SWALIMO SUSPENDS ‘GAWUZELA’

MBABANE – The Swaziland Liberation Movement (SWALIMO) National Executive Committee (NEC) has suspended its founding President Mduduzi ‘Gawuzela’ Simelane.

In a letter dated November 10, 2022, signed by National Chairperson Busi Mayisela and Secretary General Dr Siphetfo Dlamini, the political movement stated that Simelane’s suspension emanated from his ‘track record of ill-discipline’. “This letter serves to advise you of your suspension from your duties as President of SWALIMO with immediate effect. This follows complaints received by the office of the National Chairperson about your attempts to overturn a resolution of the movement taken in September 6, 2022, ” reads the letter in part. The letter further reads that the president had persistently refused to take counsel and to heed advice from the leadership, to account and to take responsibility of his failures and weaknesses.

Meeting

“The latest matter is your refusal to implement a decision taken by structures of the movement in September 6, 2022, regarding the audio matter, simply because the outcome of the meeting of the leaders was not what you had hoped for. You then tried to circumvent this decision by holding a zoom meeting to mislead comrades on Tuesday November 8, 2022. Your ill-discipline has caused the movement immeasurable loss of confidence in the leadership structures of the movement and has cost the movement much needed credibility and support in the national and international allies of the struggle,” further reads the letter.

The organisation informed the president that, while he remained suspended as an NEC member, the movement would be implementing as a matter of priority the decision of the branches and other structures. The letter alleged that the leadership structures of the  movement took a decision on September 6, 2022 at SNAT Centre in Manzini to appoint a task team of external leaders to assist in dealing with internal leadership problems and pave a way forward.

“In line with such complaints, your suspension follows your track record of ill-discipline, including but not limited to your stubborn refusal to subject yourself to leadership collective of the movement, your habit of bullying, threatening and intimidation of comrades at all levels who dare disagree with you or challenge your leadership,” alleged the organisation. Sources revealed that another document had been prepared and shared to all structures and chairpersons of the organisation announcing the suspension of the president. When called to verify the authenticity of the documents, both Mayisela and Dlamini confirmed that they signed the documents on behalf of the organisation. “Yes, we can confirm that the document comes from the national executive of the organisation and the signatures therein belong to us,” they both confirmed in different sets of questions.

Served

They further revealed that the president was served with the letter at about 7:35pm yesterday. A message was sent to Simelane to verify if he had received such a letter and by 9pm he had not responded but indicated through a laughing emoji that he had received the questions. This is not the first time the organisation has suspended members of their top leadership after Mzwakhe Myeni and Brian Sihlongonyane were suspended as Hhohho and Manzini Regional Chairpersons respectively. Myeni later resigned from the organisation, while Sihlongonyane reinstated himself. He also later resigned to join another political party.

Post your comment

Your name:

Your e-mail address:

Add your comments:

Please enter the code you see in the image:

Image:

Code: