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SITEKI – Former King’s Liaison Officer (Ndabazabantu) Makholokholo Khumalo has paid a E600 fine for evicting a widow from her marital home.
This he paid to Bulandzeni Chief Ndlaluhlaza Ndwandwe after a 50-year-old widow in her mourning gown was allegedly chased away from her marital home situated at KaNdzangu area under Mpolonjeni Chiefdom.
According to the Ndabazabantu Court Clerk, Abraham Zibonele Ginindza, cultural principles in Swazi Law and Customs were applicable in such incidents.
Ginindza said it was a taboo for a woman in mourning to be evicted from her marital home, hence his office had to make sure that a fine was paid to seek for forgiveness from the chief, who is also the Minister of Public Works and Transport.
Ginindza said the widow, Thoko Mndzebele (Nee Sithole) was allegedly evicted by her late husband’s children.
He went on to explain that the widow’s husband married Thoko in Swazi Law and Custom and went on to pay dowry to the Mndzebele family at Bulandzeni but unfortunately she was barren.
Chief
The clerk said they dealt with the matter in June this year whereby his office paid the fine and further instructed Thoko, who was in the company of Mantji Maphaka, a Community Police Member and Majalimane Msibi, Chiefdom Runner (Umgijimi), who had been sent by the chief to enquire about the matter and further assist the widow return to her parental homestead at Bulandzeni for her safety.
He added that it was established during the submissions made by Thoko that her late husband had retired and had no money to build her a new home, hence he married her and they moved into his late wife’s homestead, which agitated the children.
“The children were called and they told the office that their father married his new wife and moved into the home hence they were against this. It is unfortunate that this incident took place after the demise of their father. She was advised to remain at her parental home while the matter was still being dealt with at traditional level,” said Ginindza. Bulandzeni Chiefdom Runner Majalimane said Thoko was still in her mourning gowns at her parental home at Bulandzeni.
Cleansed
He said according to Swazi Law and Custom, a woman should be cleansed after mourning her husband but Thoko had not been able to honour that tradition due to the pending matter at her matrimonial home.
“Chief Ndlaluhlaza sent us to the office of ndabazabantu to enquire about this matter after Thoko was chased away from her matrimonial home by her husband’s children. The office paid E600 to the chief as a fine for this incident and instructed us to accompany Thoko back to her parental home for safety purposes while the matter was still being discussed,” he said.
Called about the incident, Thoko alleged that being unable to conceive children was the main reason that prompted her late husband’s children to chase her away.
Deputy Prime Minister’s Office Communications Officer Mihla Khumalo condemned the act and further advised the widow to visit the Social Welfare office closer to her area so that she could be assisted on the matter.