ALPHEOUS TAKES ON THABO MBEKI

MBABANE – Following South Africa ex-President Thabo Mbeki’s revelation about his reinvigorated interest in seeing the King, Alpheous Nxumalo has punched holes in his pursuit for dialogue with the head of State.

Despite Mbeki’s revered prowess in political philosophy, Nxumalo, the Government Press Secretary, seems to be equal to the challenge, pointing out that his (Mbeki) narration of the country’s leadership attitude required a respectable response, based on the fact that he is a former head of State. “His Excellency Thabo Mvuyelwa Mbeki must choose between two political poles as it were, continue with his megaphone diplomacy or manage his political ego of dreaming about an imposed political regime change agenda in Eswatini.”

This was an assertion by Alpheous Nxumalo, Eswatini Government’s Spokesperson in reaction to allegations by the former South African President that His Majesty King Mswati III ‘claimed’ to be sick when he was about to meet him to discuss among others, a political dialogue. Mbeki is said to have made these utterances last Wednesday at the University of South Africa during the Thabo Mbeki African School of Public and International Affairs. He informed those present that he (Mbeki) reminded His Majesty about the pending report to be delivered to him outlining how emaSwati want their country to be governed.

Apparently, Mbeki was responding to a question posed by one Qhawekazi Khumalo, who is said to be convenor of the SwaziLives Matter, which is considered as an organisation campaigning for democracy in the kingdom. Mbeki is quoted as having said: “I said to His Majesty, I really want to listen to the population, emaSwati, to hear from them what they think about their country and its future in order to come back to him. We prepared the report; I went to Eswatini to meet His Majesty carrying the report to engage him. Unfortunately, he fell sick while we were there, I believed him, he actually got sick. I left the report and to cut the long story short, I saw him quite recently to say to him there’s this outstanding meeting between him and me because I still owe him that report, so he agreed.”

Mbeki insisted that the project to facilitate the political dialogue in Eswatini was done under the Thabo Mbeki Foundation, saying he was eager to see the political crisis in the kingdom resolved, because the country played a huge role in liberating them from the apartheid regime. In response, Nxumalo said many emaSwati have read and watched Mbeki’s utterances, making it clear that what was said by the former South Africa President, cannot go unanswered or responded to. He noted that any response to Mbeki’s utterances will always be measured and coughed in total respect, first, to his person as a former head of State, to his foundation and to the context of the measure of reciprocation.

Nxumalo pointed out that Mbeki did something not-so-many South Africans who were exiled and harboured in Eswatini in order to protect and shield them away from the grinding and deadly machine of the apartheid regime, which executed through the then Civic Cooperation Burio, would have. Nxumalo said this was mouthful although not comprehensive enough until the former South Africa president tells the full story of how and why he was evacuated from Eswatini by the late Doctor Sishayi Nxumalo at the order of His Majesty King Sobhuza II in order to save his (Mbeki’s life) from almost certain and satisfied assassination allegedly by the South African Civil Covet Burio (CCB) under the then Defence Minister Magnus Malan.

Threatening

Nxumalo said it was important to remind Mbeki that ‘megaphone diplomacy’, which is the practice of making strong or threatening statements in order to make another country do what you want, is not only counterproductive but also disrespectful. “You do not do proper diplomatic business through public lectures, press releases or public announcements. Therefore, any dry running operation (a rehearsal of a performance or procedure before the real one) from the Thabo Mbeki Foundation or any other entity, won’t work against the legitimate and constitutional interests of the Kingdom of Eswatini,” he said.

Adding, Nxumalo said it is standard procedure and practice that any and every political or policy advice or opinion from outside the country will be measured against the yardstick of the country’s national Constitution, not against some political sentiments or pronouncements from somewhere else including from the Thabo Mbeki Foundation.  He accused Mbeki of using the ‘megaphone diplomacy’ in his lecture to tell the whole world about his alleged private meetings with the King or any other head of State for that matter. He said this was not only in bad diplomatic and political taste but also utterly shameful.

“Former President Mbeki should feel good and lucky that our King felt ‘sick’ after he (Mbeki) claimed to have told him about a privileged report from emaSwati concerning their problems and solutions. I could have been dead if Mbeki told me that. Since when are emaSwati’s ventilation of their respective problems, challenges and solutions a business of former leaders, from foreign lands or foundations? Mbeki makes a bold claim that his foundation spoke to all emaSwati. Really Mr Mbeki? Hhayi Baba, can you kindly rephrase that at least,” said Nxumalo.

Nxumalo said no one spoke to him about anything from Mbeki’s foundation. He said Mbeki, in public lecture went ahead and declared that the SADC intervention never took them any further with regard to the situation in Eswatini, stating that: “Really now? Who are the us in this context? Whatever the us represents, Mbeki believes that his foundation could have done a better job than the collective intelligence and wisdom of all the SADC heads of State and Government including his own Head of State, President Cyril Matamela Ramaphosa.”
Nxumalo said if this is true, then conspiracy theories are but real, making it clear that emaSwati under all circumstances cannot ask or beg Mbeki to convey their wishes to their King on what they want, deserve or desire.

He said Mbeki claimed that he presented the demands of emaSwati to His Majesty the King, stating clearly that Eswatini Government represents all emaSwati who are asking themselves when Mbeki came to ask them what they wanted their King to hear and correct. The spokesperson said the King was the first person to hear from emaSwati needs and has qualified people from villages, constituencies, Parliament, Senate, government and emabandla (advisory councils)  who report to both His Majesty and Government.

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