By Zweli Martin Dlamini

It is now clear that,at the centre of the ongoing tension in the corridors of power particularly, amid moves to remove Chief Justice(CJ) Bheki Maphalala,is King’s Private Secretary Mbongeni Simelane and Attorney General(AG) Sifiso Mashampu Khumalo.

Mashampu and Mbongeni who happen to be close friends, are allegedly operating King Mswati with a political ‘remote control’ and this is very dangerous for the country.

No individual must know what King Mswati is thinking because that person stands to be more powerful and mess-up this country and its decisions.

Mswati is an absolute Monarch and some of his loyalists are taking decisions on his behalf and in the process, lies are being used to influence the King to advance corrupt agendas.

Mbongeni Simelane was entrusted by the King as his Private Secretary but seemingly, he is spying the same King for Mashampu and other powerful individuals including Kareem Ashraff.

It’s hard now for emaSwati to approach the King to appeal certain decisions through “kwembula ingubo” because even if the King’s Protocol Officers could communicate the King’s order, the Attorney General(AG) would defy those orders saying “ngisetawuhamba ngiyoyibonga eNkhosini le-order” and that would be the end and a systematic way to defy King Mswati. 

“Kubonga i-order eNkhosini” might take even ten(10) years or more and, AG Sifiso Khumalo and Mbongeni Simelane, are playing this political game knowing very well that it’s hard to meet the King and when asked by the King why his order was defied, they would just say “besisamele kutobonga eNgwenyameni, nekuva kutsi vele kubhodle lona mbamba yini Libhubesi”.

Percy Simelane,the King’s Spokesperson made a very diplomatic and mature comment in the matter involving the Chief Justice, he advised Bheki Maphalala to approach King Mswati to confirm if indeed, an order directing him to resign was issued.

Even if it might be clear that,Mswati issued the order as the delay in the appointment of the Judicial Service Commission(JSC) has been attributed to such, the involvement of the Attorney General Sifiso Khumalo in all this suggests that we must keep our eyes wide open.

Chief Justice Bheki Maphalala must be removed amid allegations of corruption but, if I were to choose between Bheki Maphalala and AG Sifiso Mashampu Khumalo, the current Chief Justice is a far better ‘devil’.

Mswati was long isolated, his orders are no longer taken seriously because these syndicates would just say “sitawuhamba siyoyibonga le-order” and this is the most systematic and diplomatic way to defy the King.

Mswati’s loyalists have mastered a diplomatic way to defy him and influence decisions in this country, at the end, the blame is shouldered by the King.

Even if the King wanted to remove Chief Justice Bheki Maphalala, I don’t think he wanted this to be done in a manner that will humiliate the CJ, King Mswati doesn’t operate like that and I’ve been analyzing how he plays his political cards in such situations.

One day King’s Percy Simelane was at the Filling Station next to Gables, he was with Mbongeni Simelane and Ntsika Fakudze among others.

Mbongeni Simelane questioned Percy Simelane why he was responding to the Swaziland News, in fact he said “manje sosidlise lani ngoba besesicedzile ngalomfana, somphendvulelani lo-Zwemart?”.

Mbongeni Simelane being the King’s Private Secretary was unhappy that, the King “has a Spokesperson who now clarify his issues and communicate information so that his side of the story could be heard”.

What kind of a Private Secretary who is against the clarification of information from a Head of State so that, the public could receive confirmed, accurate and verified information about the King?.

It’s almost impossible now to lie and communicate a ‘King’s order’ that was cooked somewhere because as journalists, we will confirm that with King Mswati through his Spokesperson.

Mswati knows why he employed a Spokesperson and, that Mbongeni Simelane was among those who wanted to see the King subjected to criticism without his side of the story being heard suggests that, the Private Secretary is dangerous to Mswati.

Whether one hates or support the Chief Justice, the law is clear on how to remove the Head of the Judiciary, the Attorney General is not the absolute authority in this country.

Even during elections and the appointment of emaBandla, those appointments used to be announced by the Chairman of the Elections and Boundaries Commission(EBC) because elections and appointments fall within the jurisdiction of the Elections and Boundaries Commission.

But the Attorney General and his Private Secretary grabbed those powers, the AG is now the Deputy King and Mswati is fast becoming a ‘micky mouse’ King.

In all this, Mbongeni Simelane normally leaks information on the list of appointees before the announcement so that the two(2) can cash money from those who aspire to be appointed before the announcement of emaBandla the State Intelligence is free to verify this information.

The law must be followed in the process of removing the Chief Justice but if Mswati is considering appointing Mashampu as the next CJ despite the fact that Khumalo never practiced as a Judge, then he must know that, he is opening a ‘Ruchi Wholesalers’ where the rich and powerful will buy justice, Mashampu is an alleged mafia.

I am totally against the conduct of the current Chief Justice but despite his corrupt weakness, he is far better than Mashampu.

One day I was at the Cabinet Offices after attending a press conference, we were addressed by the late Prime Minister(PM) Dr Sibusiso Barnabas Dlamini.

When it was time to eat, the Attorney  General(AG) called me saying “buya sitohlala lapha ye-Dlamini” and I congratulated him following his appointment as the AG.

I even said; “sibonga kutsi this time iNkhosi ibeke umuntfu lomusha as the Attorney General”. 

But as I gained experience in the field of journalism and understanding the game of power, I then came to realize that the position of the Attorney General is not for ‘boys’, that position is central and influential in the governing structures of this country.

It must be occupied by a matured elderly person who will advise King Mswati and the Government with honesty and integrity.

Our country is now without the Judicial Service Commission and I know these syndicates are ‘roasting’ the King with lies for their own selfish interests.

But Mswati will learn a lesson in all this, it was wrong for him to surround himself with corrupt syndicates.