Times Of Swaziland: I SALUTE S’TOFENI’S  SIBAYA SUBMISSION

I SALUTE S’TOFENI’S  SIBAYA SUBMISSION
================================================================================
By Martin Dlamini on 07/12/2018 08:45:00


Sir,
Please publish my comments regarding an important issue which happened at Sibaya
when His Majesty King Mswati III summoned the nation to help him choose a prime
minister. He also said we should feel free to discuss the economy, politics,
corruption and other issues.
Thank God! One man, at last, came out to speak nothing but the whole truth in
defining some, if not most, of what we, emaSwati are. I salute him for his brave
psyche. The man was non-other than prominent businessman, who also holds high
profile positions in some committees, S’tofeni Ginindza.
I do not know him much, except that I once had a short chat with him at the
Plaza in Mbabane when he was going to the African Alliance offices, some donkey
years ago. I doubt if he would remember it.
When it was Ginindza’s turn to speak at Sibaya, he minced no words but called
a spade a spade. He was reported in a local newspaper saying emaSwati need to
start being honest when it came to issues related to the economy and political
situations and should never be afraid to express their views.
Among the things that he said was that emaSwati have a tendency of talking about
issues among themselves but when they were given an opportunity in public forums
they changed tune (falling short of calling them hypocrites), which indeed is
typical of what we are. Or is it cowardice?
To unpack or put in perspective what he defines us - the Collins dictionary says
a hypocrite is a pretender, deceiver and the Oxford dictionary says a hypocrite
is a person given to hypocrisy or whose postulation of standards do not confirm.
I would describe Ginindza among our intellectuals in the kingdom from whom some
of us would learn a lot. It’s a pity that intellectuals are selectively
sidelined in our country’s politics. Please do not challenge me now on this
one, but another day and I’ll take you on because I am not dealing with
Ginindza’s nothing-but-the-whole- truth that he presented at Sibaya.
Talking on our political system, he asked if it made any sense to compare it to
a Rolls Royce when the international world has a different picture, thinking we
were using a Honda Fit. He suggested that our government should employ a good
public relations officer who would explain our system to investors.
He also mentioned about the delegation that went overseas to have an investment
meeting with the European Union (EU). They were told that our jails were full of
political prisoners, which he said was not the truth.
Guess what? Ginindza’s nothing-but- the-whole-truth presentation ended with an
icing sugar of Eswatini being captured and condemned corruption, which he said
had reached high levels. But I say it stinks and has reached high heavens.
Thanks for your brilliant presentation; God bless you!
Parks Mangena