Security forces deployed in march against ‘violent guards’
MANZINI - Soldiers, polices officers and warders were deployed as Mahawini residents marched to demand the removal of security guards of Richmond Estate.
This follows allegations that the guards are violent against community members.
The residents of Mahawini, an area which is opposite Ngwavuma Army Barracks under Lubulini Constituency in the Lubombo Region, alleged that some of the farm’s security guards tortured and threatened to kill community members on claims that they were stealing cattle from the farm. They alleged that last week, the farm’s security personnel assaulted two community members, who also worked on the same farm. In their claims, they said the security guards assaulted one of the community members in a forest within the farm until he fainted. Later, they claimed that the guards called the other community member as if he was wanted by their employer. However, they bundled the unsuspecting worker into their car and drove into one of the thick forests on the farm.
Confess
They claimed that in the forest, they assaulted him with sticks and sjamboks and ordered him to confess to stealing cattle from their employer. They said the employee refused to confess and later on, the guards tied his hands and legs and threw him into water, which the cattle drank. “Still, he refused to confess, because he did not steal the cattle. Thereafter, the security guards dragged him on the ground to a tree, where they threatened to hang him. However, they said their plan was disrupted by another worker who saw them,” the residents claimed.
They alleged that at that time, the man was unconscious and they left him under the tree. After this incident, the residents then petitioned the farm owner on Saturday. In the petition, they highlighted that they were concerned about some security guards, who were assaulting community members and threatening to kill and burn them.
Therefore, they said as a community, they demanded that the implicated security guards should be removed from the farm with immediate effect. They also demanded a meeting with the farm owner yesterday at 8am.
As per their demand to meet the farm owner, yesterday morning the community members marched to the farm, but were stopped by armed police officers and warders along the way. However, they managed to force their way into the farm and later on, a group of armed members of the Umbutfo Eswatini Defence Force (UEDF) arrived.
According to one of the community members, Mhlomelo Mamba, who is also a member of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) of Swaziland, they had a confrontation with the soldiers and some of them were allegedly assaulted by the military men. He added that when they were inside the farm, the members of the State security organs drew a line and threatened to shoot anyone who would cross it. He said the management of the farm asked to arrange another day for the meeting, as the farm owner was stuck in South Africa because of the shutdown, which was staged by the EFF.
Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Superindendent Phindile Vilakati said the residents had complaints about the security guards as they had also apprehended some people whom they believed were linked to theft cases on the farm and they handed them over to the police. However, she said the people were later released because there was no concrete evidence. She highlighted that the investigations were still ongoing.
On another note, she said since the farm owner was not available yesterday, the police managed the situation and communicated with him while in South Africa. She said the owner of the farm promised to address the residents.