Swazi Media Commentary

Friday, 17 July 2026

Swaziland Newsletter No. 935 – 17 July 2026

Swaziland Newsletter No. 935 – 17 July 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.

MPs back changes to election laws over ‘discrimination’ concerns

By Sifiso Nhlabatsi, eSwatini Positive News, 15 July 2026

SOURCE

LOBAMBA: The House of Assembly has unanimously adopted a motion calling on Government to amend Eswatini’s electoral laws to align them with the Constitution, following concerns that the current legal framework discriminates against male candidates while failing to clearly define the role and accountability of Regional Women Members of Parliament.

The motion, moved by Kubuta MP Masiphula Mamba during Private Members’ Motions and seconded by Mbabane East MP Welcome Dlamini, paves the way for the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs to table legislation before Parliament.

Mamba’s motion calls on the minister to introduce a Bill amending the Elections Act, 2013 (Act No. 10 of 2013), the Election of Women Members of the House of Assembly Act, 2018 (Act No. 9 of 2018), and related provisions of the Senate (Elections) Act, 2013 (Act No. 7 of 2013).

The proposed amendments seek to ensure full alignment with the principles of equality before the law and non-discrimination enshrined in Section 20 of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Eswatini Act, 2005, particularly regarding the electoral processes and eligibility criteria for Regional Women Members of Parliament.

Motivating the motion, Mamba said the current legal framework creates unequal treatment between male and female candidates who contest constituency elections.

“What happens now is that when a male candidate loses an election, that is the end of the road. However, women who lose constituency elections can still become Members of Parliament through the regional women’s election process. If that opportunity exists, then the law should apply equally, or the legislation should clearly justify the distinction,” he said.

Mamba argued that Parliament has a constitutional duty to ensure all citizens are treated equally before the law. He further said the legislation should explicitly define the mandate, responsibilities and reporting lines of Regional Women MPs.

According to him, the absence of clear provisions has created uncertainty regarding their role, accountability and constitutional status.

Supporting the motion, Mbabane East MP Welcome Dlamini said the issue has affected parliamentary candidates for years and deserves urgent attention.

He remarked that it was unfortunate Lobamba MP Michael Masilela, whom he described as one of those affected by the current arrangement, was not present in the House when the debate began.

“They told him he could not have a second bite of the cherry,” Dlamini said.

He argued that Parliament has only two options if it wishes to eliminate what he views as discrimination.

“The first option is to allow male candidates the same second opportunity, or alternatively remove the second opportunity for women. The law must apply equally,” he said.

Dlamini also questioned the legal position of Regional Women MPs, saying their responsibilities remain inadequately defined.

He said he had been informed that some Regional Women MPs struggle to access certain public resources, including the Regional Development Fund (RDF), because legislation does not clearly outline their status and functions.

“Their role must be clearly defined so they know exactly how to execute their duties and access the resources necessary to serve their communities,” he said.

Regional Women MPs who participated in the debate supported the motion, acknowledging that uncertainty surrounding their mandate has created practical challenges.

However, they cautioned against framing the issue as a contest between male and female legislators.

To read more of this report, click here

https://eswatinipositivenews.online/mps-back-changes-to-election-laws-over-discrimination-concerns/

More US deportees arrive in eSwatini

Legalbrief Africa, 13 July 2026

SOURCE

Eleven more migrants deported from the US have arrived in eSwatini as part of President Donald Trump's wide-ranging immigration crackdown. A US immigration attorney said the group includes at least two who have legal protection that advocates say should shield them from deportation.

Africanews says it is the latest expulsion in line with the Trump administration’s unprecedented ‘third-country’ deal that has already seen 19 people sent to eSwatini since July 2025. Two of them – a Jamaican and Cambodian – have been repatriated, but 17 remain in a high-security prison, held without charge.

It is not yet clear what are the nationalities of the 11 who arrived in eSwatini on Wednesday. Eswatini confirmed last year it had received around $5.1m from the US to accept the deportees. King Mswati III’s Government has been accused of human rights violations and Amnesty International has called the deportation scheme ‘deeply abusive’. While nations like eSwatini have held most US deportees indefinitely, other nations such as Ghana, have quickly sent them back to their home countries.

To read more, click here

https://www.africanews.com/2026/07/08/fourth-group-of-deportees-from-us-arrive-in-eswatini/

See also

Eleven more Trump deportees arrive in eSwatini from the United States, lawyer says (Reuters)

https://www.businessghana.com/site/news/Politics/351853/Eleven-more-Trump-deportees-arrive-in-Eswatini-from-the-United-States,-lawyer-says

Amnesty International calls for the release of individuals detained under the US-eSwatini arrangement (Channel Africa)

https://www.channelafrica.co.za/channelafrica/news/amnesty-international-calls-for-the-release-of-individuals-detained-under-the-us-eswatini-arrangement/

DNA plan could swallow E126m of Home Affairs budget

By Sibusiso Shange, Times of eSwatini, 15 July 2026

SOURCE

MBABANE: Making DNA testing compulsory before issuing birth certificates could cost taxpayers about E126 million annually, enough to fund free Grade I education for nearly 188 000 children.

An analysis by the Times of Eswatini, based on the country’s average of between 29 200 and 29 600 births annually, according to the population census 2025, shows that universal DNA testing would cost government between E125.5 million and E127.3 million each year if outsourced to private laboratories charging about E4 300 per test.

DNA, which stands for deoxyribonucleic acid, is the molecule that carries the genetic instructions for the development, functioning, growth and reproduction of all known living organisms and many viruses.

The projected expenditure would consume almost 46 per cent of the Ministry of Home Affairs’ annual budget of E274.5 million, exceed government’s E98 million allocation for the School Feeding Programme and cost almost as much as Parliament’s entire annual budget of E157 million.

It would also come at a time when government is projecting expenditure of E36.9 billion, revenue of E31.9 billion and a fiscal deficit equivalent to 4.9 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP).

Under Eswatini’s Free Primary Education Act of 2010, government provides E672 per Grade I learner annually for tuition and stationery. Based on that grant, the estimated DNA bill could finance free Grade I education for about 187 500 children for one year.

The estimated E4 300 required for one DNA test is equivalent to the annual Grade I grant for approximately six children.

The financial implications have intensified debate over whether compulsory DNA testing represents the best use of limited public resources, particularly as government continues investing heavily in education, healthcare, infrastructure and social protection while servicing rising public debt.

To read more of this report, click here

https://times.co.sz/38899/news/dna-plan-could-swallow-e126m-of-home-affairs-budget/

See also

Men push for compulsory DNA tests (eSwatini Observer)

https://www.eswatiniobserver.com/men-push-for-compulsory-dna-tests/

Maloma Mine workers protesting in demand for salary increment

By Bongiwe Dlamini, Swaziland News, 16 July 2026

SOURCE

MBABANE: The Industrial Court of Eswatini has stopped a ‘strike’ at Maloma Colliery as workers demand a salary increment and that, Inyatsi Group Chairman Michello Shakantu must personally address them.

The workers have been protesting this week only for the Management to run to court’ police were subsequently deployed on Wednesday afternoon to disperse the Maloma Colliery employees.

But after the court order stopping the strike, the Management addressed the workers on Thursday and an agreement was reached that they will go back to work pending negotiations.

Friday, 10 July 2026

Swaziland Newsletter No. 934 – 10 July 2026

Swaziland Newsletter No. 934 – 10 July 2026

93% girls in rural areas already moms

By Kwanele Sibiya, eSwatini Observer, 6 July 2026

SOURCE

An estimated 93% of girls under the age of 18 living in rural communities are already mothers.

This has raised alarm over the prevalence of teenage pregnancy and the vulnerability of young girls across the country.

The figures were revealed by Colani Hlatjwako, the Africa Regional Coordinator of the One Billion Rising Campaign on Thursday during the closing session of the three-day Chiefs’ Summit held at Esibayeni Lodge.

Hlatjwako said the One Billion Rising Campaign, which is active in 42 tinkhundla centres across the country, was working closely with chiefs and women community support groups to address gender-based violence, teenage pregnancy and unsafe abortions, amongst others.

She said the organisation recently conducted research in the Manzini region to establish the underlying causes of teenage pregnancies and abortions.

She said according to the findings, men were identified as the primary drivers of unintended pregnancies, with many women indicating that they have little control over reproductive decisions within relationships.

“The women we interviewed told us their partners decide whether they should have children or not,” Hlatjwako said.

She added that the research also found that many women remain financially dependent because of high unemployment, making it difficult for them to negotiate issues relating to contraception and family planning.

She said according to the research, about 93% of young girls under the age of 18 already have children in the rural areas.

Hlatjwako expressed concern that, despite the law criminalising sexual relations with anyone under the age of 18, very few perpetrators were ever brought before the courts.

“Having sexual intercourse with a child under the age of 18 is a criminal offence, yet our research found that no one is arrested for such,” she said.

She attributed this largely to fear among victims, saying many children lack confidence in the justice system and believe the law did not adequately protect them.

She further noted that while legislation permits survivors of rape to access lawful termination of pregnancy, many girls encounter delays in accessing the service.

“Our findings show that some children only receive these services when the pregnancy is well advanced, making the process even more traumatic while others would give birth without accessing the services,” she said.

To read more of this report, click here

https://www.eswatiniobserver.com/93-girls-in-rural-areas-already-moms/

From assassination target to refugee — the heavy price of defending eSwatini human rights

By Timothy Fish Hodgson and Kaajal-Ramjathan Keogh, The Daily Maverick (South Africa) republished from The Nation (eSwatini), 6 July 2026

SOURCE

Prominent Eswatini human rights lawyer Maxwell Nkambule has been granted asylum in France, highlighting the escalating state-sponsored terror, violence, and assassinations targeting the kingdom’s legal professionals.

On 11 May, after a long and arduous process, the French authorities recognised Maxwell Nkambule, a well-known Eswatini human rights lawyer, as a refugee.

Nkambule’s asylum application included information about an assassination attempt made on his life, documented in the International Commission of Jurists’ 2025 report “No Situation is Permanent: Repression, Intimidation, Harassment and Killing of Lawyers in Eswatini”. Relying on this report, as well as information provided by a range of other international and local organizations, and on a communication to the Eswatini authorities by the UN Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, he told the French authorities that his life — and that of others in a similar position — was at risk simply for providing legal representation in cases considered political and/or controversial by the Swazi authorities.

The Eswatini government has yet to respond to the communication issued by the Special Rapporteur (dated 7 April 2025), nor did it engage with her during her visit to the country for the purpose of holding dialogues with Eswatini human rights lawyers later the same month.

In a letter responding to questions raised to the minister of justice and constitutional affairs by the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) before the publication of its report, the minister said, “Eswatini endeavours to provide a safe and respectful environment for everyone to exercise their human rights in the ambit of the law.”

Seemingly responding directly to the case of Nkambule, the minister continued: “However, there was once a report to the police by a lawyer that he was allegedly followed by an unknown foreign-registered motor vehicle and felt his life was under threat. Subsequent to that, investigations were instituted, but unfortunately nothing came out due to insufficient facts.”

The letter concluded: “To be precise [there is] no repression and harassment of lawyers in the Kingdom of Eswatini.”

The minister’s response provided cold comfort for human rights lawyers in the country. It flies in the face of the evidence documented by the ICJ, accepted by the UN Special Rapporteur as credible, and relied upon by the French authorities in Nkambule’s asylum application.

Lawyer Maxwell Nkambule. (Photo: International Observatory of Lawyers / Wikipedia)

To read more of this report, click here

https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026-07-06-from-assassination-target-to-refugee-the-heavy-price-of-defending-eswatini-human-rights/

One Billion Rising eSwatini calls upon all emaSwati to unite against GBV

By Gcwalisile Mhlabane, eSwatini Positive News, 8 July 2026

SOURCE

MBABANE: As the Kingdom of Eswatini continues to experience a troubling increase in gender-based violence (GBV) cases, with reports of domestic abuse, sexual violence and killings dominating headlines over the past few weeks, One Billion Rising Eswatini has called upon all emaSwati to unite in confronting the scourge and building safer communities.

The call was made by Colani Hlatshwayo, the Africa Regional Coordinator for One Billion Rising and National Director of Women and Law in Southern Africa (WLSA) – Eswatini, who said ending violence requires a collective commitment from families, communities, men, institutions and leaders.

Speaking on Kusile Breakfast on July 8, 2026, Hlatshwayo said the continued reports of abuse highlight the need for society to strengthen efforts aimed at protecting vulnerable people and creating environments where everyone feels safe.

She said the current situation should encourage emaSwati to work together in finding lasting solutions to GBV through prevention, awareness, support systems and accountability.

“These numbers and the cases we continue to witness in Eswatini are deeply concerning. As a nation, it places us in a position where we must ask ourselves what more we can do to strengthen our programmes and ensure we are effectively fighting this scourge,” Hlatshwayo said.

The GBV advocate said one of the major challenges in addressing violence is that many cases happen within homes, involving people who are known and trusted by victims.

She said this makes it important for communities to strengthen protection networks and ensure that victims are supported when they seek help.

“This violence is mostly perpetrated by people who live together with the victims, meaning it largely happens within homes. We are talking about people who are supposed to protect them, but instead become the source of harm,” she said.

Hlatshwayo noted that GBV affects not only survivors but also families, children and communities that are left to deal with the emotional and social consequences of abuse.

She called for stronger mechanisms to ensure that victims who report abuse receive the necessary protection and support.

To read more of this report, click here

https://eswatinipositivenews.online/one-billion-rising-eswatini-calls-upon-all-emaswati-to-unite-against-gbv/

An emotional wait for water nears its end for communities in eSwatini's Manzini region

African Development Bank, 2 July 2026

SOURCE

For generations, the scarcity of water has dictated the rhythm of daily life across Eswatini’s Manzini Region.

In Nhlambeni, Manzini South, Mthongwaneni, Mafutseni, and Manzini North, thousands of families have built their daily routines around the absence of reliable water. Daily life has meant: long treks to rivers and seasonal springs, harvesting rainwater, waiting for water tankers, rationing the water received, and quietly negotiating for late-night borehole access.

In some areas, families have had to share water sources with livestock - a daily compromise between necessity and health.

That long routine of hardship is now drawing to a close.

In March 2024, the Government of the Kingdom of Eswatini launched the construction of the Manzini Region Water Supply and Sanitation Project backed by financing from the African Development Bank Group.

The project includes a modern water treatment plant with a capacity of 25 million litres per day, supported by transmission mains and reservoirs capable of storing 21 million litres. Crews are also laying more than 350 kilometres of distribution networks, along with up to 14 water kiosks and 20 public sanitation facilities, to bring clean water closer to communities. The initiative supports Eswatini’s broader goal of achieving universal access to water and sanitation by 2030.

Access to at least basic drinking water services in Eswatini is 80.4 per cent, while access to safely managed drinking water services is 38.2 per cent. Access to at least basic sanitation services is 64.5 per cent, compared with 60.8 per cent for safely managed sanitation services. These stark figures highlight why the Manzini expansion is critical to bridging the gap.

With construction now 92% complete, the transformation is already visible. Water supply hours have been extended, and pressure has surged across several neighbourhoods due to interconnections bridging the old and new supply networks. When the project launches later this year, it will provide clean, reliable water services to approximately 35,000 people, transforming daily life for families across the project footprint.

To read more of this report, click here

https://www.afdb.org/en/news-and-events/emotional-wait-water-nears-its-end-communities-eswatinis-manzini-region-95149

Public calls for background checks on church leaders

By Phiwase Phungwayo, Saturday Observer (eSwatini), 4 July 2026

SOURCE

Members of the public have called for the introduction of mandatory, regular background checks on religious leaders in the country, following the arrest of a pastor accused of murdering multiple women.

Community members, civil society voices and social commentators say the case involving Pastor Nkosingiphile Zwane has raised urgent questions about accountability within religious institutions, particularly where leaders occupy positions of trust and moral influence over congregants.

The calls come after police confirmed that Zwane, a pastor and community police member from Mfabantfu, was arrested by Sigodvweni Police and has been charged with rape and murder.

Investigators allege that he lured some of the victims through Facebook, reportedly promising them money and employment opportunities.

Authorities from the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) said four women were recently recovered from a water canal at Mfabantfu in Matsapha. Police confirmed that all the victims had been strangled before their bodies were dumped in the canal, adding that investigations are ongoing and the matter is now before the courts.

Members of the public on this publication’s social media platform, including users Thando Maseko and Sipho Dlamini, have also contributed to the growing debate, calling for stricter vetting processes for individuals who lead congregations or hold positions of moral authority.

They said background checks should not only be conducted at the point of appointment but should also be repeated periodically to ensure continued suitability for such roles. Some social media users argued that religious institutions should not rely solely on initial screening processes, saying that ongoing monitoring could help prevent individuals with criminal intent from remaining in positions of influence.

They added that churches and faith-based organisations must take greater responsibility in ensuring the safety of their congregants, particularly vulnerable women and young people.

To read more of this report, click here

https://www.eswatiniobserver.com/public-calls-for-background-checks-on-church-leaders/

See also

Church distances itself from shamed pastor (eSwatini Observer)

https://www.eswatiniobserver.com/church-distances-itself-from-shamed-pastor/

SWAZI MEDIA COMMENTARY

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Blog: https://swazimedia.blogspot.com/

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Friday, 3 July 2026

Swaziland Newsletter No. 933 – 3 July 2026

Swaziland Newsletter No. 933 – 3 July 2026

Compulsory DNA testing motion must go to constituencies for public views before adoption – Marwick

BY Mfanufikile Khathwane, eSwatini Positive News, 1 July 2026

SOURCE

LOBAMBA: Lomdzala Member of Parliament Marwick Khumalo has called for emaSwati to be consulted before Parliament decides on the motion seeking to make DNA testing compulsory before the issuance of birth certificates.

Speaking during debate in the House of Assembly, Marwick Khumalo said the issue should first be taken to constituencies across the country so that citizens can express their views before Parliament adopts any resolution.

He said the proposal had far-reaching social, legal and financial implications and should not be decided without consulting the people. Khumalo added that compulsory DNA testing could help address cases where the identity of a child’s biological father is unknown, reducing the burden on Government in supporting children whose fathers cannot be traced. He said the matter would generate significant public interest and deserved national consultation.

The call for constituency consultations was, however, challenged by some Members of Parliament.

Sandile Nxumalo opposed compulsory DNA testing, arguing that forcing every parent to undergo the process would make everyone a suspect despite having done nothing wrong. He questioned how citizens’ constitutional right to privacy would be protected and maintained that DNA testing should remain a personal choice rather than a legal requirement. He also disagreed with taking the matter to constituencies.

Ndzingeni Member of Parliament Mduduzi Magagula also rejected the proposal for constituency consultations, saying Members of Parliament were elected because the people trusted them to make decisions on their behalf. He further opposed the motion, warning that compulsory DNA testing could result in some children failing to obtain birth certificates where their fathers are unknown, potentially affecting their access to essential services.

His views were supported by the Mhlume Member of Parliament and the Manzini Regional Member of Parliament, who also opposed the motion. They argued that implementing mandatory DNA testing would place an additional financial burden on Government.

Earlier in the debate, Mangcongco Member of Parliament Lomalanga Dlamini cautioned that making DNA testing compulsory could have unintended consequences, including an increase in divorce cases and family disputes.

Supporting the motion, Mtfongwaneni Member of Parliament Nathi Hlophe said it was emotionally devastating for people to discover later in life that they did not belong to the family that raised them. He said some women falsely identify men as fathers of their children, causing emotional pain and financial hardship. Hlophe argued that mandatory DNA testing would establish the truth from birth and help resolve cases where one child is being supported by multiple men claiming or being made to believe they are the father.

The parliamentary debate follows concerns previously raised by the Minister for Home Affairs, Princess Lindiwe, who opposed the proposal when it was first introduced. The Minister argued that making DNA testing compulsory for every birth would be costly for Government, could create unnecessary public conflict and would not align with some of Eswatini’s cultural values.

She also noted that only a small percentage of births involve disputed paternity and called for extensive public consultations before any legislative changes are considered.

The proposal remains under parliamentary consideration and has not become law.

See also

Compulsory DNA testing could trigger divorces, MPs warn (Times of eSwatini)

https://www.times.co.sz/news/readmore.php?bhsadjgfoh=Compulsory+DNA+testing+could+trigger+divorces%2C+MPs+warn&yiphi=4409&bvhdgsj=News

Compulsory DNA testing proposal sparks debate (Saturday Observer, eSwatini)

https://www.eswatiniobserver.com/mens-symposium-compulsory-dna-testing-proposal-sparks-debate/

Five years later: eSwatini still awaits truth, justice and accountability

Opinion by Abigail Jele, Swaziland News, 29 June 2026

SOURCE

Today, 29 June 2026, marks five years since one of the darkest chapters in Eswatini’s modern history.

The political uprising of June 2021 left families shattered, communities traumatized, and a nation searching for answers that have yet to come.

During those days, scores of emaSwati lost their lives amid widespread unrest and the security response that followed.

Among those remembered today were fathers, mothers, sons, daughters, students, workers, community leaders, and individuals who had dedicated themselves to defending the rights and dignity of others.

Many families continue to live with the pain of losing loved ones, while survivors continue to bear the physical and psychological scars of the violence.

Five years have passed, yet many questions remain unanswered.

Families who buried their loved ones are still waiting for justice. Many continue to seek independent investigations into the deaths and injuries that occurred during the June 2021 events.

For them, remembrance is not only about honouring those who died—it is also about demanding truth, accountability, and guarantees that such events will never happen again.

The legacy of June 2021 extends beyond those who lost their lives. In the years that followed, Eswatini continued to experience restrictions on civic space, arrests of activists, attacks on journalists and human rights defenders, and an environment where many citizens have expressed fear about exercising their constitutional rights to freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly.
The memory of those who died reminds us that human rights are not abstract ideals. They are about the right to live, to speak freely, to participate in public life, and to hold differing opinions without fear of violence or repression.

As we light candles and remember the lives lost, we must also remember the families left behind the children who grew up without parents, the parents who buried their children, and the communities forever changed by those tragic days.

Justice delayed continues to deepen wounds. Accountability is not about revenge; it is about acknowledging harm, establishing the truth, providing remedies to victims, and rebuilding public trust in institutions. Without accountability, reconciliation becomes difficult, and the cycle of pain continues.

Five years later, the names of those who lost their lives have not been forgotten. Their memories live on in the calls for justice, dignity, democracy, and respect for human rights. Their families deserve answers.

The nation deserves the truth. As Eswatini reflects on this solemn anniversary, may we honour every life lost by renewing our commitment to peace, dialogue, justice, and the protection of fundamental human rights for all.

May those who lost their lives in June 2021 never be forgotten. May truth prevail. May justice finally be served.

See also

PUDEMO Youth League remembers emaSwati killed during June 2021 political unrest (Swaziland News)

https://swazilandnews.co.za/articles/36306

Mental Health for Men: Women leaders abuse male employees

By Kwanele Sibiya, eSwatini Observer, 1 July 2026

SOURCE

Some women in positions of authority are using their power to abuse male employees in the workplace.

This was revealed by prominent South African relationship therapist, motivational speaker and television personality Thabang Mashego during the second annual Build Him Men’s Symposium 2026 held on Friday at the Mavuso Exhibition and Trade Centre.

With the theme being ‘Mental Health for Men: Stress, Depression and Burnout,’ Mashego made the intervention during an interactive question-and-answer session, where discussions centred on the challenges men face both at home and in the workplace.

She said while significant efforts had been made to educate men about gender-based violence and abuse, there was an equally pressing need to educate women, particularly those in positions of authority, on the misuse of power.

According to Mashego, some female managers were abusing male subordinates by taking advantage of their senior positions, creating unhealthy and exploitative working environments.

Supporting Mashego’s sentiments, Sergeant Thobeka Mathunjwa from the Manzini Regional Police Headquarters said cases of abuse against men were real and should not be dismissed.

Presenting on ‘Understanding Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence in the Workplace,’ Mathunjwa said men experienced verbal, physical and sexual abuse, but many chose to remain silent due to fear of stigma.

He said verbal abuse often had devastating psychological consequences, including stress, depression and, in some instances, sexual dysfunction among male victims.

Mathunjwa observed that despite the country having only one female correctional facility, many men remained victims of abuse because they were generally reluctant to report offences committed against them.

He explained that many male victims internalised their trauma, which sometimes manifested as anger and violent behaviour.

“There is no shame in reporting abuse. Men must come forward and seek justice instead of suffering in silence,” he urged.

On the other hand, Mathunjwa also warned that workplace sexual exploitation constituted a criminal offence under the Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence (SODV) Act of 2018.

To read more of this report, click here

https://www.eswatiniobserver.com/women-leaders-abuse-male-employees/

‘Pastors among biggest clients of sex workers’

By Phiwase Phungwayo, Sunday Observer (eSwatini), 28 June 2026

SOURCE

Pastors are among the country’s biggest clients of sex workers, a trend that reflects deeper identity and mental health struggles that many men silently battle.

This was revealed by Pastor and Counsellor Clement Dlamini. Dlamini made the remarks during a men’s mental health discussion held as part of The Clinic Group’s Annual Family Fun Day – Father’s Day Edition at Manzini Clinic yesterday. Held under the theme, ‘Strong families start with healthy men’, the event promoted family wellness and mental health awareness by offering health talks, access to mental health professionals, family activities and health education.

Addressing attendees during the Esangweni Health Talks, Dlamini said many men sought validation through unhealthy means because they had never developed a secure sense of identity.

He said one of the greatest misconceptions among men was believing that their worth was determined by the number of women they slept with, instead of recognising that their value was inherent.

According to Dlamini, this distorted understanding of masculinity often persisted even after marriage, leaving some men dissatisfied and searching for fulfilment elsewhere.

Drawing from his experience as both a pastor and counsellor, he revealed that he had counselled pastors who had become involved with other women despite being married.

“I have counselled pastors, who have come to me after becoming involved with other women. Some even end up buying sex,” he said.

Dlamini further claimed that available data placed pastors among the largest consumers of sex work in the country.

To read more of this report, click here

https://www.eswatiniobserver.com/pastors-among-biggest-clients-of-sex-workers/

eSwatini strengthens safeguards against sexual harassment in higher education institutions

By Gcwalisile Mhlabane, eSwatini Positive News, 1 July 2026

SOURCE

MBABANE: The Kingdom of Eswatini continues to strengthen efforts to combat the growing incidence of sexual harassment and gender-based violence in higher education institutions as Government, universities and civil society organisations intensify collaboration to create safer learning environments for students.

According to research findings, one in four women aged 19 to 24 in Eswatini has experienced sexual violence in their lifetime, while students in higher education institutions are four times more likely to experience sexual assault than their non-student peers. These findings were revealed during a Dialogue on Violence Prevention in Higher Education, held at the Hilton Garden Inn in Mbabane on June 30, 2026, under the Litsemba Rising initiative.

The dialogue was convened to share findings and lessons from the Litsemba Rising initiative while strengthening collaboration among Government, higher education institutions, civil society organisations and the media to prevent sexual harassment and gender-based violence in institutions of higher learning. It also sought to promote stronger institutional safeguarding policies, improve reporting and response mechanisms, build the capacity of staff and students, and encourage responsible media reporting that supports survivors while helping to change harmful social norms.

The engagement brought together representatives from Women Unlimited Eswatini, Bantwana Initiative Eswatini, the University of Eswatini (UNESWA), the Ministry of Education and Training, the Deputy Prime Minister’s Office, the Eswatini Media Editors’ Forum and other stakeholders committed to advancing safer learning spaces.

Speaking during the dialogue, Women Unlimited Eswatini Founder and Executive Director Vimbai Kapurura said the Litsemba Rising initiative was established to address sexual harassment in higher education institutions through evidence-based interventions, research and strategic partnerships.

She said the initiative, which has been implemented since 2024 in partnership with Bantwana Initiative Eswatini, is supported by the Deputy Prime Minister’s Office, the Ministry of Education and Training, UNESCO, university management and a research team led by Dr Shabalala.

To read more of this report, click here

https://eswatinipositivenews.online/eswatini-strengthens-safeguards-against-sexual-harassment-in-higher-education-institutions/

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Friday, 17 July 2026

Swaziland Newsletter No. 935 – 17 July 2026

Friday, 10 July 2026

Swaziland Newsletter No. 934 – 10 July 2026

Friday, 3 July 2026

Swaziland Newsletter No. 933 – 3 July 2026