Chinese only bought us suits – MP
MBABANE – Motshane Member of Parliament ( MP) Robert Magongo had a pair of four suits bought for him during the infamous May 2019 visit to Mainland China by five legislators.
The much- talked about visit to Mainland China by the lawmakers was, according to Magongo, arranged by a prominent member of t he royal family. Though the trip took place in 2019, it has been brought back to the limelight of late as many allegations are being made about the visit.
It has been alleged that Prince Thumbumuzi, the son of King Sobhuza II and brother to His Majesty King Mswati III, is the one who ensured that the legislators travelled to the world superpower even though the Kingdom of Eswatini does not have formal diplomatic relations with the Asian country.
Instead, Eswatini has diplomatic relations with the Republic of China, also known as Taiwan, which i s regarded by Mainland China t o be a renegade province. Those that formed part of the trip were Prince Thumbumuzi, Senator Prince Magudvulela, Senator Sylvia Mthethwa, Lobamba MP Marwick Khumalo, Mhlume MP Victor Malambe and Magongo.
SOME ACCOMPANIED BY WIVES
Prince Thumbumuzi and Magudvulela are said to have been accompanied by their spouses during the trip. This was confirmed by Magongo, who also disclosed that they did not receive a single cent from the Chinese during the visit. “There were no gifts but they only bought us suits; they bought me f our suits. We were not given any cash. If there was any cash maybe it was given to Prince Thumbumuzi because he is the one who was facilitating the trip,” he said.
He described the trip as a ‘ family thing’ hence Magudvulela and Thumbumuzi had their spouses travelling with them, while the rest of them travelled by themselves.
Prince Thumbumuzi did not respond to questions t hat were sent t o him on Wednesday t hrough WhatsApp even though the message was read as evidenced by t he blue t i cks. MP Khumalo, meanwhile, wondered why the China trip was being revived now yet it was reported on. He said he did not want to talk about the trip because a lot of what was said about it at the moment was all lies and meant to defame the legislators. He said he did not even want to dwell on the issue of who arranged for the trip to happen but noted that this was meant to divert attention from the real issues being talked about.
Regarding being bought suits, Khumalo said: “I don’t know anything about that; no one bought me any suit. I used my own money to buy for myself. Magongo should talk for himself.” He said the trip to China long happened and whoever wanted to bring it up now was being disingenuous.
Prince Magudvulela and Senator Mthethwa had questions sent to them but the former did not respond to any.
Efforts were also made to call him but his phone rang unanswered. Magudvulela’s wife was contacted from a mobile phone number that was sourced f r om his workplace at t he Umbutfo Eswatini Defence Force ( UEDF) but when the number was called the person who answered it said she was not the prince’s wife but was one Sindi Dlamini.
Truecaller App and the sources as the UEDF insisted that indeed this was her number.
Senator Mthethwa, on the other hand, preferred not to say much on the questions posed. “No comments my son, thanks,” she said when asked about the purpose of the visit; how those that travelled were identified; who approached her about the trip; whether her spouse also travelled; the person who arranged for her visa; the people she met when in China; the things that were discussed in China; whether the Parliament presiding officers were notified about the trip; and whether any money or gifts were given to them by the Chinese.
The same had been asked of Magudvulela. Further questions were asked whether Mthethwa had reported to her constituency, or to His Majesty the King, before and after the trip. To this she responded: “I choose not to comment, thanks.”
Following the trip, the Executive and Legislature, through the then Government Press Secretary Percy Simelane and Speaker Petros Mavimbela, r e s pect i vel y, di s t a nced t hemselves f r om t he legislators’ trip. According to the legislators, the trip was a familiarisation tour and helped them get to know how formal trade relations could be established between the two countries.