COPS STOP NKILONGO YOUTH MEETING

SITEKI – A proposed meeting by Nkilongo Inkhundla youth was allegedly blocked by the police last week.

It has been gathered that the youth had planned to hold the meeting at the inkhundla centre last Saturday but were informed last Thursday that they could not. As a result, they tried to seek an alternative venue around Matata. To ensure that the meeting did not take place, it was gathered that officers from both His Majesty’s Correctional Services and those from the Operational Support Services Unit (OSSU) monitored the Matata Town.

In an interview with Nkilongo Inkhundla Youth Organising Secretary Sanele Sihlongonyane, they had arranged to convene a meeting with their Member of Parliament (MP) Timothy Myeni to engage him on how best he could assist them in soliciting financial assistance from government in kick-starting income generating projects. Sihlongonyane said they had also anticipated getting feedback about their demands that were contained in a petition they delivered to their MP last year. He said they were barred from using the inkhundla due to the current political climate, but they had secured a place within the Matata Town.

“We had made all our preparations as we had made a formal request to the inkhundla council and the regional administrator’s office was engaged. We wanted to find out on strategies that could be introduced to assist us as the youth. We had set Saturday because the youth comprise mostly of school-going children and some are working. We were told that the meeting could be convened outside the inkhundla premises and we got permission to use an alternative place,” he said.

Shocked

Sihlongonyane claimed that the police were informed but they were shocked last Thursday to receive news that an instruction had been issued to stop the meeting. According to an informed source, an order, was issued by the Lubombo Regional Police Commander, Charles Magagula after being informed of the purported meeting. The Lubombo RA Themba Msibi could not be reached when called yesterday. Lubombo Regional Police Commander, Magagula confirmed that police stopped the purported meeting as it was against the current COVID-19 regulations. Worth mentioning is that meetings were banned by the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Prince Simelane, last year.

Permission

Deputy Police Information and Communications Officer Inspector Nosipho Mnguni said police never stopped the meeting as the youth members did not show up as they had not secured permission. Nkilongo Indvuna Sandziso Mamba confirmed the proposed meeting saying: “We received a letter as inkhundla that they wanted to meet the council to discuss development issues as the youth. The meeting was not allowed inside the inkhundla premises considering the current state of affairs, hence they were told to secure another venue within the Matata town,” he said. The Nkilongo Inkhundla has six imiphakatsi, namely; Mayaluka, Phafeni, Crooks, Gamula, Lusabeni and Lunkutfu.

Meanwhile, last year, close to 200 Nkilongo youth delivered a petition to Myeni in the presence of close to 50 police officers.  Some of the demands contained in the petition included that he should move a motion that seeks to address the people’s need for a full democratic government and an elected prime minister by 2023. They also called for the MP to move a motion to stop the proposed construction of the new parliament and reverse the already approved loan with immediate effect. They also demanded permanent employment of teachers with immediate effect and opening of the mining industry in the country to reduce the high rate of unemployment. Furthermore, the youth called government to address the shortage of drugs in the country’s clinics and hospitals, and ensure free access to quality medical attention as well as the availability of ambulances across the country.

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