Swaziland Newsletter No. 848 – 11
October 2024
News from and about Swaziland, compiled by
Global Aktion, Denmark (www.globalaktion.dk)
in collaboration with Swazi Media Commentary (www.swazimedia.blogspot.com),
and sent to all with an interest in Swaziland - free of charge.
eSwatini
groups call for ‘hit list’ of game rangers accused of shooting poaching
suspects with impunity
By Nokukhanya
Musi, Voice of America, 8 October 2024
MBABANE: The main opposition party in
Eswatini is compiling a “hit list” of game rangers in response to what it says
are state-sanctioned murders of suspected poachers. Communities have been urged
to assist in identifying rangers involved in the killings. As tensions mount
over poaching-related deaths in Eswatini, the fear of violence looms large.
Although there is no definitive count of
suspected poachers killed in Eswatini’s game parks, the Ministry of Tourism and
Environmental Affairs estimates that dozens are slain each year.
However, Eswatini’s opposition parties
allege hundreds of families have been impacted by these deaths and have called
for a compilation of a game ranger “hit list.”
Velephi Mamba, treasurer general of main
opposition party PUDEMO, one of the groups calling for possible violence
against the rangers, said the news of the list of game rangers that was
announced a week ago still stands. In fact, he said, it’s an ongoing issue.
Mamba said his party request that all Swazis compile a list of the names of
game rangers that are killing our people.
Amid the growing controversy, legislators
and human rights activists in Eswatini recently demanded an urgent review of
the Game Act of 1991. They say the law allows game rangers in the southern
African kingdom to shoot suspected poachers in national parks with little or no
consequence.
Human rights lawyer Sibusiso Nhlabatsi is
among those calling for revision of the law. He said game rangers need to make
greater efforts to arrest suspected poachers and bring them to court, rather
than killing or torturing them.
To read more of this report, click here
eSwatini
opposition leader discharged after alleged poisoning
TRT
Afrika, 5 October 2024
Leader of an opposition group in Eswatini
has been discharged from the hospital after what the group claims was an
attempted assassination through poisoning.
Mlungisi Makhanya, president of the
Peoples Democratic Movement (PUDEMO) made his first public appearance since the
alleged poisoning during a Friday press briefing which also featured PUDEMO’s
deputy president, Wandile Dludlu.
“Warm and revolutionary greetings to the
Swazi nation and the progressive forces. We take this opportunity to officially
update the nation and the world that our president Mlungisi Makhanya has been
officially discharged from the hospital. We thank God, the medical team, and
all those involved in his care,” Dludlu said.
“The president will now be carefully
monitored by medical professionals in a secured place.”
Makhanya was reportedly poisoned by
someone close to him, a political ally, according to PUDEMO.
The organization believes the poisoning is
part of a broader conspiracy by the Eswatini regime to silence “pro-democracy
advocates.”
South African Communist Party General
Secretary Solly Mapaila called for the immediate arrest of the suspect.
To read more of this report, click here
https://trtafrika.com/africa/eswatini-opposition-leader-discharged-after-alleged-poisoning-18216323
Youth
leads to protect the environment and create livelihoods
UN
Development Program, 6 October 2024
With invaluable support from the GEF Small
Grants Programme (GEF-SGP), young people in Eswatini are leading and
spearheading efforts to protect the environment and create sustainable
livelihoods for themselves and women in their communities. To raise awareness
and mobilise additional support for environmental initiatives aimed at reducing
plastic waste – often found in rangelands and aquatic spaces, where it poses
health risks to both humans and livestock – the Youth Sustainable Development
Centre (YSDC) organised a field day at Millennium Park, Manzini, on October 3.
It brought together various youth- and
women-led community organisations, and civil society organisations, all united
in their commitment to showcase their innovative waste management
initiatives.
YSDC is one of 20 NGOs benefiting from a
$20,000 GEF-SGP grant received by the Coordinating Assembly of NGOs (CANGO),
aimed at building the capacity of local organisations to tackle plastic
pollution using a circular economy approach. The GEF-SGP, established by the
Global Environment Facility (GEF) in 1992, supports communities and local civil
society organisations (CSOs) in addressing critical environmental challenges.
In Eswatini, the GEF-SGP was launched in 2021 and has since disbursed USD
635,000 to support 20 projects and develop the national programme strategy.
UNDP has partnered with GEF to provide oversight and administrative support for
the SGP.
Through the GEF-SGP grant, the YSDC is
mobilising communities, especially the youth and women, to embrace waste
management practices, including reducing, recycling, and reusing. Speaking at
the event, YSDC Executive Director Nokuthula Mamba expressed her gratitude to
the GEF-SGP, CANCO, and UNDP for supporting community-based organisations in
driving innovation and waste management.
 |
Models showcasing outfits made from recycled waste. UNDP/Skhulile Shabalala
To read more of this report, click
here
https://www.undp.org/eswatini/news/youth-leads-protect-environment-and-create-livelihoods
University
of eSwatini closed amid failure by Government to release students’ allowances a
few days after Chancellor King Mswati graced graduation
By
Musa Mdluli, Swaziland News, 8 October, 2024
MBABANE: Lindiwe Nhlabatsi, the Acting
Registrar of the University of Eswatini has announced the closure of the
institution of higher learning, after students engaged in a protest this week
demanding their delayed allowances from Government.
The closure of the University comes a few
days after Chancellor King Mswati, an absolute Monarch, graced a Graduation
Ceremony within the institution of higher learning.
But his Government has been systematically
destroying the University by refusing to release allowances for students in
time, while on the other hand, demonstrating reluctance to fund operations of
the institution resulting to consistent delays in the payment of salaries for
Lecturers and other workers.
“Following the continued class boycott at
the Kwaluseni and Luyengo Campuses, the Senate has taken a decision to close
the University with immediate effect as follows: Students are expected to
vacate the University by 3.00pm today, Tuesday 8th October 2024”, reads the
memo in part released by the Acting Registrar.
Eswatini is facing an education crisis,
amid Government failure to fund education, even schools are facing shortage of
teachers and working equipment.
See also
UNESWA a national asset - King
http://new.observer.org.sz/details.php?id=22699
Lame game erupts over stalled E450m UNESWA
project
http://new.observer.org.sz/details.php?id=22701
Sex
workers reveal shortage of condoms
By
Bongiwe Dlamini, eSwatini Observer, 9 October 2024
SEX workers based in areas around Matsapha
have revealed that there is a shortage of condoms in the location where they
ply their trade.
As a result of this anomaly, they claimed
they had resorted to sometimes reusing condoms.
They said they had been engaging in this risky behaviour for about two months
now.
Although condoms are usually available
even in public spaces like toilets and distributed, the sex workers attributed
their behaviour to the lack of condoms close to their places of work.
According to some of the sex workers,
condoms were usually availed to them by organisations such as Population
Services International (PSI) and the Voice of Our Voices (VoOV).
The latter is a non-governmental
organisation, whose mission is to build an effective long-term community
response to issues faced by sex workers in Eswatini.
When asked why they did not go to any
public toilet or health centre where the condoms were available, the workers
said they did not have time to leave their places of work as they conduct trade
even during the day.
Some said they did not have the money to
travel from Matsapha to other places for the condoms or even HIV post-exposure
prophylaxis (PEP). The HIV PEP is a short course of HIV medicines that
needs to be taken within three days after exposure to HIV to prevent the virus
from taking hold in the body.
Explaining how they conduct their business
under the circumstances, the sex workers said more often than not, they did not
use protection, which they claimed to have communicated to their clients.
To read more of this report, click here
http://new.observer.org.sz/details.php?id=22711
Cancer
fears amid shortage of pap smear
By
Nonduduzo Kunene, Times of eSwatini, 4 October 2024
LOBAMBA: More women are at risk of dying
of late-diagnosed cervical cancer as public health facilities have not been
conducting pap smears for over two years due to shortages of reagents.
Maseyisini Member of Parliament (MP)
Nokuthula Dlamini has moved that the Minister of Health, Mduduzi Matsebula,
shall investigate the shortage of reagents used to conduct pap smear. Pap
smear is a procedure in which a small brush is used to gently remove cells from
the surface of the cervix and the area around it so they can be checked under a
microscope for cervical cancer or cell changes that may lead to cervical
cancer.
The MP moved that the minister of Health
initiated an investigation to ascertain the causes of shortages of critical
drugs and medical consumables for theatre patients, which among others, are
reagents for pap smears, sutures, bandages (primapore bandages), paracetamol IV
adco and other related drugs and medical consumables for theatre patients. “The
minister must be further directed to table a comprehensive report detailing
findings and lasting solutions to address the shortages. The honourable
minister should table the report within seven days after the adoption of the
motion by the House,” she said.
To read more of this report, click
here
http://www.times.co.sz/news/147398-cancer-fears-amid-shortage-of-pap-smear.html
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