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TRUTH OR POLITICS: WHAT’S SD CHOICE?

08/10/2017 08:17:00 By Musa Hlophe

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In recent weeks and months in South Africa, the Director General of the Public Investment Corporation (PIC) told his nation on television that both his job and his life were under serious threat because he was seen as being a stumbling block against the looting of the corporation’s funds.

He said that his crime of being wanted out of the company was somehow because he had defended the PIC from releasing billions of Rands belonging to public workers to save the ailing but poorly managed South African Airways (SAA), which is crumbling under the leadership of President Jacob Zuma’s female friends.

SAA’s employees themselves took to the streets last week Wednesday, in protest against this and other forms of corruption and State captured taking place in South Africa; subsequently creating serious factions within the governing African National Congress, (ANC) and it is resulting in the downgrades of the country’s economic status to a junk status, making it difficult for its banks to borrow money internationally.

However, the difference between South Africa and Swaziland is that while the truth in South Africa is never sacrificed for political expediency; here, in the Kingdom of eSwatini, it is sacrificed for either political reasons or simply by saying: kusiSwati loku, akukhulunywa’, meaning that this is touching on Swazi culture and tradition and, therefore, it should not be questioned.
But then, what is truth, and how can we differentiate it from ordinary political gimmicks or talks or actions?

First, looking for the answer of what truth is, we must go to the author of truth- God Himself about what He says truth is. Reading from Deuteronomy 32:4, where it says: “Ascribe greatness to our God. He is the Rock, His work is perfect. For all His ways are justice, a God of truth and without injustice .Righteous and upright is He!”
Therefore, here we see that being guided by the truth against politics or custom and tradition is standing for the truth which is God Himself and Justice.

Politics on the other hand is only said to be a science or art of governance or government. It is more difficult than physical science, says Einstein and we all know that when it comes to the precise definition of what constitutes Swazi Law and Customs or Tradition, it then depends on who is saying that and what are his or her clear motives for saying so. We are all aware that between 1992-1997, Swaziland was busy writing its new laws, including Swazi Law and Customs on one hand, while drafting a national Constitution on the other hand - and the latter to be the Supreme Law of the land, above which no individual would be allowed whatever his or her social standing was; to violate it. Not even Swazi Law and Customs is above the Constitution. Any law which is in conflict with it, is therefore null and void.

This is what our Constitution says, supported by the various Regional, Continental and Universal charters, and conventions.
There is nothing in terms of these conventions which exclusively apply only to Swazis because of their ‘uniqueness’ we claim to be as a nation.
It, however, gives immunity to Their Majesties simply because it respects their respective positions as leaders who shall be committed to leading by sound examples and never to deliberately violate the laws of the land - hence they each have fulltime advisors who must be men and women of good reputation and integrity; committed to speaking truth to Their Majesties. It is therefore the reason why, in true siSwati, we say the King is the mouth that tells no lies. No lies because he shall have relied on the collective advice from those who daily converge at Lozitha Royal Palace and those who converge at Ludzidzini offices to deal and debate over what should be given to His Majesty the King for his action or need for further refinement where he is not very clear of what the implications of the advice he is being given could be once effected.

As human beings, in particular as Africans living in today’s Africa, we all know by now that politics has become a tool in the hands of dictators who often not only suppress their people , but go beyond to loot the wealth of those nations. The looting takes many forms; it can be characterised by how freely does the national leader get his or her hand in the public purse, or how the natural resources are used to benefit the ruler and his associates.
If you do not believe this, then you must answer your own question: why is Africa involved in so many violent crises? It begins with slight deviations from the truth and law of the land as to how their wealth is being used. Is it being used for the benefit of the majority of that nation’s people, or does it simply and exclusively go to the political power holders and their associates?

If God says His truth is inviolable, we should ask ourselves what does that mean. Numbers 23:19 answers that question when it says: “God is neither a man, that He should lie, nor a sin if man that He should repent.”
Has he said and He will not do? Or! Has He spoken and will He not make it good?”
In case you are beginning to wonder what I am driving at with this introduction, then wait for the beginning of a series of articles on issues and developments which were initiated to help the ordinary Swazi citizens but today they are benefiting completely different beneficiaries than the ones for which they were set up to serve.

And when one raises the question of how come such an institution is no longer serving its original purpose, you are told that you are being political and disrespectful to Labadzala. Of course we all know today that the name of Labadzala has come to be used by those faceless cabals when they seek to loot and then claim that they are doing so for them (Labadzala). But you know what, when you say please then take me to Labadzala, you never succeed, but get moved from pillar to post without having put your finger on who Labadzala are?

To give you one example, on August 30, 2017, business leaders had converged at Emafini, responding to a call by the leadership and secretariat of the Swaziland Federation of Employers & Chamber of Commerce to discuss the new Employment Bill, which shall soon be placed before Parliament. When looking at what are some of the structures and institutions the Bill proposes - they shall bring additional burden on the employer in the private sector.
When I asked the question: “What is happening with the monies at SNPF?” Who is benefiting from this vast wealth which boasts of so many highly profitable investments? Are those profits benefiting the workers and their private sector employers who together with their workers created this institution with the leadership of King Sobhuza II?” The answer I got from Swazis attending the meeting was that I was being political because the matter should not be pursued.
I wondered aloud if the localisation and the promotion of our sons and daughters in the private sector or even parastatals meant that truth shall now be sacrificed for political expediency. What was wrong in asking how this institution, which was exclusively established to take care of the Swazi workers in the private sector when they retire so that they could have the same lifestyle?