GOVT READY TO ASSIST BHEKA’S FAMILY - ALPHEOUS

MBABANE – Government will wait for the family of killed former warder Bheka Magagula to hear as to whether or not they are interested in bringing his body into the country for burial or not.

This was said by Government Spokesperson Alpheous Nxumalo yesterday. According to Nxumalo, it is obviously going to take a while and this can only happen with the full advice and guidance of both the Office of the Attorney General of the land and the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS). As reported by our sister publication, the Eswatini News, the former warder who was reportedly missing in neighbouring South Africa was found dead on Monday. His death was confirmed by United Eswatini Diaspora (UED) Convener Bonginkhosi IB Dhlamini during a facebook live stream on Friday night.

In a statement issued yesterday, Nxumalo said government is saddened by the media reports to the effect that Magagula has been supposedly founded brutally murdered. “As a consistent and principled position; government will not speculate on who maybe responsible for Magagula’s murder or reasons that may have motivated his murder, but will wait for the results of an appropriate and legal investigations by appropriate law enforcement apparatus of the Republic of South Africa,” said Nxumalo.

Savage and heartless

He mentioned that it is clear though that Magagula’s savage and heartless murder was carried out by people well known and connected to him as some kind of punishment or revenge bashing. He said the sad and untimely death of Magagula is a testament to the call that government has made in the past that chances are that most of the so called exiles or ‘solidarity forces’ members are now trapped in what he termed a quagmire of the pursuits of vanity.

“Government, therefore, reiterates its call that let those children of emaSwati who are perplexed and frustrated by lies of an empty and illegitimate struggle return home and surrender to the police. This is the only critical way for government to protect and reintegrate them back to society. The longer they linger following doomed struggle leaders outside the borders of the country, their lives inevitably remain in danger and in peril,” he said. Nxumalo said government wishes to further advise the country’s citizens, especially young people, to desist from buying into the political and ideological agenda of formations who have absolutely no interest or whatsoever to their future.

Magagula’s former employer, His Majesty’s Correctional Service (HMCS) said it could not comment yet as it had not received an official report of his death. Meanwhile, different political organisations released press statement via social media platforms to mourn the death of Magagula. Most of them emphasised that the death of their ‘comrade’ will encourage them to continue in their fight for change in the country.Swaziland Liberation Movement (SWALIMO) said Magagula committed his life to the struggle for freedom in Eswatini, making significant sacrifices in service to the allegedly oppressed people of Eswatini.

Revolutionary power

“May Comrade Bheka’s soul rest in revolutionary power, and may his spirit fight for justice, ensuring that those responsible are found and held accountable. Despite all the challenges he encountered while in exile, he continued marching along the revolutionary line. In paying tribute to Magagula, SWALIMO calls for maximum unity within Eswatini’s Mass Democratic Movement,” read part of the statement which was issued by Acting Spokesperson Ingiphile Dlamini.Also issuing a statement was the Swaziland People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) through its Secretary General Lioness Sibande.

The organisation said, “The organisation sends its heartfelt condolences to his children, family, friends and acquaintances and the Mass Democratic Movement (MDM) in its entirety on this comrade’s death. Like many other emaSwati that are involved in the struggle, Comrade Bheka answered yes to the clarion and noble call of being part of the solution. It is sad that he lost his life while still on this long and winding road to our country’s liberation”. The organisation said it hoped law enforcement agencies of the Republic of South Africa will investigate the circumstances that led to the end of Magagula’s life and help his family and members of the Mass Democratic Movement (MDM) get justice and closure.

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