‘ Support Bacede, Mthandeni in court’

MBABANE – Si p h o f a n e n i Member o f P a r l i a ment Mduduzi ‘ Gawuzela’ Simelane has called upon all s t akeholders t o s upport the two MPs who have been arrested. The MPs are Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza of Hosea and Mthandeni Dube of Ngwempisi. Their bail hearing was held on Thursday afternoon and ruling was reserved for a date to be allocated by the Registrar of the High Court.

Simelane said the nation must understand that the arrest of the two MPs was on behalf of the people not because of their own selfish reasons.

“The people must know that the arrest of the two MPs is an arrest of the whole nation. Our government is not only trying to silence the two legislators but it is trying to silence the whole nation. My two friends and comrades have their own houses and beds but they are out sleeping in the cells on behalf of the people, therefore the nation must show them moral support when they appear for remand tomorrow,” he said.

The two MPs will appear for remand on Monday ( tomorrow) pending setting of a date for the delivery of a ruling on their bail application.

GROUNDWORK

Simelane said though he has been charged alongside the two MPs, he viewed it as God’s divine plan that he was not arrested when they were apprehended so that he could make sure that the groundwork did not stop. He revealed that there was a lot of work he had to do while the two were in custody to ensure that the struggle and the people were given hope.

He said the nation needed to show the MPs moral support at such a time because it was important that they knew they had their backing.

He further applauded his wife LaZwide for standing with the people at the present time.

“I was excited when I heard LaZwide saying she wanted to attend the march and show support to the arrested MPs and their families. This made me realise that the sacrifice that my brothers had made was not for their own benefit but for the people. I therefore call upon every liSwati whether in the country or in diaspora to support the arrested MPs,” he said.

Simelane said it was not by mistake that the two MPs were arrested but alleged that the system of governance was trying to frustrate the calls for democracy.

“May we all be united and may we all not lose focus in the midst of all the issues that are there. I know that the justice system might play tricks and therefore I want to encourage the people to pray for the incarcerated MPs and to also encourage them,” he said.

He added that the call for change was not only attached to one man but to everyone that had sacrificed his or her life. He said the arrested MPs were not trying to be heroes but were fighting for a democratic government.

Simelane said the arrest of the two MPs showed that the system was very angry and trying to crush every effort to democratise the government.

UNITED AND TACTICAL

“Everyone is playing their role in the struggle and therefore I want the people to understand that for the fight to be won we must be united and be tactical because we are not fighting against mere men but a system that can be brutal,” he added.

Simelane appreciated the MPs for standing up against the system of government and said he understood that it took a lot of courage to be away from your family knowing that they were under threat. Simelane encouraged the MPs to find comfort within them at such a time.

“We are at a point of no return and no form of intimidation or brutality will stop the struggle,” he said.

Simelane added that he had observed that people were starting to be divided because others had lost relatives, some injured and others arrested in the name of the struggle. He said the atmosphere in the struggle had been created on purpose to divide the people and therefore there was a need for wisdom in the fight.