Background
Polycarp Dlamini was born on July 1, 1918, at the Enginama- dolo Royal House near Pigg’s Peak, 25 tttiles north of Mbabane.
Polycarp Dlamini was born on July 1, 1918, at the Enginama- dolo Royal House near Pigg’s Peak, 25 tttiles north of Mbabane.
Educated at Matsapa Swazi National School where he had a good scholastic record.
In 1942 he moved to South Africa to work as a clerk-interpreter in a magistrates court at Barberton in south-east Transvaal. Two years later he went to Durban where he got a job with a mail order company and studied at night in order to matriculate in 1946. He won a place at Natal University College to study social science and worked as a probation officer with the South African Department of Social Welfare.
His studies were interrupted when King Sobhuza called him back to Swaziland in 1952 and appointed him Secretary to the Swazi Nation a post he held until 1964. He transferred his studies to an extra-mural course with the University of South Africa and gained his Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Science in 1957. He undertook further studies in local government with a British Council scholarship in England in October 1961.
One of his first important political duties was leading the Swazi delegation to the constitutional conference in London in January 1963. He was in a second mission to London in July and took part in a third round of negotiations in November 1963.
After winning a seat in the first elections to the Swaziland Legislative Council in June 1964 he was appointed to the Executive Council with the portfolio of Health and Education. The following year the portfolio was divided and he kept Education.
At independence on September 6, 1968, he became Minister of Works, Power and Communications. As senator he became Minister of Justice in 1971 and was responsible for the election arrangements in May 1972. He took part with Simon Nxumalo in negotiating the Havelock mineral deal in London in June 1972.
From clerk-at-court to Minister of Justice, Dlamini has shown that conscientiousness counts. Methodical in everything he does, modest in manner. A small, studious-looking man who has Played an important part in several Swazi delegations for negotiations in London. His training as a social worker has given him a great measure of humanity in dealing with problems in the Justice department.