Sobhuza risked all for the ANC

The adage that curiosity once killed a cat is real but I hope this time that it does not apply to you.  I was once with my friends and came across a former Principal Secretary in our Government who unknowingly appeared to be perplexed when I said have you deserted your king because I never see you wherever the king is? 

The answer from the gentleman who is no longer a civil servant nor holding any particular chiefdom position shocked me.  He politely answered and said in Swaziland when you have been relieved of your duties you go home like they say ekhaya.  I further asked if the king does not have to be supported and accompanied anywhere he goes by his former principal secretaries.

The other brief answer was that ‘We are afraid because when people see us wherever the king is might think that we are going there because we still want positions.  I asked further and said what is ‘wrong with you asking for any favour from your king because after all you will not be asking favours from anybody’s grandmother but from your king to whom you can never impose your will except to give him the support you are supposed to?’

He answered and said : ‘You know what maybe you are right—nothing should scare us from going and paying homage to our king because after all he is a king of those in office and us in the periphery’, to which I said yes you are right. I was probably thinking of relationships because in my own assumption back then I used to see this principal secretary who loved to be anywhere in the neighbourhood of Mswati.

In my mind past memories rushed back to me.  Depending according to who you are, your convenience and what you know I remembered the times when I was in Nairobi together with my other Swazi brothers and sisters when we were sharing the little we used to have with brothers from South Africa who to us were not refugees but just home boys.  We were all aware that some belonged to the African National Congress (ANC) and some to the Pan African Congress (PAC) yet when meeting we were just one big happy family. 

We even had the advantage of a common language because none of us pretended not to understand Siswati or Zulu. As for Swazis and the brothers from Zimbabwe we were never uncomfortable and expecting the South Africans to talk Afrikaans, a language they were very fluent with, in other words we were just one big happy family each time we met.  That was in Nairobi, Kenya, East Africa.  

But there came a time for me to go to Ghana in West Africa where the same situation prevailed.  I was at Korle-bu at the medical school together with Moyo who was from Zimbabwe and the rest of the Southern African brothers from Swaziland, South Africa and Zimbabwe were at the International Students Hostel which was built by former President of Ghana, Kwame Nkhrumah to accommodate freedom fighters from around the African Globe.  Before we got independence here in Swaziland those dormitories in Accra, Ghana were a shelter to two of King Mswati’s trusted ministers who elevated them to deputy premiership after having served in other ministries including being Ministers of Foreign Affairs.  

Those two gentle sons of Swaziland were none other than Albert Shabangu and Arthur Khoza whose wife was my teacher at Swazi National High School in Matsapha to whom I sincerely believe that I and my fellow pupils of the time can never be able to repay her and her colleagues who included the Principal Khanya the father of Dr. Edwin Khanya, Leo Khanya and their young brother who is at geology. 

Amongst the others as our teachers were Mr. Mngadi who taught me Biology, Madikizela in Latin, Fred Mhlanga in Sports and Mathematics Ntsikeni in Biblical Knowledge, English and Literature who later became our father in law because Prince Tshekedi our brother, a man with respect and manners and is now High Commissioner to Mozambique established relations by marrying Ntsikeni’s daughter who before she became Inkhosikati was known as Jewel probably because of her beauty.

If you notice you will realise that most of our teachers were South Africans but we also had our own in Dr. Ben Dlamini who taught me Mathematics where he remembers without boasting that I was the best (ask him).  

Because we are guided by space and time I cannot mention them all as to how fantastic they were but not to mention Mavuso the father of Maqhawe who was head of St. Francis High School and now under secretary in the Ministry of Education would be the greatest omission.  Maybe Dr. Ben Dlamini who I respect both as my Mathematics teacher and father can remember his colleagues and pay tribute to them even as a columnist just like my sibali Dr. Joshua Mzizi of Kwaluseni Campus with whom they used to awaken us on issues that like as usual are taken for granted.  Some of us are what we are because of those South Africans.

Talking of relations memories come flashing to me especially when South Africa was not independent.  I remember ancient times which may not make sense or be approved by others who can only want this and reject that.  As a young boy staying with Prince Gabheni who you all know I used to see several men of whom I had no dealing with nor cared for.  The only time they came was at night.  Not once did I ever see them during the day.

Because as a senior brother he wanted me to accompany him I began to get used to the names and faces of some of them.  I can now declare and swear to God Almighty that they were the top cream of the African National Congress (ANC) which is now in power in independent South Africa.  Amongst them were Mabhida who was their Commander.

Because of the fear of the Boers who had planted spies everywhere in Swaziland which included even South African Blacks who posed as genuine refugees and teachers it was not easy for Swazis either.  The apartheid regime had money and everything they could employ against Swaziland but still that could not hinder King Sobhuza II from having direct contact with the African National Congress.  
Under the leadership of Mabhida I still remember some of those who used to come nichodemously.

The ones I remember were Nyawose, Mabizela, Maseko who later  became Ambassador to Namibia and our own sibali (brother in law), Lukhele who is still here in Swaziland and married our sister Princess Msalela.  The people I am talking about know themselves and were known to the ANC hierarchy which knew exactly the stand of King Sobhuza as regards the struggle as it used to be called.

All these gentlemen know Prince Gabheni’s house which is still there.  After the night meetings Gabheni never used a car but walked to Embo State House to report to King Sobhuza II.  
The only one among them who at times had to see the king personally when necessary was Mabhida.  One of the senior sons of Sobhuza Prince Makhungu also played his part.  He used to bring kilos of meat which was to be roasted for them. 

As Africans Makhungu also brought them African brew (umqombotsi) which they enjoyed so much.  I hope now that they are well off they remember what was done for them in kind and good faith not necessarily to pay back.  
As for Tokyo Sexwale I hope he still has it in his mind how Prince Gabheni ran around securing his daughter’s scholarship which she eventually obtained from the United Nations.

With the way the Boers were operating the lives of both princes Makhungu and Gabheni and those around them were at risk.  I say so because when the Boers were in operation they left no stone unturned.  They killed not just the ANC members but everything in the vicinity which did not exclude dogs, Swazis, men, women and children.  
I know because I also lost a friend and brother by marriage (Umfumbezi in Siswati) Keith McFadden who was slaughtered together with others at Coates Valley in Manzini.  Keith whose daughter is Helga who lives in Durban never saw his daughter nor fiancée who is the elder sister of my wife.  

Keith was the younger brother to Gavin McFadden who I hear now lives in the United Kingdom.  I got that from an open letter to me in the Times of Swaziland personally written by Gavin himself and also from a friend of Gavin’s by the name of Ray Russon who I consider was his best friend and now lives in South Africa. I know these two guys who I still consider as my friends except that we differ politically in the sense that I Sobandla go along and respect the will of the majority of the people of Swaziland who say loudly that instead of foreign unpredictable systems used elsewhere where we do not know they prefer their Tinkhundla which they know, respect, understand and love.  
Our political differences has led others opting to go and forsake their country.  Others have gone to the extent of organising and recruiting powerful organisations to stifle and strangle poor Swaziland through very venomous publicity clothed with unfounded lies that cannot be accommodated even by the best architects of evil in hell.  
war
Some few people have taken it upon themselves to wage war against us as a country by staging blockades at our borders so that Swaziland suffers an economic damage resulting in physical death of our people because with our borders closed where do we hope to get medication since our suppliers are from our neighbouring states.  
It is an embargo not sanctioned by the Security Council at the United Nations, not by the African Authority, not by SADC and not even by the South African Government but by a small minority group of people who are exercising their might over Swaziland.  We suffer the consequences at their hands because the leadership of this country is not obliging to what they want and go against the wishes of the bonafide citizens of this land.  

We hear that what they want is multi parties and not Tinkhundla which they may not know about except the innuendoes and well crafted lies about it.  To then say the majority people who own this country, who live here said they did not want their Tinkhundla system is plain rubbish because according to them little Swaziland is only there to listen and abide their dictates from wherever they are and in whatever state of mind they are in.  They have assigned themselves this arduous task of being a Superpower over defenceless Swazis who never inherited any arms of war from anybody to abuse and insult countries that are less fortunate such as ours.  
Some of the people who engage in this terror against our Government and country are the sons and daughters of those who were helped by Swaziland in her small way and suffered for it.  The relationship in some cases though not at official level has changed to our disadvantage.  

This takes me back to what happened to the children of Israel when they were in Egypt.  Joseph helped a lot to help Pharoah and his people to maintain their sovereignty which made Egypt a country to which everybody sought assistance from.  But then after that generation in Egypt died nobody amongst the new generation remembered and appreciated what was done for Egypt by the children of Israel.  They were later looked upon with scorn and suspicion and were turned to be slaves for 400 years until God having heard their prayers sent Moses and Aaron to release them from that bondage.  Exodus 6:28-30 and Exodus 7.
TILL NEXT WEEK. GOD BLESS AND PEACE!   

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