TWO PRIMARY PUPILS MISS FOUR WEEKS OF CLASSES  

MBABANE – As enshrined in the Constitution, every child has a right to education.

However, two pupils have been denied this fundamental human right in the Shiselweni Region. While other children are in school for the first term of the Eswatini school calendar, the two learners fled their home for safety, because their father is embroiled in a land dispute.

Trouble started when their father, Sibusiso Gwebu of Mkhondvo, fled the area with his children. He alleged that he was evicted from the area, but police who detained him for two days and later released him, called on him to tell the whole truth. Gwebu was detained at KaPhunga Police Station.

He said he feared his land might have been sold behind his back. For safety reasons, he decided to escape with his children to a place unknown to his enemies. His decision has negative consequences as the two pupils have not been in school since February 22, 2024. His children are doing Grade IV and Grade VI respectively.

When asked why he opted for the children to stop going to school, Gwebu said he made the decision out of  fear.
He revealed that he was detained at KaPhunga Police Station from February 20,2024 and was set free two days later.
According to the Deputy  Chief Police Information and Communications Officer, Assistant Superintendent Nosipho Mnguni, Gwebu faced three charges. Mnguni confirmed that the arrest of Gwebu did occur, but added that Gwebu was being economical with the truth.

Charges

Mnguni, in an interview, said Gwebu was aware of the charges levelled against him. She said he was arrested and charged with assault of a police officer whom he allegedly stabbed. She explained that he also resisted arrest.
Lastly, the police spokesperson said he was charged with an offence related to the contravention of Eswatini Law and Custom. Mnguni said Gwebu was arrested for crimes against the police. She said he was brought to court to answer for these crimes. In the end, she said he was found guilty as charged.

Reacting to the police statement, Gwebu refuted the assertion that he faced these charges. He said he was neither given a copy of the charge sheet nor a court order on the ruling of his guilt verdict. However, he conceded that he paid a fine of E4 000. He claimed he paid the fine solely to gain his freedom. He complained that he did not get a receipt to confirm or legitimise the payment.

He said he was verbally made aware of his charges. Gwebu said there was no formal charge sheet. The frustrated father produced documents dated February 20 proving that he was indeed detained at the police station. He said these were the only documents he got when he was released. One of these showed that his personal belongings, being a pair of white sneakers, grey track pants and a grey T-shirt, were kept at the police station.

Examination

He also produced a blank medical examination form, which was only stamped. The police stamp reflects that this was done on February 20, 2024. He said a few of his family members had gathered and went to the police station after he was arrested. He said his relatives did not follow the proceedings of the court which charged him.

Among these people, he said, was his wife Ncobile Hlanze and his uncle King Ngwenya. He refuted the allegation that he evaded arrest. He said he had to run for his life when the police carrying fire arms allegedly fired gun shots at him. He alleged that  he had to hide within the Mkhondvo River in fear that police would shoot at him.

Gwebu said the police did this in front of his two children when he came to meet them from school. He said the incident traumatised his children.

Unprotected

Gwebu said this was one of the reasons that he would never leave his children unprotected and in a place where he was being allegedly hunted.He said on the day of his arrest, he was from fetching the two female children from school given the long distance that they had to travel to and from school.

He also said the children walk in the thicket of the forest thus he was shielding them from harm.
He told Eswatini News that it was a decision not taken lightly as he intended to keep his family safe.
 

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