MANZINI – Assaulted Green Mamba official Lawrence ‘Tsiki’ Mncina has reacted to the disturbing incident. Mncina, who recently pulled the plug on his illustrious career spanning over a decade and a half, is the official who was attacked by some Mbabane Swallows marshals and fans during the epic MTN Premier League clash played at Mavuso Sports Centre, two days ago.  Swallows won 1-0. After retirement, late last year; he assumed an administrative role at Green Mamba.Narrating the ordeal, he shared that he was among Green Mamba officials sitting at the allocated area next to the tunnels, when he stood up in a bid to relay a message to team Trainer Mbuso Gina, who was with the substitutes. “As I stood up, one of the Swallows marshals followed me and I explained that I needed to communicate with Gina, which is part of my administrative duties in the team. I’m more...

MBABANE – At least five members of a Ndzabukelwako family and a neighbour at Mantabeni, under Siphocosini Constituency, were brutally attacked by six unknown knife-wielding people. The assailants, who are suspected to be members of a gang around the area, were also armed with an iron rod and a pellet gun. They are said to have demanded money before stabbing and hacking the Ndzabukelwakos. The victims suffered varying degrees of stab wounds, with one individual sustaining as many as six. The assailants fled with approximately E1 500 in cash and valuable items, including cellphones and a laptop. The victims were transported to Mbabane Government Hospital, where four of them were treated and discharged. Two victims are still hospitalised due to the severity of their injuries. According to initial reports, the assailants broke into the family’s home around midnight, threatening the occupants with violence that unless they handed over cash, they...

MANZINI – Over E8 billion will have to be footed by taxpayers over the upcoming years, as government has been less prudent in its expenditure. The capital projects, which have seen the taxpayers having to pay additional amounts, include the construction of the Mbadlane – Manzini Public Road, Sicunusa–Nhlangano Public Road, International Convention Centre and the Five Star Hotel. They also include various amounts, which have been paid for projects such as the rehabilitation of the National Handicraft Training Centre (NHTC) and Co-operative Development Training Centre (CODEC). There is also the rehabilitation of a factory shell that is currently not serving its intended purpose.The highway connects the two cities (Mbabane and Manzini) of the country to King Mswati III (KMIII) International Airport at Sikhuphe, in the Lubombo Region and it is about a 30 kilometres (km) highway road, which is divided into two lots. Lot One starts near Moneni and...

MBABANE – Shocker! Mourners were left reeling from shock after a man was stabbed to death at a funeral at Mbuluzi yesterday morning. The shocking incident unfolded at around 7am, when the mourners were making their way to the burial site to lay to rest Norman ‘Panga’ Mavimbela, who was employed in the Ministry of Tinkhundla Administration and Development. Mavimbela died on Saturday, October 19, reportedly under mysterious circumstances while at one of the local drinking spots around Mbabane.Mavimbela was buried yesterday at his parental home at Mbuluzi, where the murder incident took place.The deceased was staying at his other home at Gobholo when he met his death. The man who was stabbed at Mavimbela’s funeral was identified as Mduduzi ‘Mdamara’ Vilakati (35) of Msunduza. Stabbed He was stabbed next to one of the B3 Funeral Services vehicles that were ferrying Mavimbela’s body to the graveyard. Vilakati had been in...

MBABANE – Shocker! Mourners were left reeling from shock after a man was stabbed to death at a funeral at Mbuluzi yesterday morning. The shocking incident unfolded at around 7am, when the mourners were making their way to the burial site to lay to rest Norman ‘Panga’ Mavimbela, who was employed in the Ministry of Tinkhundla Administration and Development. Mavimbela died on Saturday, October 19, reportedly under mysterious circumstances while at one of the local drinking spots around Mbabane. Mavimbela was buried yesterday at his parental home at Mbuluzi, where the murder incident took place. The deceased was staying at his other home at Gobholo when he met his death.The man who was stabbed at Mavimbela’s funeral was identified as Mduduzi ‘Mdamara’ Vilakati (35) of Msunduza. Stabbed He was stabbed next to one of the B3 Funeral Services vehicles that were ferrying Mavimbela’s body to the graveyard. Vilakati had been...

MBABANE – Mduduzi ‘Gawuzela’ Simelane has explained why Bheka Magagula’s last words ‘could be’ truthful. He said Magagula, in his last words, said a certain strongman (name withheld) within the Mass Democratic Movement (MDM) dispatched people to kill him. The exiled former Siphofaneni MP made it clear that he did not mean that Magagula’s final words ‘are truthful’, but ‘could be truthful’. As he was listening to the different versions about his murder, Simelane said he recalled that it was not the first time for  the deceased to have been in that situation. In a video clip accessed by this newspaper, the former lawmaker narrated that Magagula was speaking from what he experienced, at some point, when he and others were allegedly instructed by a certain leader within the MDM to kidnap Muzi Mnisi, who is presently in jail in Eswatini. Mnisi and Sibusiso Nxumalo were arrested by the police...

MBABANE – Mduduzi ‘Gawuzela’ Simelane has explained why Bheka Magagula’s last words ‘could be’ truthful. He said Magagula, in his last words, said a certain strongman (name withheld) within the Mass Democratic Movement (MDM) dispatched people to kill him. The exiled former Siphofaneni MP made it clear that he did not mean that Magagula’s final words ‘are truthful’, but ‘could be truthful’. As he was listening to the different versions about his murder, Simelane said he recalled that it was not the first time for  the deceased to have been in that situation. In a video clip accessed by this newspaper, the former lawmaker narrated that Magagula was speaking from what he experienced, at some point, when he and others were allegedly instructed by a certain leader within the MDM to kidnap Muzi Mnisi, who is presently in jail in Eswatini. Mnisi and Sibusiso Nxumalo were arrested by the police...

THE VATICAN CITY, ITALY – His Majesty the King and Liphovela LaZuma yesterday met His Holiness Pope Francis, the leader of the Catholic Church and the Vatican City State. The King arrived to a Swiss guard of honour and was welcomed by Leonardo Sapienza, the Pope’s Secretary. Following a half-hour bilateral meeting, His Majesty proceeded on a tour of the Vatican Catholic Church. Principles Notably, the Vatican’s relationship with the Kingdom of Eswatini goes back many years, during which time the two countries have shared similar principles and commitment to human dignity, peace and the social well-being of their populations. The Catholic Church has made a significant impact on the lives of emaSwati, where it has played an important role in combating poverty, empowering Eswatini’s youth through education and vocational training, as well as contributing to relief efforts during emergencies like natural disasters. His Majesty wished the Holy See and...

MBABANE – “All I want is justice”. These are the words of Khetsiwe Dlamini, a 39-year-old woman who has a disability after she was attacked by someone she knows. The name of the alleged attacker will not be mentioned for now as according to Dlamini, he has not been arrested. About eight years ago, a few months after giving birth, Dlamini had a disagreement with *Joko. She said they had been at loggerheads for several months. She narrated a harrowing account of survival when in December 2016, Joko allegedly attacked her, inside a room she rented while living around Matsapha. Dlamini, who was 32 at the time, said she nearly lost her life as the alleged attacker had left her for dead. According to Dla Approached Dlamini alleged that when Joko approached her room, the man he was with remained outside, while he entered. She said they began to argue...

MANZINI – A 30-year-old man, who was entrusted with looking after children at a day care centre in Matsapha, has been arrested for purportedly raping an eight-year-old girl. The man, who was referred to as ‘malume’ by the children, is said to have raped the minor girl who attends primary school in one of the schools in Matsapha. The girl had reportedly gone to the day care centre to wait for her parent to pick her up, as per the norm. With the day care owner apparently often absent from the premises, the ‘malume’ was reportedly left unsupervised, free to supposedly enact his heinous scheme. This is said to have happened last week. “The alleged rapist would often tease the young girl about making her his wife if she was older and engage in sexually suggestive behaviour such as touching her,” alleged sources. Meanwhile, the sinister scheme reached its horrific...