IB Dlamini Badlala emadlwane says IB in startling revelations
MBABANE – Suspended former Secretary General (SG) of the People’s United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO), Bonginkosi IB Dlamini has laughed off his suspension.
In his own words, Dlamini said ‘badlala emadlwane’ meaning the National Executive Committee (NEC) of PUDEMO was just playing kiddies games.
He said he was the founding member of the organisation and, therefore, was not going to be pushed around by the current leadership. He accused the Mlungisi Makhanya led NEC of illegitimately holding office and being vindictive. Some of the allegations mentioned by Dlamini cannot be repeated without tangible evidence.
He likened the current leadership to an infected, malnourished child picked from the streets but grew up to claim the house from its original owner. “I am a co-founder of PUDEMO. I served PUDEMO for 23 years. I am the longest serving Secretary General. I served in every position from branch chairman, regional chairman and served in many other roles.
“I grew PUDEMO. I made PUDEMO a fighting force. We held rallies in every town of Swaziland (now Eswatini). PUDEMO was feared by the Royal family and State. The people respected PUDEMO. Look at PUDEMO in the 1990s, 2000s and look at PUDEMO today. Tell me what you see. Personally, I cannot recognise the movement. Can they silence the voice of reason for telling the truth; No. What are they doing then by this so called suspension; badlala emadlwane,” he said.
He said according to his view, it would be difficult to give these students the scholarships provided by international partners, because they are full-time scholarships, yet most of these students were either halfway through their courses or almost through.
Buthelezi said this after he was informed that some were contemplating requesting government to give them priority on scholarships such as the one that was offered by the Government of India recently.
The minister said, “No one will be given special favours when it comes
He said the suspension meant nothing to him and he was not going to bother himself with it because he was too dedicated to the struggle to concentrate on petty fights. Dlamini said he was not afraid to speak his mind and threatened to give more information with evidence to back up his allegations against the leaders of the organisation
“What does it mean that PUDEMO has suspended me? In law, can PUDEMO suspend anyone? Can you ask legal people on this one? What does it mean to suspend me? Is this a legitimate leadership? I hear they are fraudulently in office. I hear they stole the elections in the last congress by coming to the congress with a new constitution. I am told they used the unapproved constitution to usher themselves into power. Can an illegitimate structure take a legitimate decision, including suspending someone? I will give you names of people who were present in that conference, who will tell you the shenanigans that took place there,” he elaborated.
SABOTAGE CLAIMS
He further said the current SG of the organisation, Wandile Dludlu, was assigned on a mission to convince him to hand over the organisation in Diaspora and he refused. Dlamini accused the current leadership of using underhanded tactics to dominate and control the struggle.
Dludlu when called to clarify the matter said Dlamini was lying and mixing facts. He said the meeting that was scheduled was only based on his appointment as a PUDEMO envoy in West Africa. The Times SUNDAY is in possession of his appointment letter. to such. Unfortunately, the Ministry of Labour and Social Security is not privy to the matter because it was not involved when the students were sent away.
EDUCATION MINISTRY IN DARK
The Minister of Education and Training Lady Mabuza said her ministry was not the one handling the issue of the students.
“We have not even met with the students to discuss the issue ever since they returned. Besides that, scholarships are granted by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security and not us.”
“PUDEMO secretariat met IB together with other PUDEMO members in South Africa late last year to ask them including him to help them understand what work we were asking them to do for the struggle. IB happily agreed and served in that team headed by International Affairs Commission. On the meeting and outside we never spoke about his EUD, it’s common for members of PUDEMO to belong to various other platforms it’s not IB alone, as such PUDEMO leadership cannot be intimidated by such honestly. Personally I’ve never met IB to speak about his EUD, and for the record, I don’t know them, It was until this year where, out of the blue, IB started attacking us as leaders of PUDEMO over scandalous claims on online platforms and social media spaces which we totally have no background of,” he said.
Dludlu further elaborated that after PUDEMO warned IB of his attacks, he wrote a letter of apology which stated that he was retracting all statements which had insults and were casting aspersion to the leadership of the organisation. He stated in the letter that he was apologising for the sake of PUDEMO.
We also have the letter of apology in our possession. “PUDEMO being the ever patient organisation, the NEC accepted his apology and moved on. A few months later, IB attacks us again over more or less the same claims he apologised for. PUDEMO has officially suspended him and as such I won’t speak further for that may pre-empt the case. As secretariat one had to clarify the question asked,” he added.
Mabuza said if the students had any suggestions or concerns to raise, they should visit her ministry for talks.
Effort to get comment from Minister Dladla did not succeed.
Dladla was instrumental in facilitating the students’ return and she was communicating with them on a regular basis even while they were still in Ukraine.
When they returned, she hosted a luncheon and invited some of them and their parents as a sign of welcoming them home.
Students who had their views on the Ukraine war publicised include Vukile Dlamini, who was in her second year in the field of medicine, Siphesihle Dlamini who was about to complete her second year in medicine and Nontobeko Mdluli who was in her fifth year in medicine, after having been admitted in 2017.
Mdluli had completed her electronic engineering degree at the University of Eswatini (UNESWA).
The war between Russia and Ukraine started with a Russian military build-up on the Russia–Ukraine border from late 2021, a conflict that expanded significantly when Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022.
Although statistics reported on the war often vary, the latest official numbers published by Russia’s Defence Ministry confirmed 1 351 deaths on March 25. “Western intelligence services have placed Russian losses between 7 000 and 15 000, even as Ukrainian officials have claimed much higher totals,” a report states.