By Zweli Martin Dlamini
Africa-Press – Eswatini. Dolly Parton, an American Country and Western Music singer once composed a song titled “The Great Pretender”, my late closest friend, journalism colleague and brother of the Nkhaba Royal Kraal Bongani Sigcokosiyancinca’ Dlamini was the Presenter of the Music Program while working for the State owned radio.
But the song was made famous by Lindiwe ‘Yellow Rose’ Bongiwe Mavuso who took over there Music Program from ‘Sigcokosincinca’, the lyrics of song include these words;
“I seem to be what I’m not”.
But because my favorite music “Country and Western” is a story telling, memorable and refreshing music, the lyrics of the song “The Great Pretender “, came back to my mind upon reading an article where Natural Resources Minister demonstrated pretense as the electricity increase dominates the public discourse.
It’s the culture of politics to lie and pretend as if you are white even if you are black and, the adoption of your false and misleading narrative is fully dependent on your skills in uttering convincing lies and deception.
Prince Lonkhonkhela,the Minister of Natural Resources and Energy uttered an outright lie when speaking to the Times of Eswatini on Tuesday,pretending to be shocked after the Eswatini Energy Regulatory Authority(ESERA) increased electricity with more than 14% in a country where about 70% of the population lives below the poverty line.
But it’s normal for some senior members of the royal family to regard emaSwati as fools,Prince Lonkhokhela is pretending to care for emaSwati amid a regulated decision to steal millions from the pockets of the poor citizens, he told the Times that, he was shocked with this decision.
A thief who, through a State or Government parastatal under his Ministry, facilitated this electricity increase with an alleged intention to steal money from the people, cannot be shocked but, can only pretend to be, in the middle of this daylight robbery.
This electricity increase will result to the Eswatini Electricity Company(EEC) generating profits to be presented to Mswati as “tetfulo” or be transferred to the King as traveling or royal allowances and therefore, there’s no way Prince Lonkhokhela can be shocked on this arrangement.
Before the appointment of Cabinet, Prince Lonkhokhela was competing with Prince Lindani for the position of Natural Resources Minister, Mswati had an alternative to appoint his son or a brother to push this agenda of stealing money from emaSwati through this electricity increase.
The process of increasing electricity even went through Parliament and there’s no way Prince Lonkhokhela can then pretend to be shocked, he is a member of the royal gang of thieves who always strategize on how to steal from the pockets of the poor and vulnerable.
King Mswati increased elderly grants with one hundred and sixteen(R116.00) and that money will then go to his pockets through the electricity increase.
Indeed,the R116.00 elderly grant increase means Mswati and his Tinkhundla undemocratic Government gave the senior citizens mere thirty-eight(38) electricity units and,that money will benefit the King and his royal family.
We are therefore, surprised when a whole Natural Resources Minister who was fully aware when all this plan to steal from emaSwati was orchestrated, now pretends to be shocked.
Personally, I’m not shocked because in our Customary Law, King Mswati is reffered to as the ‘lion’ and therefore, whether there’s drought, plenty of food or rain in the jungle, a lion will not eat grass but meat.
In the context of eSwatini socio-economic situation, whether Government is facing financial challenges or not, Mswati’s lavish lifestyle won’t be affected, he would rather steal from the poor by increasing the costs of electricity and other regulated commodities, his brother Prince Lonkhokhela is fully aware of this and cannot therefore, pretend to be shocked.
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