‘S’GCOKO’ A NIGGER IN THE WOODPILE’

MBABANE – “In all this ‘S’gcoko’ is a nigger in the woodpile.”
In general, a nigger in the woodpile means something wrong or off.

This was the submission of Supreme Court Judge Majahenkhaba Dlamini, who has been taken to court with five others over the chieftaincy dispute at Nkhaba. A faction that consists of ETVA Chief Executive Officer, Bongani Sigcokosiyancinca Dlamini, Indvuna Vusi Petros Kunene and Gwajumbe Hezekiel Dlamini has taken Majahenkhaba, who is a Supreme Court Judge, Palestine Jonga (nee Dlamini), Thumbumuzi Dlamini and Absalom Shabangu to court.
Nkhaba is the home area for both the judge and the ETVA boss.

Dispute

The bone of contention emanates from a chieftaincy dispute in the area that has been dragging for some years.   The faction that consists of ‘S’gcoko’ claims that a family council unanimously agreed to designate Mandla Napoleon Dlamini as the chief while the judge’s faction wants Mbuso Dlamini.
It is alleged that the Judge Majahenkhaba-led faction has followers comprising of men called libutfo (warriors) and women.

According to Indvuna Kunene, the warriors were a risk and potential danger to the peace and stability not only to the chiefdom, but also to the entire nation generally known for its peace and stability. Majahenkhaba has since filed an affidavit where he submitted that the application by ‘S’gcoko’ and  the other respondents was  in fact a continuation and perpetration of a family dispute dating back from the night Prince Bhekimpi was due for the ‘journey’ to the hill.
The late Prince Bhekimpi was the chief of the area.

In his affidavit, Majahenkhaba said his major concern here was the alleged false and defamatory statements of ‘S’gcoko’, which had been said about the respondents in general and in particular him (Majahenkhaba) ever since he (‘S’gcoko’) unceremoniously changed camps

“In his burning quest for recognition and a superior standing within the community and a royal family of Nkhaba, ‘S’gcoko’ has questioned my position or status in Prince Bhekimphi’s family,” submitted Majahenkhaba. He said after a great deal of soul searching, he decided to make this affidavit in the hope of setting the record straight once and for all.
“This matter of two factions in the Nkhaba family has been presented as an issue or battle of egos between me and ‘S’gcoko’. I have no ego to bandy with ‘S’gcoko’ but I do have a responsibility to discharge,” submitted Majahenkhaba.
He said the battle of superiority, as the media had seen it, was connected with the installation process of the next Chief of Nkhaba. According to Majahenkhaba, over the years, since parting ways, ‘S’gcoko’ had said many bad things about him.
He alleged that ‘S’gcoko’ had openly asked who Majahenkhaba was.

In his affidavit, Majahenkhaba averred that he would tell his side of the story and hoped that ‘S’gcoko’ would reciprocate.  He said her would tell the story in light of the division which had stalled the installation process at Nkhaba.
“Needless to say, in all this, ‘S’gcoko’ is the nigger in the woodpile. The prolonged installation of a chief benefits ‘S’gcoko’ and the other applicants as it gives a sense of authority however temporary and passing,” he argued.
Majahenkhaba submitted that he was born at eSikhaleni seBulembu around the end of the forties.

He recounted that at that time, his father, Prince Bhekimpi, and other males from Nkhaba, worked at Bulembu better known as Havelock Mines or just eDvudvusi.

Rechristened

“My name ‘Nkhaba’ was given to me by my maternal grandfather after he was told that the ‘culprit’ was an ex-soldier from Nkhaba. I do not know exactly when but I was somewhere rechristened ‘Majahenkhaba’ and at the age of seven or eight I came to stay at Nkhaba and started going to school.

He alleged that when he came to Nkhaba in the late 50s, he stayed at the then umphakatsi.  ‘S’gcoko’s family, according to Majahenkhaba, also stayed within the umphakatsi and the former was no more than a toddler, a couple of years younger than he was. He alleged that was when they came into contact with ‘S’gcoko’.

“We virtually stayed together. We later parted ways and a result of sickness, I had to move away from the royal kraal to another homestead at Nkhaba and ‘S’gcoko’s family moved to northern Hhohho,” submitted Majahenkhaba.

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