What Michael Jackson promised King Mswati III

MBABANE – Exactly 11 years after gracing our shores, King of Pop Michael Jackson’s  passing-away will undoubtedly leave an unforgettable, thrilling experience to many Swazis.

The ‘Thriller’ star is gone.
He will never set foot in the country or in any other country for that matter, the only thing the country could do in honour of his life is to fulfil his Theme Park Disneyland project which to date has not taken shape.

The pop superstar succumbed to death on Thursday after having collapsed and stopped breathing following an injection of a powerful painkiller named Demerol. He was at his rented home in Holmby Hills, Los Angeles, United States of America (USA). It is believed he may have overdosed on the drug.

The singer had been staying at the LA house while he rehearsed for his comeback tour which was to be held in London, United Kingdom but was postponed. A record 750 000 tickets had already been sold.
The multi-million tourist attraction project which to date has not been built, was set to be constructed at Ezulwini whereby the pop superstar had collaborated with Tibiyo Taka Ngwane on the project.

During his business visit in the country in July 1998, Jackson met His Majesty the King and within the royal family he will also be remembered for having turned Ludzidzini into Hollywood during a film shoot exercise.  
The Royal Swazi Sun hotel will also go into history books after it hosted Jackson for few hours as he stayed in one of their royal suite room number 277.

Some pupils who were attending primary school at Tubungu and Usuthu Forest then, also had the privilege to have Jackson signing autographs and others were even given the rare opportunity of singing one of Micahel’s songs ‘You are not alone’.
Efforts to speak to the then Tibiyo Taka Ngwane general manager and now Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs Ndumiso Mamba were not successfully as his cellphone rang unanswered each time he was called.