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MINISTERS MOURN MANDVULO’S PASSING ON

By Mbono Mdluli | 2020-12-20

Cabinet ministers are in pain, noting that death robbed them a visionary leader in Prime Minister Ambrose Mandvulo Dlamini.

The ministers concurred that it would be difficult to continue with the development programmes spearheaded by the late premier minus the head of government. The ministers who spoke to this publication at first had difficulty on where to start in trying to describe the working relationship they had with the prime minister.

The ministers sent condolences to Their Majesties, the Dlamini family, and the nation at large. They stated that God would see them through during this dark hour. Below is what the ministers had to say about the prime minister’s demise.

n Minister of Public Works and Transport Chief Ndlaluhlaza Ndwandwe: He said speaking about such a gallant soldier was a difficult task. He said the prime minister was a rare breed when it came to leadership.

He did not expect such a brilliant leader, with a good track record academically and in the private sector, to be so open to his subordinates. The minister sent his condolences to Their Majesties, the Dlamini family and the nation at large, saying this was a huge loss to everyone.

He said the PM would want to know each and every minister’s plan for their ministries and would make a follow-up on the implementation of those plans. He said the PM’s work ethic was just out of this world. He was devastated by this loss, especially because it was so sudden.

n Minister of Finance Neal Rijkenberg: He sent his heartfelt condolences to Their Majesties, the late prime minister’s family and the nation at large. To the Dlamini family, he said, “Your husband/father/son was an inspiration to us. The Nation will miss him dearly.”

He said he had a close working relationship with the PM, as he was a very “hands on” leader. His managing style was very relational and thorough. “For that reason I am going to really miss him from a work perspective but also from a personal point of view. He was a dedicated Christian and this showed through the decisions that he would make,” Rijkenberg concluded.

n Minister of Commerce, Industry and Trade Manqoba Khumalo: He described the prime minister as a man driven by the desire to achieve exceptional results. It wasn't only the results that he achieved that set him apart. It was HOW he achieved these outstanding accomplishments that defined his legacy. He then highlighted three of the PM’s attributes that set him apart:

“1. He was a true Christian. He based everything he did on God and guarded his relationship with God jealousy. He was most prayerful and used the Word of God as an unshakeable reference in his personal and professional decisions. He was exactly the same in every situation, an epitome of what a God fearing person husband, father and leader should be.

“2. He was an intelligent yet diligent man. He sought to deeply understand every issue and applied himself fully before making a decision. He was always more informed than anyone in the room and challenged every submission to ensure it was well thought out so that the decision was the best in that scenario.

“3. He lived at peace with everyone. If anyone was not fully aligned with him it was always because of one of three things - lack of honesty, lack of diligence and a desire to include him in anything ungodly. These three attributes were the fabric of his existence and he wouldn't compromise on any of them. Even in those situations, he always attempted to live at peace with everyone. He was extremely well regarded because of this virtue. This is why everyone who interacted with him left the meeting feeling respected, even as a prime minister.”

The minister stated what he was going to miss about the PM. “I will miss his passion, he believed in Eswatini in a way that was contagious to all of us. He was selfless in his dedication. I wish he had lived to taste some of the fruits of his sacrifice, but his legacy will sustain for generations to come because of the seed he planted,” Khumalo said.

He further said he would miss his vision, stating that the strategic roadmap was going to salvage Eswatini out of the long term economic sluggishness Emaswati had grown to expect as a nation. The test of any strategy, according to the minister, was its resilience, even after the leader was gone. “We will deliver on the strategy simply because it's the right thing to do. I have no doubt that His Majesty expects us to deliver on this economic turn-around, more so now as a tribute to the departed prime minister,” he said.

The third quality the minister would miss was his mentorship. “I have known him since my youthful days and we had a trust-based relationship. I believed in his vision because I knew the place from which it came,” he said.

He said it was easy to support him because he was driven by a selfless ambition, a calling bigger than himself. He was consumed by the penchant to deliver on His Majesty's vision. “We all should learn from him and emulate this legendary man who God saw fit to take home at the right time. I know he is smiling in heaven where he belongs,” Khumalo concluded.

n Minister of Public Service Christian Ntshangase: “I am still speechless and left devastated by the loss of His Excellency. He was such a humble, inspirational and enviable leader, who afforded everyone opportunity to grow and express talent,” Ntshangase said.

He said he had a very close working relationship with the late prime minister. He said the loss was not only for the Dlamini family, but for the entire nation and in particular, Their Majesties. “Our prayers go to Mrs Dlamini and the family. His memories will forever be embedded in our hearts. May his soul rest in eternal peace,” he concluded.

n Minister of Sports, Culture and Youth Affairs Harries Madze Bulunga: "Firstly, I wish to pass my condolences to Their Majesties, the family and entire nation on this huge, huge loss. The prime minister was a humble but firm leader; a visionary; a hard worker and was eager to take the country to greater heights, as per His Majesty's vision,” Bulunga said.

He said personally, he thanked him for the guidance he gave to him as a new minister. The prime minister also gave support on work as well as personal issues to the sports minister. “He had this tendency of calling anytime even at midnight to enquire or follow-up on work issues. And when he did this, you needed to find/provide whatever he needed immediately. Such was his dedication,” he said.

He said in the same vein, the premier was also a warm and thoughtful leader. Randomly, he would call and while he expected him to ask about work, the PM would ask about family, something like, “Ngiyakuhlolanje minister. Banjani bantfwana?”

“This is a loss that is difficult to comprehend but we trust that God will heal all wounds. May your beautiful soul forever rest in peace, Your Excellency. Thank you for everything,” Bulunga concluded.

n Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Thuli Dladla: The minister was at a loss of words. She lamented over the loss, saying it would be difficult for the country to find another leader who was so special as the late PM.

She said Their Majesties had suffered a huge loss by the PM’s death. “I am lucky to have worked closely with Their Majesties. They are so particular about what they want for the country. They are also aware about what was happening in the international community. That was the reason why they were able to clearly pronounce themselves to the prime minister on what they wanted for this country,” Dladla said.

The minister further said the prime minister would implement whatever vision Their Majesties had and would inculcate such to the ministers. Dladla said the prime minister will not only deliver the message to the ministers, but he would also allow the ministers to state their vision for their respective ministries and the country and see how that could be infused with the vision of Their Majesties.

Dladla said the prime minister was so humble and was ready to take advice from politicians who had been in the field for a long time. “He had utmost respect for Parliament and that was why he had a good working relationship with every parliamentarian,” she said. Dladla said the country had achieved a lot in the two years the PM had spent in his position.

The minister said the PM was good in making friends and was at peace with everyone and he also emphasised on issues of Eswatini diaspora, where the government wanted to connect with every Liswati out of the country.

Dladla also sent condolences to the Dlamini family, saying she did not even want to imagine what the family was going through, as the PM was so close to his family.

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