‘Soldier shot me without warning’
PIGG’S PEAK – Without warning, a loud bang and sharp pain in his thigh are the only things that made Mbabane Dlamini realise that he had been shot.
Dlamini is a resident of an area known as Lufafa, under Hhelehhele.
The shooting is said to have happened on July 1, 2022, at around 10pm while Dlamini was walking home with some friends. He claims he was shot by a soldier who did not give him any warning. He is currently admitted to the Pigg’s Peak Government Hospital for treatment of the injury he sustained.
Dlamini said he was returning home from accompanying some of his friends who had been smuggling dagga into South Africa. He said after the others had managed to cross into the neighbouring country, he returned with the others.
Attack
He said as they were walking, not far from his home, he heard a loud bang, and as a result the others fled, fearing that they were under attack. He said it was then that he realised he had been shot. He said he tried to call for help and the soldier who had allegedly shot him arrived with some people.
“They then realised that I was one of the residents and assisted me,” he said. However, he said he was only provided with a stick that he had to use to help him walk for about two kilometres. From there, he was then put in a vehicle and taken to the Pigg’s Peak Police Station, but when they got there, the police officers asked the soldiers to take him to the hospital instead. He said the police said they could only record a statement from him at the hospital since he was injured.
He then revealed that the soldiers took him to the hospital and that on Sunday, July 3, 2022, the police arrived to record statements from him. He said he was now recovering because a doctor had assured him that he would be discharged from hospital by Friday.
Dlamini said he was saved by his cellphone, which was in his back pocket. He said the pockets were slightly lower and that he had his cellphone there. He said he was shot from behind and the bullet pierced his cellphone and then his thigh. He was shot in the left leg.
Traumatised
He further revealed that the situation had left his two grandchildren traumatised because they were alone inside his house.
He said his wife was away, as she had asked to go to her home to fulfil a certain commitment. He said he was not sure how the grandchildren were surviving, because he had not been able to communicate with other relatives since his cellphone was damaged by the bullet.
Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Superintendent Phindile Vilakati, confirmed that the matter had been reported to the police on the day it occurred.
A message was also sent to the Umbutfo Eswatini Defence Force (UEDF) Public Affairs Officer 2nd Lieutenant Tengetile Khumalo for a comment on the circumstances that led to the alleged shooting of Dlamini.
She responded that she would have to find out. A response had not yet been received at the time of compiling this article.