Mafutseni inkhundla petition delivery

We the citizens of Swaziland under the partition, ‘Mafutseni Constituency’, one political prison out of 59 others and 380 cell units called Chiefdoms purposed to divide and rule the citizens of this kingdom for purposes of allegiance, forced labour, servitude, economic manipulation, social and political control. A situation analogous to the pre- independence era. After  considerate scrutiny of the country’s vision 2022, which by the opinion and actions of all technocrats and bureaucrats in the Civil Service of the Country has proven to be elusive. We indigenous people, peasants, man, women, children, the old, feeble, disabled, lame, tall, short, foreign nationals and foreign natural persons, Swazis in asylum, political prisoners, Swazis in diaspora came together to present an outline of requisites for the attainment of the Vision 2022. Your Majesty and  the Government of His Majesty with regards the attainment of Vision 2022, it is essential to understand the fundamental socioeconomic, politico principles and philosophy which buttress such success for almost every nation in the first world which Swaziland or rather eSwatini can be no exception.

Nevertheless we have found it essential to share a breif history of this tiny Political Prison called the Kingdom of eSwatini which gave rise to failure of attainemnt of vision 2022 the vision of His Majesty and the Government in particular and the rest of the Swaz Nation as per the norm;

1. We are Cognizant how the late King Sobhuza II stole the freedoms and civil liberties of all Swazis by repealing the Independence Constitution of  1968 through the Pink Blank Book which was raised by His Majesty in Council as a Proclamation in 1973 vesting all Executive, Legislative and Judicial Powers in Himself not even in the institution of the Monarchy with the assistance of  David Cohen and Robert Stephens.

2. We are Cognizant still, that the 1973 Decree was to be repealed through another Order in Council as was the arrangement not the Prince Mangaliso led Constitutional Review Commission of the 90s. Such renders a political discourse which warrants the legal standing of the Constitution as the Supreme Law of the Land null and void and its legitimacy to  be tested in a competent court of law. However we can never say less about Prince David who forfeited all his political favors and nepotistic benefits by promulgating a Bill of Rights in the 2005 constitution costing him his favour from the Throne.

3. We still have not Forgotten Tinkhundla was pronounced an experiment which its failure would warrant the reinstating of the Independence Constitution. Tinkhundla were mainly created as centers to support and buttress the stimulation of economic growth coupled with the 18 Rural Development Area Programs [RDAP].

4. We are Cognizant that the robust debate brought to the then multi-party legislative chambers after independence by the likes of Ambrose Zwane to scrutinize bill proposals and play oversight to the majority Imbokodvo National Movement government could have yielded great fruits of political maturity to  promulgate sound socioeconomic and political choices by now, but was shun by the dissolution of parliament for a constitutional crisis meant to steal our legitimate authority to govern.

5. We are still very clear why this tiny Kingdom 17 200KM square was partitioned to 380 units called Chiefdoms and 59 called Tinkhundlas and if the population grows, more is to be delimited by the EBC to enhance close monitoring of subjects. This is to promote the spirit of division,and foster political allegiance by the chiefs and traditional gatekeepers who are enslaved by the traditional superstructure to guard and silence dissenting views in each and every sphere of existence, yet they themselves are not salaried but enjoy manipulating their poverty stricken subjects for their own subsistence. It is stark clear that the place you call your  chiefdom is where you are a squatter summoned to weed, pay fines for expressing dissenting views and contribute to the subsistence of the Royal Kraal through stipends and financial contributions… just a resemblance of the colonial tactic of administration of inducing the tax system to force squatters to work in their farms so they could remit tax.

6. We are still very cognizant  that the penalty for disobedience in a Chiefdom is to forfeit your land user rights and resettle after skipping 10 chiefdoms and we all know that by the time that happens one would be in the Indian Ocean. Isn't that not being expelled from your own native land? Where is land tenure security?

7. We are cognizant of the fact that land is a source of social and political control in that it induces allegiance and close monitoring, that's why land is underutilized and the people are trapped in a viscous cycle of poverty at the expense of keeping land as a catalyst for silencing the masses at the expense of peace, justice and affluence.

8. We still watch in dismay as the greatest atrocities and crimes against social well-being are being escalated through grand and petty corruption and the privatization of government public enterprise for private gain by the Ruling Elite. Show us Usutu Pulp, Swazi Cane, Embhiveni, Sugar Corporation under CDC, Swaziland Electricity Board just to mention a few, all privatized and maximizing profit and the question is, ‘ For Who and from Who?’

9. Show us Foreign Direct Investment that's willing to invest in an economy where the political regime is a bomb waiting to explode or an accident waiting to happen. Why are we not attracting enough FDI to bolster employment as a country? Why do we have to hire a public relations company to respond on our behalf on issues of foreign policy and portraying a good image for the country? The answer is, investors are skeptical investing in  politically unsound regimes. It backs the question, will the youth of Swaziland ever will be employed? And the answer is no, because they have a hopeless life of unemployment, degradation and for them to drink and smoke heavily for an early grave is the only option they have. The question is, where is the future of this country?

10. We are cognizant that the economic distribution is skewed in Swaziland with the ruling elite benefiting from the unholy alliance with Multi-National and Transnational Corporations. Lets be clearer here, its a private economy now and all those who will survive should beg like Lauzarus from Divas. Just like those big men who sit next to the Higher Authorities advising lies and deceit as a coping strategy for their survival, someone once called them “Fats Cats” and they are guys who can just make money disappear and say its eaten by the rats for a national justification.

11. Lets remind you, we know our investments as Swazis, They are under the slogan “ A Nation in Progress” having started as Mphungulwane where 10% of a household stock was taken for investment for the purposes of scaling up the economy of Swaziland so that we were not incorporated to the Republic as per the resolution of the Union House between the British & Dutch. Lets congratulate our fathers for such dedication. We called the Fund Lifa Fund and we later amended to a name all encompassing “ Tibiyo TakaNgwane”. That’s why we got recognition in the United Nations as a sovereign state because the  economy was seen with capabilities to sustain the needs of the people. As we observe, it seems a huge group of investment companies now with share holding across the spectrum of the Swazi Economy and outside  though it seems loaded with corrupt lavish spending, off-shore and Swiss accounts which are funded through kleptocracy.

12. We are very much aware that the Ruling Elite and the Big Wigs are a tail that wag the dog in Swaziland. Out of all the country’s Gross National Produce, they benefit 80% of the proceeds yet they are 10% of the total population. And we the masses, proletariat &  lumpen scramble for the 20% of the GNP for survival, yet we are 90% of the total population. Such glaring inequalities has placed the population at brink of  impoverishment where 70% live below the international poverty datum line, youth unemployment at 50% yet they constitute 70% of the total population.

13. We have watched with our own eyes and are witnesses to a salary freeze that has affected decent living standards and down graded the lives of many, with the tax regime not stopping to loot from the purses of the masses and , Small, Micro and Medium Enterprises compelling them to closing shop. With the inflation going high, as the now private Swaziland Electricity Company hiked the price for electricity to collect SZL 2.8 billion in revenues for profit maximization and private gain in the energy sector. Petroleum and Natural Gas has joined the race to loot the purse of the citizens as you analyse the structure of its ownership as the fuel prices hiked, the Swaziland Water Services corporation applied for a tariff hike beginning of this year, making Swaziland one of the hardest places in the world to subsist.  Its not until the Prevention of Organized Crime Act was thrown out by Hosea MP is parliament many swazi illegal cannabis traders would have been disenfranchised a livelihood by now through making way for a undisclosed Multi-National corporation to takeover the cannabis industry and use the Biotechnology Park at Nokwane to process in an unholy alliance with the ruling elite.

14. We are cognizant that the tax payers and businesses are taxed exorbitantly and end up quitting business because Fats Cats can never stop being greedy. If you add 33% Pay As You Earn, 15% Value Added Tax it equals 48%, and an employee only takes home 52% of his gross earnings against the backdrop of extended family members to be sustained. But then does anyone see the equitable redistribution of that wealth? The answer is no but we see after, the government budgeting to construct an Hangar which is a typical expensive parking garage for an Aircraft at a staggering SZL 548 million.

15. Speaking of the most vulnerable citizens, the elderly, disabled they are just shoved into the abyss of deprivation and awaits their indecent death and burial.

16. A brief reminder to the hate speakers who are in the upper echelons of power, Prince Simelane you are not the first one, you disgrace your boss out of ignorance narrow mind and political maturity, we have had the “November 28 Statement”, we have had “Sipakatane”, we have had, “Nalo Lilahle Emhlane”, we have had “ Akuhlalwe Etindvukwini” we have heard “Akukhanywane which political narratives have cost this economy to loose special market Quota preferences in the global market as we lost our benefit in the Generalized System of Preference, if I was your Boss I would send your home as you are attracting trouble for the country’s international reputation and image, now we have “Fight Fire with Fire” thats intellectual bankruptcy at its worst.

17. We cannot talk about this small boy who celebrated the demise of globally renowned trade unionist and political activist Jan Sithole, that boy must be taken to his elders to be scolded as “Unuka Lubisi”. Our culture spells it clear, “You never celebrate the death of a Foe”. He cant cease to be a party pauper now wants an elimination of the Familiy and children of Zweli Dlamini. Be warned stay away from that guy young man.

18. We don’t know how to express our dismay about the Acting Prime Minister Honourable Themba Masuku. You have created a mockery of yourself, its evident we have a constitutional crisis but you are holding on to a sinking ship. Your Boss deserves to fire you. The hate speech you display in your public address the FAO an agency in the United Nations where you used to serve must be ashamed of you. Just motivate  a state of emergency with the higher authorities or resign because its clear you are no visionary for politics as you are faint-hearted, and a hater of truth, God forbid.

19.  Honourable Cruiser Ngcamphalala you have shamed their Majesties, you failed to exercise some little diplomacy or keep you mouth shut should you have known that you have verbal diarrhea in responding to matters of national interest. It never concerned you but that was the duty of Sabelo Dlamini the government spokes person or should we say you are drunk in power? Remember before you are a Minister you are family man who resides in a community.

20. We have watched with dismay the Ruling Elite in its state priorities placing big luxurious hotels and free ways which infrastructure is meant to lavishly ferry, lodge and entertain their  the international friends they make at their never ending global flights and conferences cum spending spree at the expense of the impoverished  Swazis, We have seen price escalation for such capital projects double and sometimes triple from 3 Billion to 6 Billion [Sikhuphe and the ICC], Sicunusa recapitalized yet there is a probe of a SZL 278 million initial budget which went down the drain. The question is, are those running the state apparatus kindergarten kids?

21. We have watched issues of service delivery being overlooked, but then you ask yourself how can such a rigid regime compliment the efforts of the civil service which picket daily lamenting shortage of inputs. But the question is, ‘ If people are still hosting parties in air crafts will we ever see a better Swaziland and the Vision of the King, 2022 or the vision is in rising above the clouds?

22.  If Chiefs and local gatekeepers are still manipulated to coerce us by grabbing Swazi Nation Land to sell, grabbing land from orphans, demanding food from us as poor as we are, this is massive exploitation. But the question is, Why can’t they be paid salaries because they are doing a great job in suppressing and silencing the opinions of Swazis from the strength of collective bargaining in pursuit of common good?

23.  We are quit aware that if a bad thing happens many times it is sometimes mistaken for a norm. The police brutality is unparalleled. But one would not wonder because it seems and its alleged they are used as Hitmen of the State . It is alleged the operation is such that local gate-keepers  submit a list of all people with dissenting views to the status quo. They are included in the Hit list which is executed by the security forces and some people who wear loins skins scouting for dissidents to poison them in drinking sprees called the intelligence. We cannot mention, “Kudliwa timfingo” meaning just disappearance people. If this is true as we have been told, the question is, “Where do we belong? The Hit-list culminating from police brutality is sky-rocketing [Ma- Thousand Ngubani, Noxolo, Thabani,  etc]. Or should we call the police “Eswatini Police Hitmen” [EPH]? Whatever happened to silihawu lembube nesive? God knows why.

Section A

24. Through that brief reminder we petition the three State Apparatus being , Cabinet , Legislature and the Judiciary through our Inkhundla to take cause in seeing our petition see the light of the day and included in the country’s agenda of priorities. We cant rule out the Bureaucracy and the Media in complimenting the state organs to  attain our opined Strategy for Vision 2022.

In summary of the attainment of  Vision 2022 there are fundamentally 3 things to consider:

(a) Reinstating the Independence Constitution;

(b) Repealing  the appointment of the the Prime Minister to be determined by secret ballot, and

(c) Retaining the Institution of the Monarchy as Constitutional Monarchy, it should be noted , an institution not an  individual

Section B

For our Honourable Lady Horward mabuza and your Inkhundla Council here is you petition. You shall work in concert with your Inkhundla Council to make sure the following motions and campaigns are lobbied in parliament;

1. Kindly remind and submit to the Head of Government and Relevant Structures the Preamble of this documents.

2. Move a motion  to find on legal grounds the Current Constitution promulgated in 2005 unconstitutional and illegal which means you have the legal jurisdiction to challenge the current constitution in court, which you shall.

3. Move a motion that the Head of State declare a state of emergency and conducts a referendum to validate the will of the people with regards their governance which are Tinkhundla or reinstating the  independence constitution.

4. Lobby for total revoke or suspension of the Prevention of Organized Crime Act

5. Move a  motion to totally revoke or suspend the Administration Order and Public Order Act of 1951which suppress free speech and association which are legal instruments used to silence Swazi nationals which are inconsistent with the Bill of rights of the current constitution.

6. Move a motion to revoke the Anti Terrorism Act which also suppresses free speech and association.

7. Move a motion to reinstate the Independence Constitution of 1968.

8. Suspend with immediate effect the Cannabis Act.

9. Lobby of the “Bring back  sugar cane farming land to natives at Hlane” lobby parliamentarians.

10. Lobby for this campaign, “ Stop taking land from Madelezini Lawini & Njamaneni for SWADE sugar cane project, let the natives do it themselves”

11. “ Lobby for the, “ Phansi nga SWADE lowemuka bantfu umhlaba alimele bangani bakhe Phansi”.

12.  Lobby all parliamentarians to call for International Sanctions against Swaziland, in the United Nations and other supranational bodies like the AU, SADC, Pan African Parliament, Common Wealth Parliament and other such bodies whatsoever.

13. Sideline Swaziland in any multilateral and bilateral trade agreements, starting with the Southern African Customs Union, then the Republic of China on Taiwan and impose a goods embargo.

14.  Demand public apology from Honourable Themba Masuku, Prince Simelane and Cruiser Ngcamphalala.

15. In the 2020/2021 budget speech government committed to conduct forensic audit on all capital projects which include the Sicunusa-Nhlangano road, FISH/ICC, Mafutseni-Mphandze road to name just a few. We demand that government announces an independent forensic audit firm within 30 working days. Honourable must, within 7 days, move a motion for the conduct of this forensic audit giving government 14 days. Honourable Masuku must report back after 48 days on the motion and that government has indeed the Forensic Audit has begun.

16. Move a motion for the resignation of the NATCOM within 14 workings days for commissioning crimes against humanity in that he commissions the murder of innocent people through the officers of the law.

17. Move a motion to unban political parties and interest groups.

18. Move a motion for the erection of a multi-billion Emalangeni irrigation infrastructure across all Chiefdoms.

19. Move a motion for the central governing of all development programmes from the Inkhundla as a municipality not Royal Kraals which are always rife with desputes and cheap retrogressive politics.

20. Move a motion to strip chiefs the power to allocate land but only to govern land techinacally allocated by the RDAP.

21. Move a motion for the restituion of all privatised public enterprises.

22. Move a motion for the exploitation  and nationalisation of all mineral deposits

23. Move a motion for the restituion of all Tibiyo Taka Ngwane, Tisuka Taka Ngwane entities back to the people as they are public entities.

24. Move a motion to allow unionization of security forces [REPS, UMBUTFO & WARDENS]

25. Move a motion to promulgate a Land Act which allows private ownership of land for natives.

26. Move a motion to release all political prisoners

27. Move a motion to release all 45% private farms to natives

28. Move a motion for  scholarship for students in private tertiaries

29. Move a motion for unemployment benefit for unemployed youth

30. Move a Motion to get rid of Dead Wood in Civil Service and other positions to make way for the Youth

31. Move a motion to increase tertiary student allowances

32. Move a motion to  procudure drugs not wait for donations at Health Facilities 

33. PPE for health care workers

34. Disband Emabandla

35. Stop Assassinating Dissidents

36. Move a motion to employ all qualified graduands

37. Move a motion to increase salaries of civil servangts

38. Move a motion for a more equitable way of redistribution of wealth

39. Move a motion to compensate Umhlanga Victims SZL 500 000 each family 

40. Move a motion for strategies to attract more Foreign Direct Investment

41. Move a motion to stop the land grabbing at Madonsa

42. Move motion to stop the land grabbing at Nkalashane

43. Move a motion to stop the land grabbing at Mangwaneni

44. Move a motion to dismiss NDMA Cheif for Graft of COVID funds

45. Move a motion to stop land grabbing from OVCs by Traditional Authorities

46. Move a motion to construct houses and pay grants for OVCs

47. Move a motion to instate political reforms throught the repealing of the 1973 Decree

48. Move a motion to dismiss Army Commander for suspicion of being a sell out and compromising our national security

49. Move a motion abolish Tinkhundla boundaries to 4 provinces

50 Move a motion to order a forensic audit on 700 Million COVID Donations

51. Move a motion to stop the contsruction of the Hangar

52. Move a motion to procure drugs and vaccines and not the wait for donations

53. Move a motion to reinstate the former student allowances policy

54. Move a motion to award scholarships to students of private tertiaries

55. Move a motion to procure adequate PPE for Health Care Workers

56. Move a motion to disband and abolish the instituions of emabandla

57. Move a motion to stop paying salaries to members of the Royal Family just for the blood that flows in their nerves, they must be employed and earn

58. Move a motion to get rid of the dead wood in the Civil Service to make way for young people.

59. Move a motion for the one man one job in Swaziland

60. Move a motion for the unemplyment benefit for the youth 

61. Move a motion for the Child grants

62. Move a motion for increasing elderley grants to SZL 1000 monthly

63. Move a motion to increase disability grant to SZL 1000 and increase enrolment

64. Move a motion to nationalse and exploit all mineral deposits

65. Move a motion to allocate land using RDA not the disarticulation of settlement patterns done by chiefs

66. Move a motion to abolish the instituion of the chiefs to make way for constituenies to be municipalities

67. Move a motion to allocate all private farms to natives which constitute  45% of the total land area in TDL and Crown land for Commercial Irrigation and Animal Husbandry projects

68. Move a motion to promulgate Land Act with title deeds and abolish Swazi Nationa Land alnd tenure policy

69. Move a motion for the restitution of Tibiyo and Tisuka Taka Ngwane afrom being private entities to public entities as initially.

70. Move a motion for the restituion of all privatised parastatals for the benefit of social re-investment

71. Move a motion to erect a SZL 20 billion five year Irrigation water project  infrastructure development for  the benefit of farmers in Swazi Nation Land

72. Move a motion to impose sanctions and goods embargo on Swaziland if she does not instate democratic reforms

73. Review education curriculum to make international standards and to allow acceptance of our people to international universities directly

74.  Move a motion to dismiss the national commissioner of police for commissioning crimes against humanity 

75. Move a motion for the freedom of unionising of personell of the security forces

76. Move a motion to pay local gate keepers salaries

77. Move a motion to employ staff for constituencies as part of the decentralization process

78. Move a motion to release Mbhedzi and all other political prisoners

80. Reinstate the former fees on the Gvernment Directory of Fees and the current are too expensive. 

81.  And one big question for our MP. With regard the power vested in you by us the electorate as our delegate in parliament Do you favour Tinkhundla or you are Pro-democracy?

Until then Swaziland Remains a failed state!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Section C

The Constituency Petition

Courtesy of the Inkhundla Council we want to continue to see service delivery

1. Clean, portable and safe drinking water for our people

2. Availability of Drugs in all health facilities

3. PPE for our facility health care workers

4. Free education in high school and tertiary as per the constitution

5. Increased social grants for the elderly and a massive role out plan for the disabled.

6. 100% electricity coverage by end of 2022

7. Creation of employment and job opportunities

8. Social and recreational facilities

9. Establishment of more self help schemes

10. Construction of more feeder roads & low level bridges

11. Declaration of Luve shanty town as an urban area

12. Proper waste management in all our shanty towns

13. Installation of Internet [WIFI] in all households

We wait in anticipation for a response which the Council shall furnish us with a date.

Signatures: 

Mafutseni Constituency    Contact the author of the petition