STATEMENT BY THE RT HON PRIME MINISTER
DR B.S.S.DLAMINI
AT THE HANDING OVER OF PACKAGE OF PHOTOGRAPHS AND DVD RECORDS OF THE PRIME MINISTER’S WEDDING TO PASTOR JOY MAZIYA
AT THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES
THURSDAY 8 MAY 2014
Honourable Minister for Information, Communications and Technology
Director and Staff of the National Archives
Representatives of the Media
Ladies and Gentlemen
It is a very great pleasure to be with you all today. I am honoured to be able to respond to your invitation to present to the National Archives a package which includes the Photograph Album that provides, shall we say, the “static visual record” of my wedding on 15 March 2014 to Pastor Joy Maziya, now Mrs Joy Dlamini. And a DVD of the event, being what we might call, the “moving version.”
And I am sure you will share with me the view that the ceremony was, in another sense, a very moving one. A wedding is always a happy event and, for Joy and myself, it was very special - the moment of formal and ceremonial commitment to a life-long love and partnership that accelerated in our direction over a very short period of time. A “whirlwind romance” might capture it well, though I am happy to say that this was a whirlwind that left no damage. Quite the reverse, in fact.
Today’s event is, of course, a great deal more than just handing over the visual record of a Prime Minister’s marriage ceremony. Because it was as a result of a fortuitous coincidence that while I was deeply immersed in some research work at the Archives I happened to meet Joy Maziya. And from what, up to that point, had been a very brief meeting sprang a friendship that blossomed into a romance that soon brought us to the altar.
So, understandably, I shall never again be able to walk the floor of the National Archives without the double pleasure of being among the historical records of my country, and at the same time being reminded of the week when my life changed and ushered in a new era of happiness and personal fulfilment.
I therefore thank you all for the role you played, albeit a passive one, in bringing Joy and me together. At the same time I am fully aware that if, at any time, my awareness of the importance of our National Archives unwittingly slips from the forefront of my mind, then you have a representative “behind the lines” so to speak to bring me back into focus.
But I should emphasise that the importance of the National Archives will never be lost on me, and I take the opportunity to encourage all Swazis who have what they consider to be valuable historical information to bring it to the Director of the National Archives, Ms Kholekile Mthethwa, for the institution’s review. The Honourable Minister has mentioned the names of a number of prominent individuals who deposited information. There have already been valuable documents lodged with the National Archives in respect of former Kings and Queen Mothers. I was pleased to see that Dr Polycarp Dlamini, the former Minister for Justice and constitutional Affairs also took the initiative in this regard and deposited his historical album in this manner.
There are, of course, many living Swazis who have been significant in the development of the country and may have historical records containing important information. These include, but are certainly not limited to, individuals such as Abednego Hlophe who was Private Secretary to King Sobhuza II as well as Minister for Agriculture and a member of the Executive Committee of the first Legislative Council. There is also Indvuna T.V.Mthethwa who was Aide-de-Camp of King Sobhuza II and the first Commissioner of Police as well as being an important traditional leader.
One should also mention Brigadier-General Fonono Dube and Dr Ben Mshamndane Sibandze, both of whom served Government for more than 50 years. And I should add Dr Lydia Makhubu who was Professor and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Swaziland for many years.
All these Swazis are among the many people, including former Prime Ministers and Ministers, who are alive today and may have valuable historical information to add to our National Archives. I encourage them all to come forward with the records for the National Archives to review accordingly.
My wife and I now have great pleasure in presenting to the National Archives the package of: photograph album of the wedding, a DVD of the ceremony, the invitation card, a list of the invitees, and photographs of Joy and myself on the occasion that we first met, as well as when she assisted me during the time of both research work and getting to know each other on a personal basis. Well done, photographer Mduduzi Mngometulu, for capturing that moment when Joy and I first met. And well done, Times of Swaziland, for faithfully depositing with the National Archives their editions right from the end of the 1800s, and the Swazi Observer for depositing copies in a similar manner since its inception in 1982.
And I thank you all for the support you provided throughout, as well as for welcoming us today.
Thank you.