Inside Swaziland – POLICE BRUTALITY ON EMASWATI BECOMING A NORM…

Read Time: 10 minutes

POLICE BRUTALITY ON EMASWATI BECOMING A NORM…

PRO-DEMOCRACY INTERESTS STOOD UP DEMANDING JUSTICE

Swaziland United Democratic Front (SUDF) is a coalition of pro-democracy interests including political parties, unions and churches. The founding of the SUDF was the result of a growing conviction that in order to create a strong civil society that could work actively for democratization and poverty eradication, there would have to be more unity and coordination among the civil society organisations of Swaziland.

The formation of the SUDF is a concerted attempt of these organisations to increase the space for democratic participation for and by the socio-economically and politically marginalized people of Swaziland. The existing space for protest action is currently limited to the unions, who have secured themselves this space through the Industrial Act. Since the unions are member organisations of the SUDF, the SUDF is therefore in a strong position to expand the space for this type of action. SUDF’s mission statement, which affirms the SUDFs commitment to human rights and sets out its views on a number of substantive issues in relation to the basic rights of people in Swaziland and the social and political development in the country.

So as the Swaziland United Democratic Front we strongly condemn this injustice and Brutality caused by the Swaziand Police in the lives of Emaswati. We therefore stood up to stop this and fight for a democratised Swaziland, where we will establish a police service that will serve the interests of the nation not only the royal family.

Manzini Swaziland: On the 10^th of May 2021 Kombi conductors in the city of Manzini engaged in a protest action against harassment by the police who allegedly arrested them for operating in some of the bus stations they pass-by. Police therefore had to run for their lives and called for back-up as the protestors threw stones at them turning the city into a battlefield.

When reached for comments, the Secretary General of the Local Kombis Association confirmed that kombi conductors and drivers were complaining that the situation was no longer conducive as police were continuing to arrest them for operating in those bus stations.

The situation subsequently became chaotic on that day in the afternoon after police tried to dispense the protestors, they were once again welcomed by a hail of stones and had to run for cover. During the protest, a traffic police officer who was accompanied two other officers heavily assaulted and insulted a protestor by mocking him with his mother’s private parts. Sanele Shiba (the protestor) was assaulted in the face and head using a gun that belonged to Bhekokuhle Ndlovu (the traffic Officer).

When reached for comments, Sanele Shiba the protestor who was visited by SUDF Community based Organisation (Swaziland Rural Women’s Assembly). He confirmed the assaults and further stated that he had internal bleeding and is now partially deaf after the heavy assaults by police. At the Moment a petition has been delivered to the Regional Police Headqurters demanding #JusticeForSaneleShiba then SUDF community based organisation (Swaziland Rural Women Assembly) managed to get him a personal lawyer as his life has begun to be threatened as police are secretly calling him to the station and are even calling his girlfriend about Sanele’s whereabouts.

Inside Swaziland

MBABANE – SWAZILAND: Thabani Nkomonye (25years) of Ka-Shali, Manzini was reported missing by the Swaziland police whereas he was allegedly killed by the same police and dumped at Nhlambeni at or near Happy Valley Bus stop.

An independent investigation by local news uncovered that Thabani Nkomonye was allegedly shot and killed by traffic police officers on Saturday 08 May 2021 around 2100hrs at Nhlambeni along the Manzini- Nhlangano road, his car was then towed by the police and hidden at Sigodvweni Police Station on the same night while the body was dumped at or near the Happy Valley bus stop.

On or around 11th May 2021, the police published a notice inviting members of the public to assist with information to locate Thabani Nkomonye, at that time, his car a Mazda registered VSD 584 AS was already hidden at Sigodvweni police station with bullet holes and one tyre missing.

Reached for comments by local news journalists, Thabani’s uncle Sakhile Dlamini who was speaking on behalf of the family said they were shocked to learn that police went as far as inviting members of the public to assist with information to locate their son and the car that was hidden at Sigodvweni Police Station.

“We were shocked after discovering that the car was towed and hidden at Sigodvweni Police Station on Saturday night and when you look at the date and time when the statement was recorded, it shows he was killed on that night and dumped at Nhlambeni. How can the police invite the public to assist in locating Thabani and the car that was at Sigodvweni Police Station with bullet holes and to make matters worse they claimed to have searched for the body and didn’t find him. But when we conducted our own search, we found the body of our son dumped at Nhlambeni almost in a decomposed state. We are at pain on what befell us, all along we have been thinking police were people we can run to for help but now we have first-hand information of what they did to us”, he said.

Thabile Nkomonye, a sister to the deceased said police made them to search for a car that was in their possession adding that on Tuesday the police first lied to them that their investigations uncovered that the car crossed the Mahamba border driven by an Indian When in fact it was hidden at the Sigodvweni Police Station.

“They made us search for a car that was in their possession, the car has bullet holes with no blood yet my brother’s body has blood. We have been searching until we received a tip-off on where the car and the body was actually hidden, police later became arrogant towards us when we questioned why the car was discovered in their possession” she said.

A questionnaire was sent to Superintendent Phindile Vilakati, the Eswatini Police Spokesperson, and she said the University law student Thabani Nkomonye died in a car accident, she appealed for patience from members of the public as they conduct further investigation. In a public statement released on Friday 14 May 2021, Vilakati said traffic officers did arrived at the ‘accident’ scene on 08 May 2021 Saturday night and towed the car to Sigodvweni, however, they searched for the body and could not find the deceased.

“The car was coming from Manzini to Nhlambeni and it was involved in an accident, there were people who were at the scene and they tried to search for the driver to give him first aid but they could not find him. While the people at the scene were searching for him, police who were patrolling the area arrived and joined members of the public in searching for the driver but couldn’t find him. As usual, some people got involved in such accidents while running away from the police, it was suspected that the driver was also fleeing from the police. We then took the car to Matsapha Police Station and on Tuesday Thabani’s relative reported him missing at the Manzini Police Station and we published a notice declaring him a missing person. While we were looking for him, it then transpired that an accident occurred at Nhlambeni and the car that was  involved was at Matsapha Police Station, it was then when Manzini and Matsapha police stations corresponded and it was then suspected that it might be Thabani’s car who had been declared missing. We then instructed a team of officers with the assistance of other officers from the Correctional Services to assist in conducting another search and we found Thabani, unfortunately, he was already dead” said the Police Spokesperson.

Reached for comments, Sibusiso Nhlabatsi, a human rights lawyer said it was now becoming common for police to kill citizens with impunity and later cover their tracks by claiming to be investigating.

On Wednesday 13 May 2021 police had invited members of the public to assist them in locating Thabani Nkomonye and the car that was in their possession and fresh evidence in a form of pictures obtained on Sunday, 16th May 2021 suggests that the police allegedly tempered with the car to cover-up the bullet hole that was found, as a result, a picture obtained on Thursday shows the car with a bullet hole while on Sunday after the alleged tempering, it has been pictured without a bullet hole.

Reached for comments on Sunday 12 May 2021, Thabani’s uncle Sakhile Dlamini who was speaking on behalf of the family said they are aware that the police are tempering with the evidence to cover-up the alleged killing of their son.

Evidence analysis conducted by our local journalists suggests that in the first picture that was taken on Thursday, the number plate and the bullet hole were more visible in Thabani’s car, however on Sunday morning it was discovered that the bullet was covered with the number plate less visible.

On 17 May 2021 Monday, Swaziland United Democratic Front (SUDF), Swaziland National Union of Students (SNUS), joined by other Unions and Political party organised a protest demanding justice for their colleague and brother who died at the hands of police, the march also attracted scores of public sympathisers. The police have denied the accusations, maintaining that the 25 year old UNESWA law student died in a car accident.

INSET: SUDF COORDINATOR (WANDILE DLUDLU)

SWAZILAND NATIONAL UNION OF STUDENTS (SANU)

(COLANI KHULEKANI MASEKO)

PROTESTORS

Addressing the Nation at the Cabinet offices on Monday, the Acting Prime Minister said the unfortunate death of young Thabani Nkomonye was a tragedy that couldn’t just be ignored and it was for this reason they have appointed a Coroner to take over Thabani’s case with immediate effect.

“May I take this opportunity to reiterate that government respects the right to life for all emaSwati and is determined to get to the bottom of this matter and unveil the truth. We understand the emotions that have been triggered by these serious allegations against the police and we appeal for public patience and support for the Coroner as she investigates this matter, whose report will be made public”, he said.

It is important therefore, to state that police are part of the brutal Tinkhundla system and they kill these citizens knowing very well that there is a well oiled political machinery that will protect them. As a result, a royal Acting Prime Minister has appointed a Magistrate to investigate royal police, we hope the results will provide justice for Thabani Nkomonye.  Well, citizens who had experienced police brutality will understand that this regime is two faced, while the Acting Prime Minister was preparing to hold a press conference to announce the appointment of the Coroner to investigate the death of Thabani, police were shooting University students in Manzini with live ammunition during a protest whose intention was to demand justice for Thabani.

The police were given the orders to shot the students in Manzini by the very same regime that was holding a press conference in Mbabane pretending to be concerned about the death of Thabani, that’s politics. Senator Themba Masuku pretended as if he didn’t know about what was happening in the police service, the truth of the matter is, as Acting Minister of Police he receives regular intelligence reports about national issues. Police officers normally tell members of the public when torturing them, “we will kill you, the media will report just for one day and you will be forgotten, we have done  this before and nothing happened to us”. Indeed, despite the various cases of politics brutality where citizens lost their lives while others like the then University student Ayanda Mkhabela who now lives with disabilities after police brutality, no police officer was  ever convicted for killing citizens.

On this day of 17 May 2021, while in the protest of demanding Justice for Thabani led by the President of SNUS Colani Khulekani Maseko. Swaziland Police allegedly shot Phiwayinkhosi Dlamini (who was on his way doing work errands)  in the eye during the march, some went missing and the President of the Student’s Union with other leaders were denied entry to the hospital where Phiwayinkhosi Dlamini was taken to which is the Releigh Fitkin Hospital (RFM). He was moved from RFM and is currently admitted at the Mbabane Government Hospital, Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

Phiwayinkhosi Dlamini

On Friday 21 May 2021, Police fired teargas and live ammunition at Thabani Nkomonye’s memorial in Manzini, elderly people and Thabani’s family members were among those who were injured and rushed to hospital. This comes in the midst of ongoing protests against police brutality on Monday 17/05/2021 and Friday 21/05/2021. 

Siphofaneni Member of Parliament Mduduzi ‘Magawugawu’ Simelane who was sitting next to Thabani’s mother when the police fired the teargas in the memorial said what happened today where he saw people who are in mourning being persecuted by the police created another person in him adding that those who issued the order wanted the country to burn as they will not keep quiet.

The police dispersed mourners at Thabani Nkomonye’s memorial service using teargas and live ammunition. That was when the students gained momentum and stormed down the nearest police post down.

Currently, the SNUS President said he was in hiding following the arrest of Bafanabakhe Sacolo, the union’s Secretary General. “The police have detained the Secretary General alongside an undisclosed number of students, as we speak he is now at the Manzini Police Station. They haven’t charged him as yet but we fear that he will be tortured”, he said.

“This is not the first time the police are doing this, when they killed an activist Sipho Jele in 2010 they did the same thing by disrupting his funeral which was postponed as a result. In the Swazi culture, a funeral service is supposed to be respected, but the police do not cease to disrespect such gatherings much against our culture and heritage. In a democratic Swaziland we will establish a police service that will serve the interests of the nation not of the royal family”, said the PUDEMO Spokesperson Brian Sangweni.

A member of Thabani Nkomonye’s family said, “This was a peaceful service, but the police, without even consulting with the elders disrupted the event unprovoked. The service was well organised and the COVID-19 regulations were observed, we are still wondering as to why they decided to disrupt it”.

A SECTION OF THE MEMORIAL

It is not yet over… the struggle continues until a democratised Swaziland…

Reporting to you is Swaziland United Democratic Front Media Officer.

Email: www.jeleabigail01@gmail.com

Contact: (+268 76902370)

Read full document below: