- No one says he met the King – Percy
- King’s Office questions how King’s name is dragged over a dead deal
BY THEMBA ZWANE
MBABANE – The Kingdom of Eswatini has distanced itself from allegations emerging at the Madlanga Commission in South Africa linking the country and His Majesty King Mswati III to an alleged deal involving cellphone “grabbers” and signal jammers.
Director of Communications in the King’s Office, Percy Simelane, has dismissed the allegations, describing those allegedly behind the proposed transaction as “novice merchants” attempting to gain relevance by invoking the King’s name.
Simelane said the Kingdom would not comment definitively on the alleged transaction until evidence demonstrating the King’s involvement was presented.
“We shall not commit until evidence of the deal is shared with us. As it is now, we see novice merchants trying to be relevant by bringing in the name of the King,” Simelane said.
His comments follow evidence presented before the Madlanga Commission concerning alleged efforts by South African individuals, including Sergeant Fannie Nkosi and the late taxi boss Jotham “Mswazi” Msibi, to procure sophisticated surveillance and communications-interference equipment from a Czech company for possible sale in Eswatini.
The equipment reportedly included a cellphone “grabber” and signal jammers. An IMSI catcher, commonly referred to as a cellphone grabber, can impersonate a mobile network tower and obtain identifying information from phones in its vicinity, while a signal jammer can interfere with mobile communications.
According to evidence heard by the Commission, documents and messages allegedly referred to a plan involving Motshumi, Molefe and Msibi to sell a grabber to Eswatini.
A draft letter sent to Nkosi reportedly contained a request from Shaun Jacobs for the document to be transferred onto official South African Police Service (SAPS) letterhead on a confidential basis. The Czech company Invasys was identified as the alleged supplier.
The Commission further heard that the Czech government was allegedly informed that the demonstration of the technology was intended for SAPS, while Nkosi allegedly indicated that he would travel to Eswatini for a meeting involving the King and an elder.
However, according to the evidence, the proposed deal eventually collapsed, with the individuals allegedly exploring alternative options.
It is this alleged reference to the King that has prompted a strong response from the King’s Office.
Simelane questioned why the King should be implicated in a transaction that, according to the evidence presented, never materialised.
“No one says he met the King over the technology in question. No one says the King bought any gadgets. We hear the deal failed. How then is the King an issue over a dead deal?” he asked.
The King’s Office’s position, therefore, appears to be that merely mentioning the King in correspondence or discussions surrounding a proposed transaction does not establish that the monarch was involved in, authorised or benefited from the alleged deal.
Simelane also drew a parallel with another claim previously raised at the same Commission involving controversial businessman Cat Matlala.
He recalled evidence that Matlala had allegedly been invited by Her Majesty the Queen Mother, Indlovukazi, to the King’s Birthday celebrations in Nhlangano.
“I personally followed it up and drew a blank. Indlovukazi had no dealings with Mr Matlala,” Simelane said.
The latest allegations have nevertheless placed Eswatini and the King’s name in the spotlight of a South African inquiry investigating a range of allegations and relationships involving law-enforcement officials, businessmen and other individuals.
For now, the King’s Office says it will wait for evidence before making any further commitment on the alleged technology transaction.
The central question arising from the Eswatini-related evidence is whether the King was actually involved in the proposed procurement – or whether his name was invoked by individuals seeking to advance a deal that ultimately failed.
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