300 youth wanted for underground military

MB A B A N E – E m a S w a t i are being called for recruitment by an alleged underground military agency for training in a country outside the borders of the kingdom.

The recruiter who uses social media platforms Facebook and WhatsApp, said the exercise targeted young men between the ages 17- 30 years and that the aim was to get 300 of them. He further alleged that the sought after men would add to an already existing contingent of recruits.

Eswatini News got hold of the recruiter and asked him about the uptake of the military training and the funding behind it, but he vehemently refused to divulge the funding details. “This is not how we operate. First and foremost I don’t even know if you are really a journalist or one of the security forces. The information you seek is highly classified,” he said.

He said he could, however, state that the first group of trainees was now almost complete with their training and on their way back to Eswatini.

AFRAID

He divulged that he was afraid that if he gave more details on the operation’s location, it may eventually land in the wrong hands. For that reason he did not want to state the exact number of men in the first group , he claimed were now returning fully trained.

In the banner promoting the re

A picture circulating on social media, which is accompanied by a wording, calling for emaSwati young men aged between 17 and 30 to register for military training. It could not be established where the picture was taken and whether these men have enlisted for military training. cruitment and training exercise, description whether it’s just a there is a group of young men marketing gimmick or some of raising clenched fists, though no the young men who have taken up the training exercise.

One of the pictures was taken in one of the country’s police

stations, which is shown by the colour of the buildings ( white and blue high gates).

Other pictures were taken in front of buses, while the background is just wilderness. The men are wearing their plainclothes as well as COVID- 19 protective face masks.

Some of the social media followers who were excited with the development even divulged details to the effect that the training was allegedly being held within the country’s neighbouring South Africa and Mozambique.

A member of a Facebook group wrote: “We need a military wing of the political parties, singene ( and go) underground and show these guys flames.”

BRUTALITY

The recruitment exercise follows weeks of social media claims and assertions that those clamouring for political reforms were now frustrated with the alleged brutality meted by the army and the police and now intended to retaliate. Political parties have been mentioning their intention for military struggle in several statements released for the public through their social media platforms.

The Economic Freedom Fighters ( EFF) issued a statement this week demanding the release of the pro- democracy Members of Parliament Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza and Mthandeni Dube.

The party said the arrest of the two was a direct provocation of the masses. “We call upon our people in Swaziland ( Eswatini) to be combat ready to fight against these unlawful arrests. Let us all go to prison for this. Fighters, from tomorrow we

fight for the release of these MPs and further demand the release of our MPs,” the statement reads as issued by national Spokesperson Siphelele Nkomondze.

EFF’s Julius Malema also went on record this week, saying his party was willing to assist emaSwati with everything they need as they press for political reforms. Some people who reacted to this on Facebook urged leaders of the calls for democracy to ask for military- related assistance from Malema.

The People’s United Democratic Movement Spokesperson Brian Sangweni, said it was not among those gearing for military strategy because its policies

propose for a peaceful and all- inclusive negotiated settlement.

He said this document published in 1992 is titled ‘ The Way Forward. Towards a Constituent Assembly’. “We have been, therefore, waging the struggle guided by this peaceful approach because we believe that we cannot seek peace through violent means. Despite our peaceful approach, the government persisted to confront our legitimate call with violence, arrest and killing of our comrades,” he said.

KILLING

Sangweni said PUDEMO, despite their peaceful approach towards the movement, had been displeased with the killing of

members and continued State violence which had shifted the ground. “The need to defend ourselves will not be hesitated if the government continues to brutalise us. We are thinking long and hard about it at this stage. We know the undesired implications it will have on the country, the region and the continent at large.”

He said PUDEMO had since made a call for swift intervention of international bodies on the current state of terror, which he said was driven by the government. “To take up arms is not our desired route to liberation, but we cannot be killed just like that without retaliation of that nature if the violent approach of the government remains unabated,” Sangweni said.

Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Senator Thuli Dladla, who is also the Minister of Defence said she could not comment on the issue because her office deals with official matters between governments. “It is the police who are best positioned to comment on this,” she said.

Deputy Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Inspector Nosipho Mnguni said it would be difficult for the police to comment because the issue of the military training had not reached her office.

Public Relations officer of the Umbutfo Eswatini Defence Force ( UEDF) Tengetile Khumalo also said the army would not commit itself on the issue. “The training of individuals falls outside our area of concern and influence, therefore, we would not commit ourselves on the issue,” she said.