobhuza II,” he said. Adding, Dlamini stated that Eswatini and SA were not just neighbouring countries but they were more or less the same. He highlighted that some of the languages spoken in South Africa were also official languages in the country and even the people looked more similar.

He noted that Mbeki was in the country for the event that would be taking place at Waterford. Dlamini said most great world leaders were from Waterford Kamhlaba, including South Africans. He added that he also attended tertiary education with some South Africans, who were the school’s alumnas, including Lindiwe Sisulu, among others. He highlighted that the school had maintained its name for years and he was hopeful that more leaders would visit the country. Mbeki said he was pleased to be in the country and be welcomed by the head of government. He mentioned that the prestigious school invited him a month back.

Invite

“To tell you the truth, after receiving the letter of invite, we forgot to respond because we are too busy but at the back of our minds, we thought we had responded, until they spoke to us recently,” he said while laughing. Overall, Mbeki said it was an honour to be invited by such a school, with a rich history. He mentioned that he made it a priority to pay a courtesy call to His Majesty, because the last time he was in the country he failed to do that.
Mbeki said when he was in the country years ago, he attended a birthday celebration of his cousin Poppy Khoza, and he learnt after he left the country that he was supposed to pay a courtesy call, given the fact that his safety was looked after by state security.
He said for that reason, he felt it was imperative to pay a courtesy visit to the King.

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