SFDF member’s family wants REPS to lead funeral
We’ll bury Simhle - REPS
MBABANE – The family of the late Simhle Fakudze, who was a member of political party Swazis First Democratic Front (SFDF), want the REPS to take charge of her funeral.
Fakudze, who was a police recruit at the time of her death, will be buried tomorrow morning at KaBhejisa in Hlatikhulu, after a vigil today.
She died in an accident that happened along Mkhondvo Road last Saturday, while on board a vehicle she had hitched a ride in.
Two other people she was travelling with also lost their lives, while one is recovering at a local hospital.
Fukudze’s mother, Lindiwe, stated that they had requested SFDF members to step aside and allow the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) to take over the funeral.
Confirmed
She confirmed that she communicated the message to the SFDF members, who arrived at her homestead on Wednesday, to mourn the passing of her daughter.
A relative also alleged that members of the party were ordered not to attend the funeral. He alleged Lindiwe was made to choose between REPS and the party and she chose the former.
SFDF President Busi Mayisela, stated that it was true that they faced challenges when they went to grieve at the Fakudze homestead.
Mayisela said they were told that they were not welcome, as police had allegedly made it clear that if they were allowed, such would be a recipe for confusion.
The president stated that they were given an alternative; to not wear their party regalia if they insisted on attending the funeral. Mayisela said there was a possibility that Fakudze’s mother was not aware of the deceased’s affiliation. Such, she said was bound to happen among families. “It is an individual choice to take into conscience the rights of emaSwati and their suffering.” She said Simhle chose to fight for the rights of emaSwati by joining their organisation.
Mayisela further stated that they were mobilising their comrades and all the mass democratic movement (MDM) society to attend the funeral. She said there was no liSwati who was barred
MBABANE – “We will bury Simhle as she was a confirmed police trainee.”
The above statement was shared by the Deputy Chief Police Information and Communications Officer, Inspector Nosipho Mnguni.
Mnguni said what was done to police officers who died would be done for Simhle.
from joining their organisation even when occupying a Cabinet post or was a police officer, soldier, civil servant or a teacher.
According to Mayisela, the issue of democracy was not for a chosen few but all emaSwati.
Supporting
She stated that there were a lot of people who were supporting them and calling them already, adding that there was some form of discrimination at work when employers discovered one’s political affiliation. Mayisela said they were hoping that all emaSwati would turn up and comrade Simhle be buried in a dignified manner.
Meanwhile, the death of Simhle raised eyebrows regarding the vetting process of the police service.
It is known that people who are affiliated to political parties are not recruited to the country’s security forces and this was said in various quarters.
At the time when REPS started the recruitment exercise for aspiring officers, the aspirants were told that there would be a vetting exercise to ensure that only those who qualified and met the criterion of the police service would be recruited.
However, it would seem that one person, at least for now, managed to slip through the vetting process.