Mbongwa
Dlamini, President of the Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT), was
detained by the police for standing in front of a picture of the absolute
monarch King Mswati III while wearing a cap.
He
was at the Sandlane Boarder Post and Swazi police denied him entry back into
the Swaziland (eSwatini) from South Africa.
Dlamini
told the Swaziland News, an online newspaper, that he was
told he had to remove the cap he was wearing before his passport would be
stamped.
The
News reported it is an offence under customary law to wear a hat in
front of King Mswati’s picture and people are expected to remove their hats to show
respect.
The
News reported Dlamini saying, ‘When I asked why should I remove it, they
showed me the picture of the King on the wall saying that was the reason I
should remove my cap.’ He added police harassed and detained him. The incident
happened on Boxing Day. He was later released.
Sikelela
Dlamini, SNAT Secretary General said Mbongwa Dlamini was being victimized and
deprived his right to freedom of movement.
A police spokesperson later said Mbongwa Dlamini had only been asked to remove his hat for identification purposes.
A police spokesperson later said Mbongwa Dlamini had only been asked to remove his hat for identification purposes.
In 2012 a
17-year-old schoolboy was fined E400 by Swazi National Court for
ripping up a photograph of King Mswati.
The Swazi Observer, a newspaper in effect owned by the King,
reported at the time court president Makhuluma Ndwandwe warned him that it was
a serious offence and ordered that he be sent to jail where he could be
corrected. He was given a fine instead.
See also
Swaziland
democracy leaders call on absolute monarch to arrange talks for political
change
Swaziland
police in mass raids on homes of democracy activists, some detained
https://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2019/12/swaziland-police-in-mass-raids-on-homes.html
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