Forged UEDF stamps intercepted

LUDZELUDZE - The army recruitment exercise at Ludzeludze was a dramatic one.

Inkhundla

This is because some aspiring soldiers were caught with forged Umbutfo Eswatini Defence Force (UEDF) stamps, while some of those who qualified were said to be from other constituencies. The spectators were shocked to see an aspiring soldier sprinting alone to the finish line about five minutes after the 3.2km race had started. This was because normally, aspiring soldiers finish the 3.2km race in about 10 minutes.

Indeed, it was found that the aspiring soldier did not reach the turning point (end of 1.6km) and he was disqualified. Later on, when those who reached the turning point returned, they were joined by others who had forged UEDF stamps on their arms.

About eight of them were disqualified and their positions were taken by those who got positions 21 to 28.

These incidents were reported to the inkhundla council and Ludzeludze Constituency Headman Senzo Shongwe confirmed this.

Some concerned community members of Ludzeludze claimed not to know some of the winners. Again, when the Ludzeludze constituency headman was approached, he said everyone could see that most of the people who qualified did not belong to chiefdoms under Ludzeludze Inkhundla. He said this was because of the chief codes in their identity cards (ID). “When they were asked about this during the screening process, they claimed to have taken the IDs from their mothers’ chiefdoms,” he said.

In that regard, he said they were allowed to participate in the recruitment exercise. They ran the 3.2km race, participated in the other physical exercises; jack-knives, push-ups and sit-ups. He claimed that most of those who qualified did not know the chiefs and community headman when they were asked by the members of the army recruitment team.

“As you can see, here are some of them, they are asking me to assist

THOSE WHO QUALIFIED UNDER LUDZELUDZE:

Vusi Shongwe Njabulo Dlamini Sibonelo Zulu Njabulo Masilela Tenkhosi Dlamini Nokulunga Dludlu

them with the names of chiefs and community headmen,” Shongwe said while pointing at some of the aspiring soldier. He said there was nothing they could do with the cheating. He apologised to the army recruitment team for the cheating they witnessed and said they had not sent the children to cheat.

THOSE WHO QUALIfiED UNDER KWALUSENI (FROM L); FIKEVENI DLAMINI (29), LIKHWA CEBE (25), SIMANGA FAKUDZE (24), BHEKISISA KHUMALO (28), SAYINILE MAGONGO (21) AND NOKUBONGA NGWENYA (18).

SIBUSISO ZWANE) (Pics: LUDZELUDZE WINNERS (FROM L) VUSI SHONGWE, NJABULO DLAMINI, SIBONELO ZULU, NJABULO MASILELA, TENKHOSI DLAMINI AND NOKULUNGA DLUDLU.

SOME OF THE OVER 600 ASPIRING SOLDIERS WHO JOINED THE UEDF RECRUITMENT EXERCISE UNDER KWALUSENI YESTERDAY. THEY WERE PICTURED AT THE START OF THE 3.2KM RACE.