EMBATTLED Alpheous Nxumalo says he will be tendering his formal apology to His Majesty King Mswati III for his audio outburst. He said he will not approach the nation’s highest authority alone when he goes to apologise for the offensive language he used in audios that were published by an online publication over the past few days in which he insulted Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini.
Speaking during a press briefing he convened at Global Village yesterday, Nxumalo revealed that elders from his family, whom he informed about the matter over the weekend, would accompany him to the king as a gesture of remorse and respect.
Before the visit to the king, he apologised to Their Majesties, the prime minister, government, and the nation at large for the unpleasant language he used in the audio.
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He acknowledged that the statements he made were not only “unpalatable and offensive, but also in a bad taste, especially when speaking about a person of the premier’s stature.”
Explaining events that led to the phone call where he made the statements, Nxumalo claimed he was from a meeting with the prime minister, which he said left him feeling unwell. In this regard, he conceded that such meetings usually left him stressed because they were more often than not unpleasant.
“This particular day was even worse as my blood pressure was sky-high such that I had to go to hospital for medical attention. While there, someone sent me an article from the online publication about what was discussed in the meeting I had with the prime minister,” explained Nxumalo.
In this regard, he alleged that almost every time he had meetings with the prime minister, what they had discussed in private was usually “leaked to the online publication, and not mainstream media,” which concerned him.
Further, Nxumalo hinted that part of the discussions he had with the prime minister was his concern that his appointment as government spokesperson was being challenged based on the pending court case whose outcome has not been reached yet.
“It is frustrating that the pending case is not only discussed in the judiciary, but also in parliament, Cabinet, and public domains. I think we should let the courts pronounce its decision on the matter,” he said.
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He added that while he usually did not read articles from the online publication, he decided to read the article that was sent to him while he was in hospital, and he found that its contents were worse than he thought. He said he tried to reach the prime minister on the phone but to no avail as the premier had flown out of the country that same evening.
“I then decided to call the online publication’s editor and we argued for about 10 minutes over the matter. I went as far as telling him that I could fight the matter legally. The threat I made was not physical, but I meant that I could take legal action to fight it.”
Additionally, he said when speaking to the editor, he did not anticipate that the conversation would be recorded, and said parts of the clip were used by the editor to serve his interests.
Nonetheless, Nxumalo emphasised that all the aforementioned reasons and circumstances were not an excuse for him to react the way he did. “I could have handled the matter differently. I apologise to the prime minister whom the king appointed with the view for everyone to assist and support. Ngiyaticolisela kakhulu,” he emphasised.
Nxumalo’s initial contract as government spokesperson elapsed on May 13, after he was appointed into the position in 2022. On September 17, the Civil Service Commission (CSC), through a statement issued by its Chairman Simanga Mamba, announced his re-engagement for another three years, with the contract being effective the same day.
In the statement, Mamba mentioned that although Nxumalo was re-engaged by government, he would be placed on special leave due to an ongoing criminal matter before the courts. Nxumalo is currently facing rape charges involving two minor siblings aged 17 and 18.
He has approached the High Court to challenge the constitutionality of the Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Act, under which he was charged.
The chairman also explained that the decision aligned with General Orders, which require civil servants facing criminal charges to be suspended until legal proceedings conclude.
He added that the renewal decision was taken because the CSC had already made the offer in February, prior to Nxumalo’s contract lapsing in May. With Nxumalo on special leave, Deputy Government Spokesperson Thabile Mdluli is acting in the position.
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