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Sunday 8 August 2010

SWAZI SEX SCANDAL AND POLYGAMY

It’s good to see that now that the sordid details of the Swazi Royal Family sex scandal have had a good airing people are turning their attention to what it says about King Mswati III and the kingdom he rules.


Interestingly, some of the harshest criticism about ‘that horrid little country called the Kingdom of Swaziland’, comes right on Swaziland’s doorstep in neighbouring South Africa.


Pinky Khoabane, writing in the Times, South Africa, reminds readers that Swaziland, ruled by King Mswati, sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch, 'is where human-rights violations take place daily with little world attention given to them. Unlike Zimbabwe’s Robert Mugabe, King Mswati III and his government can do as they please with his subjects.


‘From abducting young girls for forced marriages, to a clampdown on political dissent and labour movements, you have a country that should be on a full-time human rights watch, and yet isn’t.


‘You have a country whose activities should be firmly on the media's radar, but isn’t - except, of course, when the king picks up another wife at the annual reed dance, where thousands of half-naked Swazi virgins dance for him. How absolutely revolting!


‘You can imagine how thrilled some of us were then to hear that he had been cheated on.


‘News of the infidelity of the king’s 12th wife would have come as music to the ears of many - men and women alike. Women, because they are sick and tired of the cultural claptrap of polygamy which is being used to justify the infidelity of men. Men, too, feel aggrieved by a king who wants to take all the beautiful girls for himself.


‘It was reported on Sunday that Mswati’s wife Mswati Nothando Dube, [also known as Inkosikati LaDube], 22, was caught bonking Swaziland’s minister of justice, Ndumiso Mamba.


'If this is shown to be true I say: go for it girl. In fact, I say: all you girls waiting in long queues just to have a decent chat with your husbands, not to mention your claim to conjugal rights - while he’s busy cavorting with the entire nation of women he calls wives - must all find yourselves some toy boys.


‘I know that many of you reading this will take issue with me for promoting infidelity but please, give me a break. All these polygamists are involved in socially sanctioned cheating and deserve nothing less.


‘This situation is ridiculous and must be draining - physically, emotionally and otherwise - even for the man.


‘Let me illustrate.


‘King Mswati III is reported to have 14 wives - and that is if there’s somebody who can still keep track of them. If we are to assume that he visits a wife a day - and this is really pushing it - that makes it a fortnightly visit to each of the wives and his children.’


Khoabane goes on, ‘Here’s a little word of advice to the king and all the polygamists out there: women have had enough. They want the devotion of a husband unfettered by other wives. They will not wait any longer.’


Click here to read the full article.


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