Hunt on for princess's killers

2008-06-28 11:08

Sydney Masinga & and Thabisile Khoza

Kaapmuiden - Police say they are hot on the heels of the suspected hitman responsible for murdering one of South Africa's most senior Swazi princesses.

Princess Sibongile Promise Magongo, 38, was shot in the head in front of her eight-year-old daughter outside her home in Louisville, near Kaapmuiden in Mpumalanga, on the night of June 21 after arriving home from a youth meeting.

Police organised crime spokesperson Captain Leonard Hlathi confirmed on Friday that police are about to arrest the gunman, but refused to comment on widespread speculation about the motives for the murder.

"All I can say is that we are close to arresting suspects," said Captain Hlathi.

Magongo was chief wife of Prince Tikhontele Dlamini, who heads the predominantly Siswati KaloMshiyo Traditional Authority.

Prince Tikhontele is the most senior Swazi royal in South Africa, and is the paramount royal representative in the country for Swaziland's King Mswati III.

He is also the champion for Swaziland's land claim on vast tracts of Mpumalanga, demanding that apartheid-era international treaties be honoured by South Africa's new democratic government and that thousands of hectares be transferred back to Swaziland.

The land was originally usurped from the Swazi kingdom by colonial-era Boer raiders.

Prince Tikhontele and his surviving family are in hiding this week and were therefore unavailable for comment on speculation that Magongo was professionally assassinated either as revenge by political rivals, or because of an internal power-struggle within his chieftaincy.

KaloMshiyo Traditional Authority secretary, Ray Dlamini, on Friday denied that there is a chieftaincy dispute.

Police should rather, he said, investigate a rogue induna in Swaziland, whose land falls under the KaloMshiyo Traditional Authority.

"Tikhontele and the clan itself appointed Magongo to manage aspects of the traditional authority. In November, 2006, Magongo ordered the induna to step down from his position because of certain irregularities," said Dlamini. "She called a meeting in Swaziland where the induna was relieved of his duties. He threatened her, saying he would not be removed from his position by a woman."

Traditional Swazi structures do not recognise colonial borders, but, says Dlamini, the induna tried to organise a revolt against Tikhontele's leadership, arguing that he should not have any authority in Swaziland as he was a South African citizen.

Anyone with information about the murder is asked to call Captain Hlathi on 082 462 0804 or the Lows Creek police on [phone] or 082 448 9919.

- African Eye