BY MBONGENI NDLELA
MBABANE – His Majesty’s Correctional Services (HMCS) has launched a formal investigation into an alleged audio recording circulating publicly in which certain remarks are purportedly attributed to inmate Mthandeni Dube, who is currently out on special pardon.
The development was confirmed by HMCS in a press statement issued on Monday, September 15, 2026, as the department moved to establish the authenticity of the recording, the circumstances surrounding it and whether the matter has any implications for Dube’s conditions of release.
HMCS said the Office of the Commissioner General had taken note of the recording and the concerns generated by its circulation.
Instead of drawing immediate conclusions from material circulating publicly, the department has activated its internal institutional processes and established an enquiry team tasked with investigating the matter.
“The Department has therefore activated its institutional processes, including the establishment of an enquiry team, which is actively working to establish the facts and circumstances surrounding the alleged recording,” HMCS said.
The investigation is expected to determine, among other issues, whether the recording is authentic, whether the comments were indeed made by Dube and whether anything arising from the matter could constitute a violation of conditions attached to his release.
HMCS stressed that the existence and circulation of the recording should not automatically be treated as proof of wrongdoing.
According to the department, any decision carrying serious consequences must be informed by credible, verified and reliable information.
The correctional authority said this approach was particularly important where allegations could potentially affect an offender’s conditions of release.
HMCS said established investigative procedures should first be allowed to run their full course before conclusions are reached.
“This is necessary to ensure that the facts are properly established and that any decision is based on credible and verifiable information,” reads the statement.
The position places verification at the centre of the department’s response, with HMCS making it clear that social media circulation or public discussion of an alleged recording would not, on its own, determine the outcome of the matter.
CONDITIONS OF RELEASE UNDER SCRUTINY
HMCS further explained that where an incident may have implications for an offender’s conditions of release, the department carries a responsibility to investigate the facts and assess the matter against the applicable legal and institutional framework.
“Where a matter may have implications for an offender’s conditions of release, the Department has a responsibility to establish the facts and assess the matter in accordance with the applicable conditions of release, legal framework and institutional procedures,” HMCS stated.
This means any possible action against Dube would depend on the findings of the investigation rather than allegations surrounding the audio recording alone.
The department did not disclose the specific contents of the alleged recording, nor did it indicate what particular conditions of Dube’s special pardon could potentially be affected.
It also did not announce a timeframe within which the enquiry would be completed.
However, HMCS assured the public that once the necessary facts had been established and the department was in a position to make an informed determination, its official position would be communicated.
“Once the investigation has established the necessary facts and the Department is in a position to make an informed determination, the appropriate position will be communicated to the public,” the department said.
The statement effectively signals that the matter has now moved from public speculation into an official institutional investigation, with the enquiry team expected to establish an evidence-based account of what transpired.
HMCS URGES FACT-BASED PROCESS
The department’s response also underscores the importance of due process, particularly in cases where allegations could result in serious consequences for a person released under specific conditions.
HMCS maintained that decisions of such gravity could not be based on unverified recordings or claims circulating in the public domain.
The investigation will therefore become central in determining whether there is any factual or legal basis for further action.
The statement was issued by HMCS Deputy Public Relations Officer Baphelele Kunene, an Assistant Chief Officer, on behalf of the correctional institution.
For now, Dube remains the subject of an investigation relating specifically to an alleged recording, and HMCS has not announced any finding of wrongdoing against him.
The department has undertaken to inform the nation once the enquiry has been completed and sufficient verified information is available to support an official determination.
