Times Of Swaziland: Gay relationships not allowed in SD

Gay relationships not allowed in SD
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 WELCOME DLAMINI on 15/06/2012 00:00:00


EZULWINI – Gay and lesbian relationships are not allowed in Swaziland, Premier
Sibusiso Barnabas Dlamini affirmed yesterday.
The Prime Minister said even the siSwati word for these acts, if it did exist,
had a pronunciation similar to an insult.
He was responding to a question from Swazi News Editor, Phephisa Khoza, who
sought to know Swaziland’s position on issues of gays and lesbians and if
same-sex relationships were legal, as the country recently received a report on
the existence of same-sex relationships in the kingdom.
"Church clergy say this is not biblically acceptable. It is just now that some
countries and communities allow it. It is still scary here in Swaziland when we
see it happen. The country’s laws do not allow this," the PM said.
He went on: "People of the same sex cannot even go to regional offices to get
married. It will take time before we allow this to happen and include it in the
country’s laws. We are not even ready to consider it."
The issue of gay and lesbian relationships has been a global topic that has seen
leaders, especially in Africa, denouncing it amid huge criticism from activists.
US President Barack Obama, who previously said he was opposed to such relations,
has now changed his tune and said he accepts such sexual preferences.
Govt denies ties with Whelpton
EZULWINI – Government has denied knowing the South African law professor,
Frans Whelpton, who it engaged to recover the E28m deposit for the King’s
Bombardier jet.
Premier, Sibusiso Barnabas Dlamini, said government only knew Whelpton by name,
but had never dealt with him.
Times Managing Editor, Mbongeni Mbingo, had asked the PM to explain the
country’s relationship with the University of South Africa professor after it
emerged that he had also been involved in plans to establish a E3.2 billion
health project in the country.
"Do we, as a country, still work with Whelpton? We’ve also heard that Chief
Logcogco was involved in the E3.2 billion project. How does he link with a
health project of this magnitude?" Mbingo asked.
The PM answered: "We do not know Whelpton except by name. Government does not
know him. As for the health project, it was a private arrangement."
However, the PM was reminded that government should know the professor because
he was also involved during the codification of Swazi Law and Custom as a
consultant.
"The exercise on Swazi Law and Custom was not done by government, even payment
for it was not from the Consolidated Fund. Whelpton did the health project with
a certain Swazi, not government. We don’t know him," the PM emphasised.
Govt has given up on jet’s E28 million
EZULWINI – Government has given up hope of ever getting back the E28 million
it paid as deposit for the King’s Bombardier jet.
UNISA Law professor Frans Whelpton was engaged by government to recover the
money on its behalf and was reported to have succeeded in doing so but then
‘disappeared’.
Minister of Finance Majozi Sithole told Parliament that Whelpton could not be
located even though the South African publication, The Mail and Guardian managed
to get hold of him two months ago.
At one point, Sithole told Parliament that Whelpton had promised to bring back
the money with interest amounting to hundreds of millions of Emalangeni.
Yesterday, the Times Managing Editor Mbongeni Mbingo queried the Prime Minister
on the status of the recovery of the money. The PM responded: "I had hoped the
issue of the E28 million was a closed chapter. That money is as good as lost.
The E28 million is not even on government’s discussion table."
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Comments
Lihlazo leli a whole Prime Minister telling us kutsi imali lengaka ayikhohlwe
yimihlolo phela lena. Wehlulekile wekunene akahambe ekhaya naletinkhundla takhe.
I fail to understand la, lomuntfu uyatiwa kutsi ukuphi kuvakele kepha kutsiwa
akuyekelwe, yini lena bekunene live noma lipulazi lemuntfu? Ngumtselo wetfu lona
lokuphiwana ngawo.
Jun 15, 2012, 6:39 AM, H.Jele (jejejele@gmail)
We do have our own right to choose our own destinies. No offense. Jesus said
some are born gay. Matthew 19: 10-12 would Jesus discriminate now?
Jun 15, 2012, 6:39 AM, mrs. buyisile lungile mabuza (buyisile mabuza @gmail.com)