... over 5 000 attend
SIPHOFANENI – 1umbers have always been the centre oI attention in 03 /a=wide¶s thanksJivinJ celebration aIter she was Iorced to move out oI the inkhundla centre as authorities anticipated a huJe crowd
,t turned out that over 5 000 people attended the event, which was marred by controversy and conflict between the 6iphoIaneni 0ember oI 3arliament 03 /a=wide, whose real name is 1omalunJelo 6imelane and the /ubombo 5eJional $dministrator Themba 0sibi
0sibi and 6imelane played a back and Iorth IollowinJ an order issued by 0sibi, directinJ 6imelane to postpone her thanksJivinJ Irom 6eptember 3, 2022 to any date aIter 6eptember 11, 2022 6imelane chose 6eptember 17 yesterday only to be told by 0sibi, that since she had invited a lot oI people, she could not have the event at the inkhundla centre which has a capacity oI 2 000 people The event eventually happened yesterday at *od¶s *race 0iracle 3oint ,nternational in 3hu]amoya, which was an alternative venue
The event kicked-off at about 11:30am with award-winninJ *ospel artist 6cara 0a]iya 0a]iya set the tone Ior the day with a scintillatinJ perIormance, as other biJ artists such as 6hiba and Travellers, 6iphumelele 0bambo and 0 1ation Iollowed suit 0ore people arrived as the day went by and the numbers clearly increased Irom an estimated 00 at noon, to almost 3 000 by 2:30pm and estimated over 5 000 by 5pm The proJramme director Ior the day was 6wa]iland /iberation 0ovement 6:$/,02 6pokesperson, Thanta]a 6ilolo and he had a touJh time controllinJ the enerJetic audience as they occasionally sanJ struJJle sonJs
6peakinJ durinJ the event, /a=wide thanked the people oI 6iphoIaneni and all those who attended the event Ior makinJ it possible 6he hiJhliJhted that it was not easy as they had to make a lot oI chanJes, but they were JrateIul that it worked out Ior the Jood
³:hen , am lookinJ at the number oI people in the venue and how you all arrived saIely and have been at your best behaviour , realise that you actually love me , want to assure you that , love you all and , want to Iurther thank the leadership oI the church Ior openinJ up the premises and allowinJ me to have my event here ,t worked Ior the Jood that we moved to a place oI prayer and peace and thereIore , want to applaud you Ior makinJ it despite the many chanJes,´ she said
ENCOURAGED
/a=wide Iurther introduced one oI her Juests, +lobisile 'lamini Irom the 6wa]iland $ction *roup $Jainst $buse 6:$*$$ who encouraJed the 03 to remain truthIul to herselI and her own callinJ as a leader 6he said the 03 does not owe anyone anythinJ and was in 3arliament as a member who had her own mandate to Iollow
³:e are here to show our support to the 03 and to assure her that as a woman she does not owe anyone Ior her position The only thinJ she needs to take care oI is the mandate she has received Irom the people oI this area 6he is not in 3arliament to fill any quota just because she is a woman and she does not owe the world any e[planation and should she Iollow any ideoloJy 6he is there as a person and we want to assure her oI our support as women and that we will be cheerinJ her on in everythinJ she does in the house,´ said 'lamini
The crowd was Iormulated mostly by members oI 6:$/,02 and the national leadership oI the orJanisation was also present durinJ the event 6peakinJ on behalI oI the orJanisation which was Iormed by /a=wide¶s husband 0dudu]i µ*awu]ela¶ 6imelane, 'eputy 6ecretary *eneral '6* *iIt 'lamini said they were proud oI /a=wide as a member oI the orJanisation and wiIe to their president
³:e could not have asked Ior anyone better than the 03 and throuJh her we will be demonstratinJ to the world that the real democracy is Iound in 6:$/,02 :e have created a mandate that we want to share with her and Jive her as she Jo to the +ouse oI 3arliament
³There are so many thinJs that are very important to the people we want to hiJhliJht that as she Jo to 3arliament, let the issue oI increasinJ the minimum waJe and the elderly Jrant be her priority
³:e want her to Iurther push the issue oI Iree education that it must not end at primary school because it does not add any value in the lives oI the pupils,´ said 'lamini
The event was Jraced by a number oI *ospel artists such as *cina 0asuku and '- /olo, who kept the audience dancinJ Ior the better part oI the day