Swaziland
Newsletter No. 924 – 24 April 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.
Forty years of Mswati rule offer zilch to celebrate
By Melusi Simelane, Mail & Guardian
(South Africa), 22 April 2026
In the coming days, the last
absolute monarch in sub-Saharan Africa, King Mswati III of the Kingdom of
Eswatini will celebrate 40 years on the throne and millions of emalangeni (the
Swazi lilangeni, SZL, pegged 1:1 to the South African rand, ZAR) are expected
to be spent. Dignitaries are expected to attend, with gifts already presented
to the monarch at his Lozitha Palace. The state machinery is already working
overtime to convince the nation and the watching world that there is something
worth celebrating.
There have been genuine
achievements over these four decades: modest infrastructure has expanded,
bilateral relations with Taiwan have benefited from increased agricultural
expertise and pockets of the economy have grown. These are real achievements
that should not be overlooked. However, an honest accounting of the 40-year
reign ought to look beyond the ceremonial and ask real questions about
governance, including whether most citizens are better off, freer, healthier,
more educated or more secure than they were in 1986, when the monarch took
office at 18. If, on almost every meaningful measure, the answer is troubling,
then what follows should not be seen as an attack on the person of the monarch
but rather as an indictment of a governance system that has consistently chosen
power over people.
Eswatini’s economy tells a
tale of two worlds, depending on who narrates it. At the very top, a narrow
elite of businesspeople and politicians within the monarch’s inner circle
controls most of the country’s wealth, while at the bottom, over 60% of the population
lives below the poverty line. These are not the natural outcomes of a small,
landlocked country with limited resources; they are the predictable results of
a deliberate policy environment that has persisted for the past four decades.
Chief among these policy
decisions is the treatment of Tibiyo Taka Ngwane, a sovereign wealth fund
established in 1968 by the former monarch, King Sobhuza II. In its founding
vision, the fund was intended to hold shares in the country’s major industries in
trust for the Swazi nation, forming a genuine social security architecture
built on the country’s productive assets. Four decades later, that vision has
been quietly hollowed out. The fund operates without parliamentary scrutiny,
pays no tax and its benefits accrue not to a broad citizenry but to those at
the very top of the political hierarchy. The late Mario Masuku, one of the
country’s most enduring advocates for democracy, once described it as a
“feedlot for the king and his inner circle.” What could have been the
foundation of a genuine social security net, shielding ordinary Swazis from
poverty and unemployment, instead became a vehicle for elite accumulation.
This pattern of monopolisation
spans the economy, with major industries such as sugarcane farming,
construction, media, and telecommunications dominated by entities closely tied
to the ruling elites and their cronies. In the Lubombo region – the heart of
Eswatini’s sugar belt and one of the country’s most significant sources of
export revenue – this dynamic is most stark. Sugarcane has long been described
as ‘Swazi gold’, yet the benefits of this gold elude the small farmers who live
and work the land around the big corporations in the region.
To read more of
this report, click here
King receives over E18 million and over 250 cattle in
tetfulo
By Times Reporter, Times Sunday (eSwatini), 19
April 2026
LOZITHA: His Majesty King
Mswati III receives a massive outpouring of love and loyalty as the nation
presents E18 230 836 in cash and Over 250 cattle during the ongoing Tetfulo at
Mandvulo Grand Hall.
These historic tributes,
contributed by various sectors, organizations, and individuals, mark a
significant milestone for the 58th Birthday and 40th Coronation Anniversary.
This record-breaking
presentation reflects the nation's deep appreciation for His Majesty’s four
decades of leadership and vision during this prestigious Ruby Jubilee.
His Majesty King Mswati III, alongside Her Majesty the Indlovukazi. His majesty was showered with a variety of gifts from companies and individuals during a colourful ceremony held at Mandvulo Grand Hall at Lozitha. Among the notable presentations were a Toyota Land Cruiser gifted by Cabinet ministers, 250 cattle and over E18 million in cash. His Majesty turns 58 years today, with official celebrations set for April 24, a momentous occasion that will also mark his 40th anniversary on the Throne
See also
His Majesty thanks
nation for tetfulo (eSwatini Observer)
https://eswatiniobserver.com/king-mswati-thanks-nation-tetfulo-contributions/
Student activist remains in arbitrary detention more
than 2 years after arrest
Monitor (Civicus), 17 April 2026
Since the pro-democracy
protests in Eswatini in 2021, which highlighted longstanding grievances over political
repression, limited civic space and human rights violations, the country has
remained under intense domestic and international scrutiny.
In response to these concerns,
the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights (ACHPR) conducted a Promotion Mission to Eswatini from 15th to
19th July 2025. The mission aimed to engage the Eswatini government in
constructive dialogue on human rights, strengthen judicial independence, and
promote meaningful collaboration with civil society. The ACHPR delegation,
comprising Commissioners responsible for human rights defenders, judicial
independence, and vulnerable populations, met with government officials,
members of Parliament, judicial representatives, law enforcement agencies,
national human rights institutions, and CSOs. Through these engagements, the
Commission assessed the progress and challenges in implementing human rights
obligations, identified obstacles to judicial independence, and encouraged
inclusive citizen participation in governance. At the conclusion of the
mission, the ACHPR shared its preliminary findings and recommendations with
government authorities, briefed the public through a press conference and
called upon the Kingdom of Eswatini to uphold human rights, advance judicial independence
and engage civil society meaningfully.
Despite this engagement,
Eswatini has continued to undermine human rights protections and erode trust in
judicial and democratic institutions. On 16th July 2025, Eswatini had secretly
accepted high-profile deportees from the United States under opaque “third
country” agreements worth millions. Five men from Vietnam, Jamaica, Laos, Cuba
and Yemen convicted in the U.S. of serious crimes such as murder and child rape
were transferred to Eswatini and detained in solitary confinement at the
Matsapha Correctional Centre without charge or access to legal counsel. CSOs
subsequently filed legal action against Eswatini, arguing that the
secret agreement breached the constitution and international obligations as it
had not been submitted to Parliament for approval.
The controversy sparked
protests and advocacy campaigns, with organisations such as Amnesty
International condemning the detention conditions and violations of due
process. The incident underscored persistent governance, human rights, and
judicial independence challenges in Eswatini, highlighting the difficulty civil
society faces in holding the government accountable and the broader
implications of opaque international agreements.
Menzi Bongeka Bhembe, a
26-year-old university student and activist, has been arbitrarily detained for over two years following his arrest on 16th
January 2024 at his family home in Ka-Phunga, Shiselweni Region. He was
arrested without a warrant and initially held under the Criminal Procedure and
Evidence Act before being charged under the Suppression of Terrorism Act (STA)
of 2008.
The charges include allegedly
providing support to a proscribed organisation linked to the banned political
party PUDEMO, and the distribution of political pamphlets, as well as arranging
or attending meetings in support of a proscribed organisation. The accusations
appear to arise from his peaceful student activism and there is no evidence
that he committed, planned or incited violence.
To read more of
this report, click here
Swazi political organizers and activists face wave of
state repression
By Nicholas Mwangi, Peoples Dispatch, 17
April 2026
Pro-democracy activists in
Swaziland have accused the state of targeting leaders with fabricated charges
in an effort to silence dissent.
The regime in Swaziland has
escalated its crackdown on pro-democracy forces, carrying out a wave of
arrests, abductions, and targeted repression. Youth leaders and organizers have
been particularly singled out, with the latest target being Nontsetselelo Ncamsile
Nkambule, treasurer general of the Swaziland Youth Congress and a People’s
United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO) cadre.
Her designation as “wanted” by
state authorities on charges of kidnapping and attempted murder has been widely
condemned as fabricated and politically motivated. For many within the Swazi
democratic movement, they believe these actions indicate a regime preparing to
silence dissent at all costs.
In a statement, the Swaziland Youth Congress expressed “absolute
anger and disgust” at the accusations leveled against their treasurer general,
describing them as part of a long-standing pattern of repression:
“We are outraged. This is yet
another cowardly and desperate act by the Tinkhundla regime and its police, who
have long abandoned any pretense of serving the people. Instead of fighting
unemployment, poverty, and the collapse of our education system, this
government deploys its security forces to manufacture lies, criminalize
activists, and shield the royal family from accountability.”
To read more of
this report, click here
No permit granted for PSUS march
By Ntombi Mhlongo, Times of eSwatini, 22 April
2026
MBABANE: A proposed march by
civil servants at Cabinet and Ministry of Public Service scheduled for today
[Wednesday, 22 April 2026] has not been granted a permit.
As per the rules, the
procedure is that the proposed march, organised by the leaders of public sector
unions (PSUs) is supposed to be granted a permit by the Municipal Council of
Mbabane.
However, during a press
briefing by the leaders of the PSUs on the Swaziland National Association of
Teachers (SNAT) platform on Facebook, it was revealed that the application for
the permit has been rejected.
However, the leaders
informed members that while they will not actually march, they will get
to Cabinet and the Ministry of Public Service to deliver the petition. Speaking
during a press briefing streamed on the Swaziland National Association of Teachers
(SNAT) Facebook platform, SNAT President Mbongwa Dlamini outlined the sequence
of events leading up to the current impasse. He explained that union leaders
had followed all legal procedures in notifying authorities of their intention
to march and had initially received approval. “We prepared thoroughly and
engaged the municipality in line with the law. We had an agreement and were
granted permission to march,” Dlamini said.
“However, we were later
shocked when that approval was abruptly withdrawn without any written
communication. We were simply informed that a directive had been issued, but no
details were provided.”
Dlamini dismissed reports
suggesting that the petition had already been delivered, stating that it
remained in the possession of union leaders.
He said the unions had
resolved to return to Mbabane to ensure that their concerns were formally
presented to government. Despite the rejection of their application, Dlamini
argued that the planned action falls within the provisions of the Public Order
Act of 2017, particularly those relating to spontaneous gatherings.
He noted that such gatherings
do not require the standard four-day notice period when they arise from
unforeseen circumstances. “This is a response to an unexpected situation. The
law is clear on spontaneous gatherings, as outlined in Legal Notice No. 2001 of
2017,” he said. “It is surprising that the municipality appears to disregard
these provisions.”
He emphasised that the unions
remain committed to acting within the law and maintaining peace. Rather than
marching, members intend to proceed directly to Cabinet and the Ministry of
Public Service to deliver the petition.
“We will not march, but we
will walk to deliver the petition. Nothing will stop us from doing so,” Dlamini
stated. “This is not a strike. We will be carrying a document, not weapons. We
are simply raising our concerns.”
He further urged government to
respect the rule of law and the rights of civil servants, warning that union
members would persist in their efforts until the petition is delivered.
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