Prince Clement Dumisa Dlamini was born in Lobamba, Swaziland on 25th December 1936 to Emelinah Mgocozi Ndwandwe Nxumalo and Prince Mkukwane Dlamini. He attended his first school, Zombode Primary School in 1946 until 1952. In 1953 he attended Salasian High School where he achieved Forms 2 and 3 Junior Certificate and O Levels. He then attended Matsapa High School and achieved a Matriculation 1.
Between 1956 and 1959 Prince Dumisa relocated to Lesotho where he gained his Matriculation 1 & 2 6 A Levels at Roma College. He furthered his education at Lerotodi Technical College where he studied Secretariat & Typing. He then gained his first undergraduate degree at the Roma University College in Lesotho and gained a first class BA.
During Prince Dumisa’s youth Swaziland was still a British colony and he became the Youth Leader of Mr. J.J Nqukubu’s Swaziland Progressive Party in 1960. The goal central to the party was to fight for Swaziland’s independence. Two years later, in 1962 Prince Dumisa joined forces with Dr Ambrose Phesheya Zwane to form the Secretary General of Ngwane National Libratory Congress with Dr. Zwane as President and Prince Dumisa as Secretary-General. He played a crucial role in the Congress as he was responsible for its membership, organisation and finances. He also organised political rallies and meetings throughout the country.
The fight for independence intensified in 1963 when the First General Strike was called in Havelock Mines, Big Bend Sugar Estates and Mbabane. Demands were better pay, better housing and working conditions and immediate independence. They also demanded the release and whereabouts of workers representatives from Havelock Mines. On 6 September 1968 all their efforts paid off as Swaziland became an independent country.
Prince Dumisa excelled academically and wished to further his education in the west so in 1967 he embarked on a Bachelors degree at Sussex University in the United Kingdom. In 1969 in continued his journey in further education and was granted a Fulbright Scholarship at Princeton University, USA where he studied MA Ph.D Program. Princeton University is by far one of the best university’s in the world.
In 1971 Prince Dumisa studied a B.Sc General Studies degree in marketing, business management and economics at Iona College, USA and in 1974 Prince Dumisa moved to New York in 1974 to study at The New School for Social Research where he took a M.A Ph.D Program which included philosophy, economic analysis and social sciences.
When he returned home in 1975 he was frowned at by Imbokodvo who thought he would cause more political instability. In 1977 he was imprisoned without trial until 1980.
In 1980 King Sobhuza advised Prince to leave politics behind and concentrate on business instead, so he arranged for Prince to work at Lonrho Plc in Scotland and worked in Public Relations and African research and development. Prince Dumisa worked for Tiny Rowland at Lonrho Plc for 4 years.
In 1982 King Sobhuza II died which marked the beginning of great political unrest in Swaziland. During the period 1982 and 1986 the Liqoqo ruled Swaziland. It was during one night in April 1984 when Prince Dumisa was illegally deported from Swaziland to London by Prince Mfanasibili and the “Gang of Four”. He left for England wearing only his pyjamas. He was told that he would be provided for in the United Kingdom but after only three months the Swaziland Government decided to stop paying for the hotel in which he was staying. As a result all his worldly possessions were confiscated and he was left homeless and penniless in London. Luckily he met a partner during such a low point in his life and they had a daughter in 1985.
He lived with his wife and baby in a Bed and Breakfast for two years and was constantly writing to Swaziland asking for financial assistance. His requests were never answered and his was sustained by the British welfare system.
In April 1986 Crown Prince Makhosetive was crowned King Mswati III.
In 1988 a new baby boy was added to the family. Even though King Mswati III and the Swaziland Government were aware of this they still refused to help. How could his own flesh and blood treat him so badly all he did was fight for independence and a better standard of living for all the Swazi people and this was the thanks he received.
Prince Dumisa’s mother Emelinah Nxumalo was terminally ill and her dying wish was to see her son and her two grandchildren (who she had never met) before she died. Prince made constant telephone calls and wrote numerous letters asking if he could return to bid farewell to his beloved mother. Unfortunately his request was ignored by King Mswati III and the Queen Mother and Prince’s mother died in September 1990 – her dying wish was not fulfilled.
In March 1999 King Mswati III visited London and finally agreed to meet him. On 10 March 1999 he had a lengthy discussion with Prince Dumisa at the Dorchester Hotel. The meeting was also attended by his family, the High Commissioner at the time Percy Mngomezulu, Simon Nxumalo and a number of Swazi delegates. During that meeting the King thanked Prince Dumisa for his work and sacrifice to the Swazi nation he also gave Prince £1000. Now we was always told to never look a ‘gift horse in the mouth’ but £1000 was the payout for fighting for independence, three years of imprisonment without trial, being sent out in exile, losing all of his possessions and not being able to say goodbye or bury his mother. You cannot be serious! That is all Prince Dumisa received during his lifetime and is no where near the cost of being sabotaged in life in every area.
In August 1999 he returned to Swaziland for one month with his family. It was a very emotional time as he was reunited with his grown up children he never had the opportunity to witness grow up. He was also able to visit all his family and friends. What they didn’t know at the time was that this was the last time they would see Prince Dumisa alive.
In 2000 Prince Dumisa was diagnosed with cancer and had to embark on a course of chemotherapy. It was a deeply traumatic and stressful time for the family as they were his primary carers. They would often have to escort the Prince to St Mary’s Hospital in London carrying his bags. As he was also practically blind he would have to be taken to the hospital in a taxi. Medication and taxi fares are extremely expensive in the UK and on several occasions the family asked the King to provide some kind of aid to cover these costs. Again the King remained silent so the family we were forced to survive.
On November 17 2001 Prince Clement Dumisa Dlamini died in London after 17 years in exile. On that day the hospital called to inform us that Prince was late and that they must visit the hospital to identify the body and collect his personal belongings. As the Swazi representatives in London decided to hide at such a critical time they were forced to make the journey alone.
On the 22 November 2001 the family arrived in Swaziland with Prince Dumisa’s body only to realise to their complete horror that there was no official funeral as the Swaziland Royal Family lied to Prince. His dying wish was to be taken to the Catholic church in Lobamba but this was sabotaged. Even in death he was denied the state funeral he most rightly deserved and the Swazi people were deprived of the opportunity to bid farewell to their courageous Swazi hero.
The family returned to London in December 2001 to try to piece back their lives after losing their husband and father and witnessing such a disgraceful affair. The humane thing to do was to provide some sort of aid with utility bills and school fees but so it seems compassion for one’s fellow man is not present in those running Swaziland. The mother was forced to take on the role as both mother and father of the household and when she asked for financial assistance for her eldest to attend university in London she was advised to send both children to Swaziland continue their education. How dare they! At that time King Mswati’s children were attending public school in England.
Prince Dumisa’s children in Swaziland were just barely surviving. After the death of his grandmother Prince’s son Gudlulwandle became a lost soul wondering the streets of Swaziland. He had no home to call his own and would often get beaten on a regular basis by his so-called family.
His troubled life came to an end in April 2007 when his battered and bruised body was discovered in the rubbish in the streets of Manzini. Not only was he murdered but his body remained in the morgue for 6 whole weeks. He was denied being buried in dignity and his family in London were not informed that he was late by the Swaziland High Commission in London nor the Swaziland Government.
What is the most heartbreaking is the fact that Gudlulwandle was highly intelligent like his father and was destined to become an accountant as he had a mathematical mind. But instead of nurturing such a gift it was destroyed. Like father, like son.
Although Prince Dumisa Dlamini of Swaziland lived a life full of pain, suffering and struggle he lived an extraordinary life and visited countries many could only dream about. In his lifetime he gained two MA PhD at Princeton University and the New School for Social Research. A Bachelor of Science degree at Iona College, USA, a first class Bachelor of Arts degree from Sussex University, UK and a first class Bachelor of Arts degree from Roma University College in Lesotho. To say Prince Dumisa was highly educated is an understatement. He lived in the USA, Scotland, England and Lesotho and also visited Russia, Cuba, China, Tanzania, Mozambique and South Africa.
He was the freedom fighter who fought courageously against the British for better pay and independence. Throughout adversity he continued to stand strong and always carried himself with class and integrity. He also played a crucial role in the upbringing of his youngest children who have now grown up be intelligent, respectful, strong, determined and ambitious who witnessed their father’s pain first hand. The eldest was denied any financial aid for her university degree however she graduated from university in 2006 with a first class Bachelor of Arts honours degree in Business Management.
What they would like to say is that they will love you until the end of time and hope that one day you will get the honour that you deserved but never received. Until we see you again, Prince Dumisa Dlamini, the unsung hero of Swaziland – we salute you.