GOVT BLAMES SOME MPS, EFF FOR UNREST

EZULWINI – Government has accused some Members of Parliament (MPs) of working with an organisation from South Africa called the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF).

Government also alleged that the group had further transported arms from neighbouring South Africa to arm insurgents in the country, which was against SADC protocols. The allegations were made by government through the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Thuli Dladla, when she made her submissions before the SADC Organ Troika delegation which arrived in the country yesterday morning on a fact-finding mission. Speaking at the Royal Villas, Dladla alleged that the EFF was providing them (insurgents) with moral and physical support by being on site and assisting them to strategise. “The EFF had declared that they want to make our kingdom ungovernable,” said Dladla. The SADC Troika delegation was led by Chairperson of the Organ Troika and Minister of Foreign Affairs in Botswana Dr Lemogang Kwape.

Surprised

The minister said the EFF was an organisation from SA and as government, they were surprised to see how, while there was talk of regional integration, they found some people from a neighbouring country trying to negate the process. “It is disheartening that this group transported arms from our neighbouring State to arm insurgents in the kingdom, which is against the SADC protocols,” said Dladla. Giving the genesis on the matter, the minister said the country was confronted by the unexpected disruption and attack that was said to have emanated from a call for political reforms. She said this was made by some MPs whom she did not name. “However, the source of this call was not immediately clear to the nation,” she said. Dladla informed the meeting that the MPs subsequently raised this concern in Parliament, which was the right platform to raise issues of national interest, where they were deliberated upon until there was consensus in the august House.

“We are informed the motivators did not follow through the process of Parliament. They were further questioned by their colleagues on where they obtained the public mandate to raise the matter,” submitted Dladla. She informed the meeting that the MPs then resolved to take the matter outside to the tinkhundla centres to try and source public support. Dladla said according to the Constitution, matters officially arising from tinkhundla centres were those that had passed through existing structures involving bucopho and tindvuna tetinkhundla. She explained that thereafter, parliamentarians then met with these leaders to deliberate on issues of constituency and national level before they were taken to Parliament. “They did not follow this process simply because they were driven by their intentions to gang up with foreign elements to disrupt the peace,” said Dladla. The minister said in the process, structures were looted and burnt down involving the use of petrol bombs which destroyed some chiefdoms and tinkhundla centres.

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