MBABANE – Eswatini Lottery Founder Sandlane Zwane has revealed that powerful interests are orchestrating intimidation and stalking tactics to gain shares in his company.
According to Zwane, the alleged campaign has left his family distressed, traumatised and living in fear, as certain individuals push for a stake in the lottery business he founded. Speaking exclusively to this publication yesterday, Zwane described what he termed a coordinated effort to force him into surrendering shares in Eswatini Lottery, alleging that the operation involved stalking, intimidation and attempts to alter company documents.
At the centre of the matter is a woman whose identity is known to this publication, but cannot be disclosed at this stage as investigations are ongoing. A stalking case involving the woman was opened at Matsapha Police Station on May 22, 2026. Documents seen by this publication confirm that a complaint was lodged with the police.
Zwane alleged that the woman was acting on behalf of individuals linked to a betting company who wanted him to grant them shares in Eswatini Lottery. While the names of the company and the individuals concerned are also known to this publication, they are being withheld at this stage.
According to Zwane, the alleged campaign started in January this year when the woman began following him before later shifting her attention to members of his family. He said what initially appeared to be isolated incidents gradually intensified and became a sustained pattern of harassment.
“The intention was to weaken me and isolate me so that certain agendas could proceed without resistance,” he said. Zwane alleged that the woman eventually started targeting his wife and 18-year-old daughter. He pointed out that the incidents became so frequent that his family constantly feared for their safety.
“There were times when we became uncomfortable opening the gate at our own home because we did not know who was outside or what their intentions were,” he said.
According to Zwane, the pressure intensified after he repeatedly rejected proposals to allocate shares in the company. He maintained that he had no intention of granting shareholding to the individuals he felt were behind the operation.
The founder said his vision for Eswatini Lottery had always been centred on creating a business that would benefit the country while maintaining a shareholding structure aligned with that objective. “I have always been clear that I am not interested in giving away shares in the company,” he said.
Zwane said he included his daughter as a direct shareholder through nomination when he established Eswatini Lottery. He also included another shareholder whom he declined to identify. According to him, his daughter later became one of the main targets of the alleged pressure campaign. He alleged that people began following her and attempting to pressure her into signing documents linked to her position as a shareholder.
“My daughter eventually stopped jogging because she felt unsafe. She was being followed and there were attempts to get her to sign certain documents,” he claimed.
Zwane alleged that after those efforts failed, individuals involved in the operation resorted to forging signatures. He further alleged that documents containing signatures purporting to belong to his daughter were later used in an attempt to alter company records. According to Zwane, the documents were subsequently presented to a bank in an effort to facilitate changes relating to the company’s affairs. However, he alleged that the attempt failed when those involved were unable to provide the required Know Your Customer (KYC) documentation.
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