Times Of Swaziland: KING’S OFFICE RAISES CONCERNS ABOUT MUD-SLINGING, INSINUATIONS

KING’S OFFICE RAISES CONCERNS ABOUT MUD-SLINGING, INSINUATIONS
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Stanley Khumalo and Phiwase Phungwayo on 24/01/2023 08:45:00


MANZINI - The King’s Office has expressed concern about mud-slinging and
insinuations on the killing of Human Rights Lawyer Thulani Maseko.
The King’s Office Director of Communications, Percy Simelane, said their
concern emanated from the fact that the family deserved maximum privacy as it
pulled  itself together to come to terms with this sad and unfortunate loss. He
said his office was not shaken though because to the best of its knowledge, the
suspect(s) shall not come from within it. This, Simelane said, following
allegations contained in various statements which linked the demise of Maseko to
a speech by His Majesty King Mswati III on Saturday when dispersing libutfo.
Following the demise of Maseko, various entities across the globe have claimed
that his assassination was politically linked. As such, Simelane was informed
that some had gone as far as claiming that the killing coincided with the speech
by His Majesty King Mswati III when dispersing libutfo on Saturday. In light of
these allegations and in acknowledgement of the statement issued by the
Government Spokesperson, Alpheous Nxumalo, disassociating the administration
from any acts of mercenaries, Simelane was asked what the King’s Office would
have to say on the allegations.
Comment
He was also asked what would be his comment on the calls for a national dialogue
which had been mounting. To these questions, Simelane said: “Not even ace cops
know who killed Lawyer Thulani Maseko at the moment. It would, therefore, be
mind-boggling if international organisations could claim to know what happened.
We shall continue to expect them to think before they ink, before their
organisations become Blame Clubs.” He said Eswatini was one of the best
democracies in the world where the voter’s decision was final. Simelane said
the people nominated and voted for their representation in Parliament as opposed
to situations where party leaders impose themselves on the electorate.
Simelane said some of the allegations emanated from mere ignorance while others
were deliberately cooked to serve cheap audiences.  He said: “By principle, we
cannot stoop that low to entertain them. For this murder we shall continue to
await intelligence to be available.  At the moment, there are so many angles to
it.” He said his office had no reasons to think it was not purely coincidental
that Maseko was shot the day the King had made a comment  on  the shootings that
the country  was experiencing. He said there was so far no evidence there was a
link between the two. “We will continue to believe the comment was innocent
until evidence proves us wrong,” he added. Some of the comments insinuation
suspects behind the death of the lawyer have been removed as there is currently
no proof to back-up such claims.