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ARSON ATTACKS: ALL COPS ON LEAVE RECALLED

28/02/2022 08:56:00 Stanley Khumalo

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MANZINI – All police officers who are currently on leave have been recalled due to the spate of arson attacks in the country and other violent activities, it has been gathered.

Impeccable sources within the police service claimed that they were recalled from their annual leave last week to engage in raids within certain areas that have been identified as hot spots for the current spate of petrol-bombings and violence. The sources said there were growing concerns within the security cluster in light of their personnel being targets of shootings. It was gathered that the concerns were that there were illegal firearms which had been brought into the country and were being used to target them. One of the fatal shootings directed at a member of the security forces left Bheki Maziya, who was a member of the Umbutfo Eswatini Defence Force (UEDF) dead, Maziya died on the spot after being shot while four people who were with him were rushed to hospital. His murder has not been linked to political-related violence.

Shooting

This was subsequent to a shooting of a vehicle belonging to His Majesty’s Correctional Services (HMCS) at Kwaluseni OK Foods last Saturday night. During the shooting, three people were shot, including a minor by the unknown man. It was said the gunmen had targeted the Correctional officers, whom they acuused of being behind the ‘ill- treatment’ of their MPs.
It was gathered that during the raids that had been conducted by the police, some of the places that were visited included Siphofaneni, Kwaluseni, New Village and Mathangeni. The police were said to be looking for weapons and other items that could be used in the commission of criminal acts.

According to impeccable sources, the police were in groups of 10. Upon arrival at the residences that they were targeting, the police were said to have presented to the residents what their mission was, with supporting documents, which were said to be stating that they were engaging in routine searches for items that could be linked to criminal acts and or could be exhibits of heinous criminal acts. Deputy Police Information and Communications Officer Inspector Nosipho Mnguni could not commit on whether police officers were recalled from their leave to engage in raids targeting people behind the spate of arson attacks and shootings. Instead, she said such information was operational. However, she confirmed that police were engaging in raids as part of their routine operations.

“The raids are not specifically directed at certain events, but they are frequently done as means to find and apprehend wanted criminals while also seeking to get evidence through exhibits of stolen items used in the commission of criminal acts,” Mnguni said. Meanwhile, it is worth noting that in recent weeks, the spate of arson attacks have increased with property estimated to be over E3 million being set alight.

Firearms

There have also been allegations of illegal firearms being used when engaging in these attacks. On the morning of February 2, 2022, there were two arson attacks resulting in E2.2 million damages. The arson attacks targeted a construction site belonging to Inyatsi Construction at Hhelehhele, where heavy plant machinery belonging to sub-contractors was set alight. The heavy plant machinery that was destroyed was a tractor loader backhoe (TLB), a grader, tractor and trailer. The heavy plant machinery at Inyatsi Construction was reportedly set alight at about 4am. In the same morning, six vehicles were extensively damaged while five were partially destroyed following an arson attack at the Swaziland Association of Crime Prevention and Rehabilitation of Offenders (SACRO) premises, where workshops are leased to small, medium enterprices (SMEs).

Rifles

The arsonists were reported to be carrying assault rifles when they descended at the compound. Since the beginning of the month, security has been on high alert subsequent to threats to bomb aircraft at the King Mswati III (KMIII) International Airport. This resulted in the National Commissioner (NATCOM) of Police, William Dlamini, disclosing that those who would be behind that mission should know that they would be taking a high risk as the police were ready and dangerously armed to ensure safety. It was reported that a contigent of police officers from the Operational Support Services Unit (OSSU), as well as members of the Umbutfo Eswatini Defence Force (UEDF), had been added to the existing security personnel based at the international airport. Also, in the wee hours of February 22, 2022, which was the second week of the ongoing Junior Certificate (JC) examinations, three schools experience arson attacks.

These schools were Nkiliji, Mcozini and Malindza High and they were invaded by unknown men, who petrol-bombed some of the buildings and inscribed messages suggesting that they would soon return. On the same day, teachers at Mpaka High School were warned through graffiti to stop teaching or else face the unknown. A day later, ardent readers of this publication, under Kukhanyeni Constituency in the Manzini Region, missed an opportunity to be informed as two men set alight a delivery van belonging to the company. They set alight the delivery van at about 6am after having intimidated the driver with a firearm. On February 23, 2022, this publication reported the burning of four hectares of sugar cane fields, equivalent to 400 tonnes at Mhlume.