MBABANE – When the sentenced of 30 days for contempt of court is eventually effected, Mduduzi Shongwe will remain behind bars until he delivers outgoing Miss Eswatini’s sponsored car.
Shongwe is the Managing of Director of Kwando Lifestyle Brands and Oukitel Eswatini, which was supposed to hand over the motor vehicle, a Jaecoo J7, to the 2024 Miss Eswatini pageant winner, Temvelo Nicole Mtsetfwa. She was crowned on November 30, 2024 at the Happy Valley Hotel.
Yesterday, Judge Ticheme Dlamini confirmed the interim order issued on October 16, 2025 order, which directed that the car be delivered to Mtsetfwa. Judge Dlamini also ordered that Shongwe be committed to jail for a period of 30 days for contempt of court. Shongwe failed to comply with the October 16, 2025, compelling him to deliver the car as ordered. The sentence, according to the court, will be renewed every 30 days until Shongwe delivers the motor vehicle. However, the court pointed out that execution of the order is suspended for 14 days. The matter was postponed to March 4, 2026, and the court will give specific directive on this date. Respondents in the matter are Kwando Lifestyle Brands, Oukitel Eswatini and Shongwe. When issuing the order, Judge Dlamini noted that the respondents did not file any papers in opposition of the contempt of court application, setting out challenges that made it impossible to comply with the with the order to deliver the car. “…but only unfulfilled promises and undertakings are made,” said Judge Dlamini.
Mtsetfwa’s attorney, Sihlesenkhosi Jele of H.M. Mdladla Attorneys, had applied that the interim order compelling the respondents to deliver the car be made a final order. He argued that the respondents had not filed any answering papers in opposition to the contempt of court proceedings.
“There is an order of court. They are in wilful defiance of the court order. We have over indulged them. To date they have not filed anything. Legally speaking, there is no opposition to the application. They had ample time to file an answering affidavit. May the interim order be made final,” Jele argued.
The respondent’s attorney, Martin ‘Internash’ Dlamini, said he was astounded by Jele’s submissions. He told the court that nine vehicle were imported from China by his clients. One of these vehicles, according to Dlamini, is to be delivered Mtsetfwa.
However, he said in the Republic of South Africa, the cars were embargoed by the South African Revenue Service and the court process to release them is still ongoing. He said Shongwe was still in the neighbouring country, working towards having the cars released. He applied for some more time to attend to the ongoing process in South Africa.
“My approach was to ask that I be allowed to go get the car for the innocent winner. I am asking for another moment. There is an avenue to get the car. The respondent stated that they brought a sponsor to Arts and Culture and they were not the sponsors themselves. I am asking for one moment to the South African court to get the necessary documents as evidence. I am hoping that I will not only come with documents but some ‘substance’,” Martin pleaded with the court.
Judge Dlamini started by giving a brief background of the matter. On October 16, 2024, the court issued an interim order directing the respondents to deliver the motor vehicle to Mtsetfwa. On November 11, Shongwe was in court and, according to Judge Dlamini, made an undertaking to deliver the car by December 15.
“December 15 came and you were in court on behalf of your client. You requested the court to allow you more time to enable the process of registering the car. The court was assured that was the only remaining aspect and that Shongwe was to go to South Africa for that purpose on the following day,” said the judge.
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Oukitel Eswatini Managing Director, Mduduzi Shongwe.