EX-DPM’S ‘DAUGHTER-IN-LAW’: EMASWATI NO LONGER SAFE

MBABANE – Former DPM Albert Heshane Shabangu’s ‘daughter-in-law’ says the country is in danger of inyoka makhandakhanda.

Sihle Mhlanga, who was staying with Albert’s son, Mduduzi Shabangu, made this utterance when she was speaking about an alleged syndicate or monster, which she purported, had rendered emaSwati unsafe. Albert died in 2006. She was appearing before the Judicial Commission of Inquiry that is investigating allegations of wrongdoing in the Office of the Master of the High Court Office yesterday. Mhlanga alleged that the syndicate involved the courts, banks, Master’s Office, the police service, lawyers, Eswatini Revenue Service (ERS) and the registrar of companies. Mhlanga told the commission that people could no longer run to the courts or the police, not even to their parents. The courts and the police service, according to Mhlanga, were allegedly redundant. “We are now gangsters. It’s the survival of the fittest. MaSwati, sitokhona kuphila lemphilo lena? Nobody is safe. Even as we sit here we are not safe,” said Mhlanga.

Son

According to Mhlanga, Mduduzi died in 2021. They stayed together for 10 years and deliberately chose not to get married. She said they had a son, who is six years old. She narrated that she and Mduduzi were responsible, private and hard-working, regardless of who their parents were. She said everyone was aware of the contribution of their parents to the country. She also told the commission that she and Mduduzi were not aware that their parents were related, not only due to that, they were running the government of the country at some point.
Mhlanga pointed out that they came from decent families and she gave the Shabangu family stability. She stated that there were no squabbles in Mduduzi’s estate. “There is only one thing that is muddying the waters. It was Mduduzi’s business partner, Mabandla Nxumalo,” alleged Mhlanga.

Mduduzi was a lecturer at Eswatini College of Technology and also a co-director of Swazi Lifts with Nxumalo. The business, according to Mhlanga, was Mduduzi’s idea and he decided to work with Nxumalo. The assets in Mduduzi’s estate, Mhlanga submitted, were the income from the business, cars, lifts and their parts, among others. She mentioned that the company had installed over 100 lifts in the country. She alleged that the company installed 18 lifts at the International Convention Centre and Five Star Hotel (ICC&Fish). Mhlanga said she was an accountant and a public officer of Swazi Lifts. However, she told the commission that she was no longer part of the company.  

Died

She told the court that she did not know how ERS had got her removed. She stated that after Mduduzi died, she could not enter the building and Nxumalo allegedly wrote to ERS questioning who was fiddling (didn’t say with what) because Mduduzi had died. Mhlanga said ERS was still to explain to her how she was removed. She also alleged that when Mduduzi died, Nxumalo had resigned as director. “They removed me in September 2021. I saw a notice in the newspaper telling the public to be aware of me as Swazi Lifts did not know me. Now my child and I are not getting anything from the company,” she alleged.

Other property, according to Mhlanga, were eight company vehicles, which were allegedly kept by Nxumalo while Mduduzi had only two in his possession. She said this was despite that they were both 50 per cent shareholders. “We are not getting anything. Not even a car. Shabangu (Mduduzi) bought me a car, thanking me for giving him a child. I then saw Mabandla (Nxumalo) coming to attach the car through a deputy sheriff and he said it belonged to him. That sheriff wanted to assault me. I recently saw him going round my residence.” Mhlanga also told the commission that she had a joint Will with Mduduzi. However, she said Mduduzi’s mother, Minah Shabangu, contested the signature on the Will at the High Court. She stated that Minah, with whom she said she had a good relationship with, told her that she was not aware who had suggested that she should challenge the signature on the Will. The court, according to Mhlanga, said a handwriting expert should be involved to determine its authenticity. She said up to today, nothing had happened, more than six months later.

The master appointed a curator and when she wanted maintenance money from the company, the attorney who was the curator called to tell her to lower the amount she wanted. Mhlanga said the attorney later called to tell her that he would no longer proceed with being the curator because he had discovered that he was related to Nxumalo.  Another attorney, according to Mhlanga, was appointed and he avoided her afterwards. She alleged that Nxumalo instituted frivolous proceedings against her in court and those matters were all pending. Mhlanga alleged that Nxumalo transferred large sums of money from the company despite that he and Mduduzi were the two signatories. She said the master was aware of this information. When the commission asked what her gripe was, she said she had discovered that there was a syndicate in the country, which she referred to as inyoka makhandakhanda.

Incarcerated

“There is no way that Nxumalo angasi knocker if he is not in bed with the courts, banks, Master’s Office and the police, because all things being equal, he should be incarcerated. What brought me here is the monster that has put this country in danger. We can’t run to court or the police or to our parents because they are too old.” Members of the commission are Judge Majahenkhaba Dlamini (Chairperson), Judge President Sifiso Nsibande, Judge Mzwandile Fakudze, Judge Maxine Langwenya and Judge Lorraine Hlophe. 

Post your comment

Your name:

Your e-mail address:

Add your comments:

Please enter the code you see in the image:

Image:

Code: