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COPS WON’T GET TO ME – ‘GAWUZELA’

30/07/2021 08:59:00 BY STANLEY KHUMALO

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MANZINI – Siphofaneni Constituency Member of Parliament (MP) Mduduzi ‘Gawuzela’ Simelane says the police will not get to him.

However, his location remains unknown as he did not want to share where he is. In an interview with this publication, the legislator said he was safe and well. “I am safe and well, they will not get to me,” is what he said when he allayed fears of those who believed he could be killed. Simelane yesterday said he was safe and those concerned about his security, given that he was on the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) radar as they had a warrant of apprehension for him, should not worry. Early in the week, the National Commissioner (NATCOM) of Police, William Dlamini, called upon Simelane to surrender himself to the nearest police station. The NATCOM said as a law enforcement agency, they had accordingly launched full-scale investigations to ensure that all those who broke the law in one way or the other, were brought to book. “In the same vein, operations are ongoing to see to it that looted businesses and privately-owned properties are recovered,” he said.

Reforms

Simelane is one of three legislators who have been calling for political reforms in the country. Two of his counterparts – Hosea Constituency MP Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza and Ngwempisi Constituency MP Mthandeni Dube – were apprehended on Sunday.
They were arrested for allegedly contravening the Suppression of Terrorism Act while Mabuza was also separately charged for allegedly contravening Regulation 4 of the Disaster Management (COVID -19) Regulations 2020 under the Disaster Management Act 2006. Since the pair’s incarceration, Simelane has been said to be on the police wanted list. On Monday, the Crown said an arrest warrant for Simelane was issued on the same date as the ones for the pair – July 8, 2021.

In the charge sheet that was presented in court on Monday, it was alleged that Simelane acted jointly with Mabuza and Dube to incite people of Eswatini to revolt against the constitutionally established Government of Eswatini. The Crown stated in the charge sheet that Simelane was a fugitive from the law. According to the charge sheet, as a consequence of the alleged incitement by the trio, there were riots in all the regions of the country. The Crown further brought it to the attention of the court that these riots caused loss of life, bodily injury to people and destruction of private and public properties. In light of the assertion that he was a fugitive, Simelane said there was minimal truth in it. Instead, he said the timelines leading to him being declared a fugitive did not make sense to him.

Funeral

“The police were lying when they said I am a fugitive on Monday. On Saturday, they stopped me when I was headed to a funeral at Lomahasha. I spent time with them seeking permission to proceed with my journey,” he said. The subsequent day, Simelane alleged that police went to his church in Siphofaneni and informed the congregants that they were inspecting if there was COVID-19 compliance. Sunday is the very day when the two other legislators were arrested. Simelane said on Monday, it was then broadcast that he was a fugitive; he then wondered where they had looked for him during this period. “Why did they not arrest me when they saw me on Saturday as the warrants were signed on July 8, 2021? They may fool others but not me as these timelines are clear on who is fooling who,” he said.

When probed on whether he would hand himself over to the nearest police station as advised by the NATCOM, Simelane said: “I’m a hard thinker and I’m still to think hard on it. It may be on Monday, Tuesday or whenever once I am done with my consultations. For now, I am consulting and once a decision is made, it will be communicated.” Meanwhile, Deputy Police Information and Communication Officer Inspector Nosipho Mnguni said now that Simelane had heard that he was wanted by the police, he should hand himself at the nearest police station. To this, Simelane said: “That is a topic for another day. What I maintain is that when they declared me a fugitive, the police could have apprehended me if they wanted to.” On Monday, Simelane had told this publication that he was not in hiding. Meanwhile, today marks the sixth day since Simelane’s counterparts were arrested by the police.