MANZINI – The hasty burial of the murdered gunman Mlandvo Khumalo has been explained through the police, his circle of relatives remains silent.
Police say they had to help and bury the dead gunman in the morning because his circle of relatives said he needed their help. Khumalo was buried in the morning through his circle of relatives in the presence of heavily armed police at the Ngwane Park cemetery, located about five kilometers to the south. The funeral took place five days after the original date that had been announced. His funeral was initially scheduled for Saturday, but had to be postponed because police said investigations were ongoing at the time.
The police, after the postponement of the funeral, under pressure that there were inquiries that were not fulfilled, which fortunately, were planned with the circle of relatives and led to the postponement of the burial. Later, yesterday, the funeral took position under the strong presence of fully armed police. News of Khumalo’s funeral began circulating around 7:30 a. m. on social media. When the journalist of this publication arrived at the cemetery, the policemen of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and Lukhozi were busy preparing. The security forces were divided into teams because some of them were in strategic locations, ensuring security. In fact, there were police cars at other intersections of streets passing through the cemetery. of security officers were seen wearing attack rifles and wearing bulletproof vests. Moreover, there were no gravediggers in sight; But the police were turning themselves to the paper of the day.
It was observed that some people, similar to the deceased, were noticed at a distance in an organization and observing the procedures. Near where there was activity, there were 4 cars. Three of the cars were unmarked white Isuzu double cabs, while the other vehicle was a marked bakkie from the crime scene department, which is custom-designed for carrying bodies. Meanwhile, an effort through this post to get closer to the burial site was thwarted when 3 police officers approached his vehicle. The officers drove a guy believed to be a member of the deceased’s circle of relatives and took it upon himself to identify whether the occupants of the vehicle were known to the circle of relatives.
After reporting that they (the Times of Eswatini team) were not known to them, the 3 officers were informed that the vehicle was carrying moving bloodhounds and reported it to their superior, who said he didn’t care because no one was allowed to be in the area. Impeccable resources claimed that the service did not exceed two hours and an effort to get a comment from the circle of relatives of the deceased proved futile as the sister, Nokuthula Sibiya, communicated around 2:45 p. m. m. , but he didn’t need to have interaction on the subject.
After this journalist showed up in Sibiya, she cut off the call and, when contacted again, her phone rang without answer. Moreover, the father of the deceased acted in the same way. He was contacted without delay after hiring Sibiya. On the other hand, Superintendent Phindile, in data rate and police communications, claimed that the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) had helped the circle of relatives after encountering difficulties at the funeral. Vilakati assumed that the circle of relatives needed assistance and hired them (the police) after encountering difficulties in burying Khumalo, as there was a challenge with those who had pledged to help them in the burial. On the factor of heavily armed officials on the roads leading to the cemetery and also at the burial site, Vilakati said his workplace had not responded to safety concerns.
Meanwhile, this publication reported last week that following court cases from stakeholders, the Executive Committee of Funeral Services of the National Swaziland Teachers’ Association (SNAT) withdrew its Coffin donation worth E15,000, which was extended to Khumalo’s circle of relatives for Khumalo’s funeral. In a statement, he said the decision to withdraw the donation stemmed from several court cases involving members of the organization. SNAT’s Burial Executive said that since the announcement of the donation to the circle of relatives, his workplace had been flooded with court cases and murmuring from his stakeholders. The executive committee said it noted that the resolution to donate the coffin to Khumalo’s circle of relatives was not well received by most of its stakeholders, especially the members, who owned this company.
“At this stage, the Funeral Services Executive Committee was forced to reconsider its decision,” it reads. Khumalo was shot dead on 7 January 2023 by security agents after he allegedly shot dead a member of the King’s regiment, Fanafana Bhembe (57) in Mahlabatsini. around Matsapha; a peri-urban arrangement characterized by low-income housing operating in the two cities, Manzini and Matsapha, that intersperses it. It is also close to Phocweni army barracks and Masundvwini High School. Persecution between the deceased and security personnel. He died while members of the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) listed him as the most wanted person because they had posted a photo of him on their social media platforms, claiming they regarded him as armed and dangerous.
According to sources, in December 2022, the deceased allegedly participated in an arson, in which seven-year-old twins died. He was reportedly investigated for fatally shooting two policemen in Mathangeni and Sigodvweni on other dates.
Sources said he was also under investigation for shooting and wounding a police officer while law enforcement witnessed a twist of fate in traffic in New Village. He was also reportedly sought out through police for shooting a law enforcement officer near KaPhunga, who rushed to hospital last year. The appeal claimed that Khumalo was also accused of shooting a warrior on his way to his property after attending the recently completed Incwala rite in Mbekelweni. In addition, the appeals stated that Khumalo was suspected of firing on a REPS escort vehicle assigned to the Prime Minister’s Office, Cleopas. Sifo Dlamini.