Swaziland
Newsletter No. 910 – 16 January 2026
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. The newsletter
and past editions are also available online on the Swazi Media Commentary
blogsite.
eSwatini
among world’s worst on workers’ rights again
By
Sibusiso Dlamini, eSwatini Observer, 11 January 2026
Eswatini has for the fourth consecutive
year been ranked among the world’s 10 worst countries for workers by the
International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC).
The Brussels-based global labour
federation has released the 2025 Global Rights Index, placing Eswatini
alongside Bangladesh, Belarus, Ecuador, Egypt, Myanmar, Nigeria, the
Philippines, Tunisia and Türkiye as the countries where workers face the most
severe and systematic violations of their rights globally.
The latest ranking in the annual index
reinforces a pattern that has now become entrenched since 2022, where the
country is at the bottom tier of the Index.
The International Trade Union
Confederation (ITUC) is the world’s largest global
labour organisation, representing more
than 200 million workers through national
trade union centres in over 160 countries.
The country’s score is unchanged from last
year, a sign, according to the report, that conditions for working people have
stagnated or deteriorated rather than improved.
In its country assessment, the labour
federation links labour rights concerns to broader political matters, claiming
that while trade unions, which are vital democratic institutions, continue to
face persecution.
Central to the ITUC’s assessment is the
use of the Public Order Act of 2017 to restrict gatherings, protests and
petition delivery.
“Basic freedoms of expression and peaceful
assembly are severely restricted,” the Index stated, highlighting cases
involving Swaziland Transport, Communication and Allied Workers Union
(SWATCAWU) Secretary General Sticks Nkambule and Swaziland National Association
of Teachers (SNAT) President Mbongwa Dlamini.
To read more of this report, click
here
https://eswatiniobserver.com/eswatini-among-worlds-worst/
Another
price hike to push consumers beyond survival point
By
Stanley Khumalo, Times of eSwatini, 12 January 2026
MBABANE: As EEC seeks a 20.67 per cent
hike to avoid insolvency, debt-ridden households warn that another price
increase will push them beyond the point of survival.
The Eswatini Electricity Company (EEC) has
defended its application for a 20.67 per cent electricity tariff increase for
the 2026/27 financial year, citing financial necessity rather than profit
motive.
This reality of EEC simply means that
consumers, who are barely coping with the cost-of-living, must dig deeper into
their pockets and as the proposed tariff hike is more than double the
previously approved seven per cent increase.
This proposed tariff increment, which the
public is yet to submit on, if granted, consumers will see their purchasing
power for electricity vanish. For E100, a customer will receive only 32 units,
down from the current 40 units, with each unit costing E3.01.
The impact also transcends to those on the
lifeline, which is designed for low-income households, as they are facing a
proposed 15.6 per cent increase, while standard domestic users could see a
staggering 26 per cent jump in their specific category.
Households, already buckling under a wave
of price hikes for basic commodities, are facing a ‘breaking point’ as the
electricity costs envisaged to increase in April 2026, are adding to other
expenditures which have increased in recent months.
In October 2025, the price of bread, the
ultimate staple for the working class, increased by seven per cent. This was
effected while the public transport is still finalising its proposal for new
bus fares.
They are projecting that the bus fare
hikes will not be below 50 per cent. This, on its own, threatens household
expenditure as parents and guardians use public transport for their children to
and from school.
To read more of this report, click
here
Emaswati
welcome foreign powers, favour free trade
By
Asafika Mpako and Stephen Ndoma, Afrobarometer 12 January 2026
Eswatini has been on a drive to expand its
diplomatic and development partnerships. In 2024, the monarchy established
relations with Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, and Saudi Arabia and signed joint
cooperation agreements and memoranda of understanding with Indonesia,
Serbia, Rwanda, the United Arab Emirates,
Uganda, and Türkiye (Africa Press, 2024). In the East, Eswatini is
cultivating bonds with Bhutan, South Korea, and Singapore. And despite
its relationship with China, its largest Asian trading partner (in 2022,
Eswatini imported goods worth more than $109 million from China), Eswatini
maintains official diplomatic relations with Taiwan – the only African
country to do so (Musi, 2024; Odota, 2024).
Before recent changes in U.S. foreign
assistance, the United States was Eswatini’s largest source of aid,
including hundreds of millions of dollars to fight HIV/AIDS and strengthen
the country’s health systems (Cohen, 2025; U.S. Embassy in Eswatini,
2020). During the COVID-19 pandemic, Eswatini’s response was bolstered by
support from the United States, China, and the European Union (EU), among
others (Nantulya, 2021; Delegation of the European Union to the Kingdom of
Eswatini, 2020). Even so, Eswatini’s economy suffered greatly due to
the pandemic, with devastating effects for its citizens: As of 2022, 59%
of Eswatini’s population lived below the national poverty line (Bertelsmann
Stiftung, 2024; Musi, 2024).
In August, King Mswati III was appointed
deputy chairperson of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Organ
on Politics, Defence, and Security Cooperation, charged with facilitating peace
and security in the region (Eswatini Observer, 2025). Earlier in the year,
Eswatini was elected to the African Union’s (AU) Peace and Security Council
to represent Southern Africa for the 2025-2028 term, highlighting the
country’s increasing influence in continental affairs (History Rise, 2025).
How do Emaswati view their economic and
political relations with the rest of the world? The most recent
Afrobarometer survey reveals that citizens are supportive of international
trade and political cooperation. Most Emaswati see the economic and
political influence of China as substantial and beneficial. Citizens are
also far more positive than negative in their assessments of the influence
of SADC, the AU, the EU, the United States, India, and the
United Kingdom.
Similarly, only about one in five
respondents are dissatisfied with the way Eswatini’s needs and interests are
recognised in SADC and AU decision making. But a substantial majority say
African countries need a stronger voice on global platforms such as the United
Nations.
Small books, big futures: how
families in eSwatini are reading together
By
Mahlubi Ntsetselelo Dlamini, World Bank, 12 January 2026
In the rural tinkhundla of Sithobela,
a mother reading to her young son reflects a quiet transformation taking place
across Eswatini. With only 2% of children owning three or more books, the
Read@Home pilot - led by the Ministry of Education with World Bank support -
set out to close the early literacy gap. By providing age-appropriate books in
SiSwati and English, caregiver coaching, and teacher training, the initiative
reached over 700 children across four communities. Early findings show
increased reading at home, improved vocabulary, and stronger caregiver
confidence. The pilot proves that even in resource-constrained settings,
families can nurture a lasting culture of reading - starting with just 10
minutes a day.
In the rural inkhundla (subdivision) of Sithobela, nestled in Eswatini’s Lubombo region, a mother settles beside her four-year-old son after a long day. She holds a small SiSwati picture book, and he softly asks, “Ngicela ufundze emake”—please read. Within minutes, their quiet room fills with questions, laughter, and new words. As they close the book, he looks up and says, “Tomorrow again.” In that simple moment, reading transforms into an act of love, and a new daily tradition begins.
Reading to your child is more than a
cherished ritual- it’s a fundamental pillar of child development. Studies
consistently show that children who are read to regularly develop stronger
language abilities, improved attention spans, and a lifelong love of
learning. One
study found that children who are read to are able to gain multiple dimensions
of information- not just new words, but the ability to extract moral lessons
and recall story details from picture books, thus fostering readiness for
school.
But perhaps most importantly, these shared
moments with a book create lasting memories - moments filled with curiosity,
laughter, and meaningful connection that strengthen the unique bond between
parent and child. According to the latest Eswatini Multiple
Indicator Cluster Survey (2022), although most children under five in the
country have access to toys and play materials, only 2% were found to own three
or more children’s books.
To address this significant gap,
Eswatini’s Ministry of Education, with support from the World Bank, launched a
pilot initiative in 2025 aimed at delivering books directly to
households—focusing especially on rural and hard-to-reach communities. This effort
is part of the Strengthening
Early Childhood Development and Basic Education Systems to Support Human
Capital Development in Eswatini Project. It was guided by a clear vision:
to provide every young child with the opportunity to build a strong foundation
for learning through access to early literacy resources.
Led by the Ministry of Education and
Training and implemented through Bantwana (an NGO), the Read@Home pilot reached
caregivers of children aged 0–5 years—especially families whose children
weren't yet in formal early childhood programs. The initiative unfolded across
four tinkhundlas: Maseyisini, Mayiwane, Mafutseni, and Sithobela.
To read more of this report, click
here
SWAGAA data shows Manzini leading GBV
cases in December
By Bongiwe
Dlamini, eSwatini Observer, 14 January, 2026
New data released by the Swatini Action
Group Against Abuse (SWAGAA) reveals a troubling surge in gender-based violence
(GBV) within the Manzini region, which accounted for 61% of all reported abuse
cases in December.
According to the analysis of 53 GBV cases
reported during the month, Manzini remained the epicentre of abuse,
underscoring the urgent need for targeted interventions.
Lubombo followed with 23% of reported
cases, while Shiselweni and Hhohho accounted for 9% and 7%, respectively.
Notably, Hhohho recorded the lowest number of cases in December compared to
earlier months in the year.
Also, the December figures indicated that
women and girls continued to bear the brunt of abuse.
Of the 53 reported cases, 42 (77%)
involved female victims, while 12 cases (23%) involved male victims.
Emotional abuse emerged as the most
prevalent form of GBV, accounting for 66% (35 cases) of all reported incidents
during the month.
Sexual abuse made up 15% (eight cases) of
the total and was reported exclusively by female survivors, highlighting the
persistent vulnerability of women and girls to sexual violence. No cases of
financial abuse were recorded in December.
Further analysis of sexual abuse cases
revealed pronounced geographic concentration.
Manzini recorded 61% of all reported
gender-based violence cases in December, according to new data released by
SWAGAA, highlighting urgent intervention needs.
Manzini alone accounted for 63% of all
reported sexual abuse incidents, reinforcing its status as a critical hotspot
requiring urgent intervention. Shiselweni followed with 13%, while Hhohho and
Lubombo each recorded 12% of such cases.
To read more of this
report, click here
https://eswatiniobserver.com/swagaa-data-shows-manzini-leading-gbv-cases/
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