Swazi Media Commentary

Friday, 28 August 2026

Swaziland Newsletter No. 941 – 28 August 2026

Swaziland Newsletter No. 941 – 28 August 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.

China tells citizens to leave Taiwan-allied eSwatini

By AFP, 26 August 2026

SOURCE

China has told its citizens to immediately leave Eswatini, citing security risks in the African nation that is one of Taiwan’s few remaining diplomatic allies.

China claims Taiwan is part of its territory and opposes the self-governed island’s attempts at international exchange.

Taiwan’s president Lai Ching-te travelled to Eswatini in May, with Taipei accusing Beijing of trying to derail the trip by pressuring nearby countries to revoke overflight permits.

The consular affairs department of China’s foreign ministry said on Tuesday that “Chinese nationals and institutions already in the country should evacuate as soon as possible or relocate to relatively safer areas such as South Africa”.

The ministry cited “rampant cyber fraud and online gambling criminal activities” as among the ongoing security concerns.

It was not immediately clear how many Chinese citizens were working or living in Eswatini.

“Those who insist on travelling to or remaining in the area will face extremely high security risks, and the timeliness of receiving consular assistance may be affected,” the department said in a statement shared to social media platform WeChat.

Eswatini, a small enclave kingdom formerly known as Swaziland, is one of 12 countries that still recognise Taiwan.

China has persuaded other nations to break diplomatic ties with the self-ruled island.

On May 1, China extended a zero-tariff policy to all African countries except Eswatini.

Eswatinians welcoming Taiwan president Lai Ching-te during his visit to the country on 2 May 2026. Photo: Wang Yu Ching/Office of the President, via Flickr

See also

Govt defends eSwatini sovereignty, rejects China’s security claims (Times of eSwatini)

https://times.co.sz/42401/news/govt-defends-eswatini-sovereignty-rejects-chinas-security-claims/

Chinese nationals safe in eSwatini (eSwatini Observer)

https://www.eswatiniobserver.com/chinese-nationals-safe-in-eswatini/

6.85% secondary school dropouts last year

By Nokuphila Haji, eSwatini Observer, 24 August 2026

SOURCE

At least 6.85% of pupils in secondary schools dropped out last year, with pregnancy being the leading reason affecting both females and males.

This is according to responses from Minister of Education and Training Owen Nxumalo that were tabled and adopted in the Senate.

The minister stated that currently there are only 2025 statistics available because data is collected annually.

The minister was responding to a question posed by Senator Celumusa Mndvoti, who had asked how many learners dropped out of school this quarter at both primary and secondary school levels, and what the reasons for their dropout were.

This is despite the country having adopted the Eswatini Education and Training Sector Policy (EDSEC) in 2011, which guarantees pregnant learners the right to continue their education and to return to school after giving birth. The policy is supported by the country’s National Gender Policy and explicitly states that schools must not permanently expel learners due to pregnancy.

Instead, school administrators are required to allow pregnant pupils to take time off to care for their babies and then return to the classroom to complete their studies. Government directives issued in 2020 further reinforced the policy by instructing schools to ensure that pregnant learners are allowed to return to class, particularly to sit for examinations and complete their academic programmes.

The policy is rooted in the recognition of education as a fundamental human right, as outlined in the United Nations (UN) human rights framework, to which Eswatini is a signatory.

Despite the policy, pupils are still dropping out of school due to pregnancy or after impregnating others.

To read more of this report, click here

https://www.eswatiniobserver.com/6-85-secondary-school-dropouts-last-year/

Low wages push textile workers into sex for E20

By Mlondzi Nkambule, Times of eSwatini, 26 August 2026

SOURCE

MBABANE: The need to meet monthly bills results in some textile workers offering their bodies for a mere E20.

This is one of the findings of the HIV Prevention Indaba study, which explored barriers and enablers to HIV prevention among different population groups across the country.

The study was presented to the Editors’ Forum yesterday at Emafini Conference Centre by the National Emergency Response Council on HIV and AIDS (NERCHA).

It was said during the study that some textile workers say their remuneration is very low and does not meet all their needs. They reportedly said at times they become in danger of contracting HIV due to sleeping around.

This, they reportedly said, is because they want money to fulfil their needs.

Among those who were interviewed during the study, one woman recommended an important aspect that government should intervene and ensure that textile firms remunerate their employees better.

“If we may ask the government, where can it increase the money? This is the reality we face. You find us in kombis with conductors who steal E20 from employers and spend it on us. When a conductor tells you, ‘With the E20, let’s go to the forest,’ you are forced to choose between your dignity and survival. You need that E20 for electricity or bread, because if you are absent from work, you do not get paid,” a textile worker reportedly recommended.

For workers who are paid according to attendance, the pressure is compounded by the fear of losing income if they leave work. The study participant described situations where a woman could need even a small amount of money to buy bread or pay for electricity, making an immediate financial offer difficult to refuse.

The issue is not presented by the study as a justification for risky sexual behaviour, but as a structural factor that HIV prevention programmes need to address.

To read more of this report, click here

https://times.co.sz/42338/news/low-wages-push-textile-workers-into-sex-for-e20/

See also

‘Bring new HIV fight approaches’ (eSwatini Observer)

https://www.eswatiniobserver.com/bring-new-hiv-fight-approaches/

Prime Minister meets World Food Programme to discuss ways of strengthening eSwatini food security

By Musa Mdluli, Swaziland News, 24 August 2026

SOURCE

MBABANE: Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini met with the Country Representative of the World Food Programme (WFP) in Eswatini Nanga Kaye at the Private and Cabinet Office, Government online platforms reported on Monday.

It has been reported that, the discussions focused on the existing strategic partnership between Eswatini and the WFP, as well as opportunities for further cooperation.

The Prime Minister shared Eswatini’s vision of attaining food sovereignty and sought the WFP’s support in the establishment of the country’s grain reserves, as well as in the development of a concept to strengthen the national school feeding programme.

Also discussed was the country’s El Niño response plan and the WFP’s anticipated role in supporting its implementation.

The Prime Minister urged the WFP to work closely with Government in supporting high-impact projects and to utilise locally available capacity in the food distribution programme, thereby creating employment opportunities for emaSwati. He further encouraged the organisation to consider training emaSwati in the implementation of the Cash Transfer Programme, in anticipation of the need for such a facility should El Niño affect the country.

See also

PM seeks WFP help to build grain reserves (Times of eSwatini)

https://times.co.sz/42212/news/pm-seeks-wfp-help-to-build-grain-reserves/

eSwatini puts agriculture at centre of economic growth, job creation

By Gcwalisile Mhlabane, eSwatini Positive News, 22 August 2026

SOURCE

MANZINI: Eswatini is placing agriculture at the centre of its economic transformation with billions of Emalangeni being invested in food production irrigation livestock development and youth empowerment as Government seeks to turn the sector into a major engine of economic growth and job creation.

The agriculture sector has been allocated between E2.02 billion and E2.24 billion in the 2026 national budget representing about 6.2 per cent of the national budget.

The investment is being channelled towards food sovereignty water security commercial farming agricultural financing livestock development and critical infrastructure with the broader goal of increasing productivity while creating sustainable economic opportunities for EmaSwati.

A major pillar of the strategy is the E432 million Eswatini Youth Empowerment Opportunities Project (EYEOP) under the Ministry of Economic Planning and Development.

The project is targeting 30000 young people aged between 18 and 35 with about 20000 expected to benefit from agriculture and agriculture-related opportunities.

EYEOP is set to be rolled out at community level bringing opportunities closer to young people particularly those in rural communities where agriculture remains a major source of livelihoods.

The project is expected to open pathways into farming livestock production agro-processing agricultural services and other businesses across the agricultural value chain.

To read more of this report, click here

https://eswatinipositivenews.online/eswatini-puts-agriculture-at-centre-of-economic-growth-job-creation/

SWAZI MEDIA COMMENTARY

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Friday, 21 August 2026

Swaziland Newsletter No. 940 – 21 August 2026

Swaziland Newsletter No. 940 – 21 August 2026

eSwatini steps up efforts to get children off streets

By Phumelele Gamedze, eSwatini Positive News, 18 August 2026

SOURCE

MBABANE: Key stakeholders gathered yesterday at Hilton Garden Inn to find lasting solutions for children living and working on the streets, with plans focusing on immediate support and long-term family care.

The meeting was convened by the Deputy Prime Minister’s Office through the National Children Services Department, bringing together municipalities, the Royal Eswatini Police Service and the Social Welfare Department.

In Eswatini’s major towns and cities, children can increasingly be seen on the streets, some selling goods or asking members of the public for money. Behind every child on the street, however, is a story that may involve family circumstances, poverty, lack of support or other challenges.

The meeting therefore sought to look beyond the presence of children on the streets and understand what can be done to change their circumstances.

The stakeholders are working towards a short-, medium and long term plan that will guide how children and their families can be supported. The intention is to create a coordinated response where children are identified, their individual situations understood and appropriate assistance provided.

This is important because prolonged exposure to street life can put children at risk of losing opportunities to attend school and may expose them to situations that threaten their safety, health and development.

To read more of this report, click here

https://eswatinipositivenews.online/eswatini-steps-up-efforts-to-get-children-off-streets/

eSwatini signs $195m US health funding deal

Associated Press, 20 August 2026

SOURCE

Eswatini has signed a health funding agreement with the United States worth more than 3.24 billion emalangeni ($195 million) amid concerns the deal will expose the kingdom to abuse of its biological resources and health data in exchange for aid.

The memorandum of understanding was announced Tuesday during a courtesy call on Prime Minister Russell Dlamini by senior US State Department official Clinton Brown, who praised Eswatini’s “successful negotiation” under King Mswati III’s guidance.

Brown said the agreement would “benefit the health of Emaswati”, citing expanded support for HIV programmes and epidemic preparedness.

The deal forms part of Washington’s America First Global Health Strategy, which has replaced traditional aid channels such as USAID and scaled back President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).

Under the scheme, the US provides funding for health systems in exchange for access to pathogen samples, surveillance data and sometimes critical minerals.

More than 18 African countries – including Nigeria, Botswana and the Democratic Republic of Congo – have signed similar agreements.

...

Critics describe the agreements as “transactional” and “imbalanced”, arguing they externalise US health responsibilities while undermining African autonomy.

Pathogen sequencing data is vital for biosecurity, pharmaceutical innovation and vaccine development, giving Washington a competitive edge.

See also

US credits PM leadership for e3.24 billion health deal (eSwatini Positive News)

https://eswatinipositivenews.online/us-credits-pm-leadership-for-e3-24-billion-health-deal/

One in three learners bullied as violence takes multiple forms

eSwatini Observer, 16 August 2026

SOURCE

One in three school-going adolescents in the country reported being bullied on school property while almost one in five experienced cyberbullying.

The country’s latest national adolescent health survey paints a picture of pupils facing violence both inside and outside the school environment.

It found that 33.2% of learners aged 13 to 17 had been bullied on school property during the month preceding the survey. Girls were slightly more affected, with 35.1% reporting that they had been bullied compared with 31.3% of boys.

The findings also show that bullying is no longer confined to the school grounds.

A further 17.3% of learners reported being cyberbullied, with girls again recording a higher prevalence at 18.1% compared with 16.3% among boys. Cyberbullying also increased with age, rising from 16.5% among learners aged 13 to 15 to 18.6% among those aged 16 to 17.

The survey does not establish which digital platforms were involved, who was responsible for the harassment or what form the cyberbullying took. It also does not establish whether learners who experienced bullying at school were the same learners who reported cyberbullying. However, the findings point to an increasingly complex environment in which harassment can extend beyond the school gates and continue through phones and digital platforms after learners have left school.

The wider findings indicate that bullying forms part of a broader concern around violence and injury among adolescents.

To read more of this report, click here

https://www.eswatiniobserver.com/one-in-three-learners-bullied-as-violence-takes-multiple-forms/

eSwatini eyes curbing children’s social media access

By Mlondzi Nkambule, Times of eSwatini, 19 August 2026

SOURCE

MBABANE: Government is examining measures to shield children from harmful social media content as countries tighten age restrictions on young users.

The issue came under scrutiny in Senate last week when Senator Isaac Magagula asked what was being done to prevent minors from accessing social media platforms that expose them to harmful content. Magagula sought to know what mitigating measures were in place to combat what he described as a scourge affecting children.

Responding on behalf of the Ministry of Tourism and Environmental Affairs during the Senate debate on the Deputy Prime Minister’s Office First-Quarter Performance Report, the DPM’s Office said it was working with the Ministry of Information, Communications and Technology (ICT) on the regulation of online content.

“On the issue of regulating content on social media platforms, the office works in close collaboration with the Ministry of ICT to ensure that contents on certain social media platforms are censored, as per the practice globally, to ensure that children are protected from accessing harmful social media sites,” the DPM’s Office stated.

It further pointed to the regulatory framework administered through the Eswatini Communications Commission (ESCCOM), saying it was intended to ensure compliance with cyber laws and protect children from harmful and inappropriate online content. The response, however, did not announce a specific minimum age for social media use in Eswatini or indicate that government had adopted a blanket restriction on under-16 accounts.

Instead, it signals that the protection of children online is increasingly being treated as a regulatory issue involving content control, cybersecurity, data protection and cooperation between government agencies.

Eswatini already has legislation dealing with a range of online harms.

To read more of this report, click here

https://times.co.sz/41773/news/eswatini-eyes-curbing-childrens-social-media-access/

Govt eyes incentives to grow eSwatini to 2 million

By Sifiso Nhlabatsi, eSwatini Positive News, 14 August 2026

SOURCE

LOBAMBA: Government could consider introducing incentives to encourage population growth in Eswatini, with a Cabinet minister suggesting that the country should set a long-term target of growing its population to two million people.

This was disclosed by Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Senator Pholile Shakantu, who was representing Minister of Home Affairs Princess Lindiwe during the Senate Portfolio Committee debate on the Ministry of Home Affairs’ First Quarter Performance Report for 2026/27.

Shakantu was responding to a question raised by Senate President Senator Lindiwe Dlamini on the country’s population growth.

The minister said Eswatini’s relatively slow population growth was an issue that deserved attention, suggesting that Government could explore incentives aimed at encouraging families to have more children.

She cited examples of other countries where governments provide financial allowances and other forms of support to families with children as part of efforts to stimulate population growth.

According to the minister, Eswatini could similarly examine what incentives would be appropriate and sustainable to encourage population growth.

She noted that for many years, the country’s population has remained within the region of 1.1 million to 1.2 million people, arguing that a clear long-term national population target could help shape future policy.

To read more of this report, click here

https://eswatinipositivenews.online/govt-eyes-incentives-to-grow-eswatini-to-2-million/

See also

73 % of eSwatini’s population is under age 35 (eSwatini Positive News)

https://eswatinipositivenews.online/73-of-eswatinis-population-is-under-age-35/

The King’s Emperor is naked as Judiciary and Cabinet fight

Comment by Wandile Dludlu, Swaziland News, 16 August 2026

SOURCE

King Mswati III (Pic: via TimesLive)

After the 2021 unrest, the State is working overtime to sell a story, through State media, royal events, and curated optics, Emaswati and the world are told that the Monarchy is strong, united, in charge, efficient, and loved by the people.

But the numbers tell a different story, the fiscus is bleeding, debt is climbing. Unemployment and poverty are at crisis levels, the Judiciary and Cabinet are at war with themselves, the clothes are gone, the Emperor is naked.

The cash flow crisis in Government has reached unprecedented proportions, for 2025/26, total expenditure is projected to grow by 8.5% to E32.61 billion, driven by security wages and infrastructure.

The fiscal deficit is projected to widen to E2.88 billion, or 3% of GDP.

The World Bank is even bleaker, projecting a deficit of 6.3% of GDP in 2026-among the largest in Africa and nearly double the Sub-Saharan average of 3.5%.

Public debt has followed. It rose to 40.3% of GDP by June 2025, up from 38.6% a year earlier. The IMF projects it will hit 42.9% owing to the regularization of arrears.
Borrowing is now expensive, with government securities trading 3.75 percentage points above South African instruments.

The result on the ground is collapse. Departments operate at a bare minimum. Local service providers remain unpaid, with government arrears still at 3.2% of GDP despite E1.05 billion in “clearance”. Clinics lack drugs. Schools lack books. Yet the pageantry continues.
The economy is not just failing. It is failing the majority by design. Unemployment sits at 34%, with youth unemployment at 58% in 2023. Poverty is at 59%. Income inequality is among the highest in sub-Saharan Africa.

Growth projections of 4% to 4.6% for 2026 mean little. Economists warn this is “largely cyclical, driven by consumption” and “insufficient to fundamentally alter the country’s high levels of unemployment, poverty and inequality”. Without structural reform, “this momentum risks fading, leaving the economy trapped in a familiar pattern of stagnation, limited job creation and persistent social pressure”.

Social security provisions are buckling under the same pressure.

With deficits eroding contingency buffers and financing costs rising, the state has less capacity to protect the 59% living in poverty. Grants, health, and education — the bare minimum of a social contract — are being sacrificed to keep the system afloat. Governance has collapsed inward, the Judiciary is once again at odds with the executive.

The Master’s Report released by the Chief Justice a week ago depicts a Government that is coy and evasive of accountability to the poor — the victims of malfeasance, corruption and maladministration.

The deplorable saga of the United States detainees has been yet another emblematic reminder of a system in jeopardy, one that has compromised the integrity of His Majesty’s Correctional Services together with the judiciary. It exposes a chronic political disease.

The Head of State has failed once more to intervene and restore confidence, the King is failing to provide leadership when it is most needed. In the Tinkhundla system, no one can evaluate the performance of the most expensive public officer.

Yet for the sake of the nation, one person must urgently pull the different organs of state in one direction.

Instead of removing deployed officials presiding over looting, there is a clear pattern of protecting mediocrity and maladministration.

In Cabinet, endless political wrestling between the Prime Minister and ministers exposes the rot at the top.

The appointing authority appears either unwilling or unable to enforce unity and cohesion. If the Cabinet cannot agree among itself, how can it deliver national goods and services to Emaswati?

The optics cannot hide the reality and the maths on the ground anymore.

6.3% deficit. 40%+ debt. 34% unemployment. 58% youth unemployment. 59% poverty.

A Government that cannot pay its bills, cannot keep its house in order, and cannot account to its people.

The post-unrest narrative of strength and stability is a misdiagnosis, it is propaganda to cover a regime in total dire straits.

Eswatini does not need more pageantry, we need accountability, jobs, and a Government that serves the people and is democratic now!

SWAZI MEDIA COMMENTARY

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Friday, 14 August 2026

Swaziland Newsletter No. 939 – 14 August 2026

Swaziland Newsletter No. 939 – 14 August 2026

Dangerous criminals dumped in eSwatini by United States Donald Trump administration secretly released

By Musa Mdluli, Swaziland News, 12 August 2026

SOURCE

MBABANE: The dangerous criminals some who were previously convicted of child rape, robbery and murder and were subsequently dumped in Eswatini by the United States (US) Donald Trump administration as per an agreement signed with the tiny Kingdom, has been released.

The deportees were recently seen embarking on a shopping spree this week in the densely populated Matsapha where the country’s Correctional Facility is situated but, even though some are dangerous ex-convicts, it has been disclosed that some are law abiding deportees dumped in the Kingdom of Eswatini merely for allegedly being in the United States illegally.
Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister Prince Simelane told Parliament that these deportees are not dangerous.

“They are not dangerous it’s just that they don’t want them in the United States,” the Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister told Parliament last week.

It has been disclosed that, some of the deportees have been released after applying for asylum in the Kingdom of Eswatini while some are still residing at the Matsapha Correctional Facility pending repatriation to their respective countries.

The United States signed an agreement with the Kingdom of Eswatini and subsequently paid about R100million for dumping dangerous criminals in the southern African country.

Reached for comments by this Swaziland News, Wandile Dludlu, the Deputy President of Eswatini’s main and largest liberation movement, the People’s United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO) described the dumping of the dangerous criminals in Eswatini as a political hoax.

“The whole deportees saga is a political hoax nothing legal nor due process. Tinkhundla, for money will remove their clothes for the funder to enjoy”, said the PUDEMO Deputy President.

Friday, 7 August 2026

Swaziland Newsletter No. 938 – 7 August 2026

New regulations to crack whip on online media

By Ntombi Mhlongo, Times of eSwatini, 4 August 2026

SOURCE

MBABANE: For some time, government has struggled with creating a fair, ethical and accountable digital media environment while addressing growing concerns over unregulated online publishing platforms.

With each passing year, there are concerns in the media industry that the absence of a registration and licensing framework for online media platforms has created an uneven playing field.

The argument is that digital publishers are able to compete for audiences and advertising without incurring the statutory permit and licensing costs borne by mainstream media.

The argument is that mainstream media is required to obtain statutory permits and licences, pay the associated fees and comply with regulatory obligations.

These requirements increase their operating costs and subject them to formal oversight.

Many online media platforms, if they are not currently subject to the same licensing and registration requirements, avoid those costs while competing for the same audience, advertising revenue and influence.

As a result, there is now a feeling that traditional media organisations are competing on unequal terms because they bear regulatory and financial obligations that some online publishers do not. In particular, the argument is that there is a creation of an uneven regulatory landscape within Eswatini’s media industry.

The Ministry of Information, Communication and Technology (ICT), was recently called to provide answers in Parliament on what is being done to regulate the mushrooming online news platforms.

The minister was particularly asked to state the legal frameworks that are in place to regulate such platforms.

….

The ministry revealed that it has completed the development of the Online Media Publishing Guidelines 2026, which introduce a registration requirement for online publishers and require them to adhere to established journalistic and ethical standards.

According to the ministry, the Guidelines form part of broader efforts to strengthen accountability within the online media sector while ensuring that digital publishers are subject to professional standards similar to those expected of traditional media organisations.

The ministry stated that the guidelines provide for several important requirements intended to improve the quality and integrity of online publishing.

These include provisions dealing with the verification and accuracy of news content, procedures for corrections and retractions where inaccurate information has been published, the protection of personal privacy, safeguards for children and other vulnerable persons, prohibited conduct and the responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI) in publishing.

It explained that the overall objective of the Guidelines is to foster greater accountability and professionalism within the online media sector while creating a more balanced regulatory environment for all publishers.

The ministry indicated that the framework is intended to respond directly to concerns that the current regulatory landscape has become skewed as digital platforms continue to grow in number and influence.

To read more of this report, click here

https://times.co.sz/40740/news/new-regulations-to-crack-whip-on-online-media/

See also

High licence fee kills local tv dreams (Times of eSwatini)

https://times.co.sz/40566/news/high-licence-fee-kills-local-tv-dreams/

Agriculture must create jobs wealth for youth – Minister Tshawuka

By Sifiso Nhlabatsi, eSwatini Positive News, 5 August 2026

SOURCE

EZULWINI: Agriculture must create jobs and wealth for young people.

This was the central message from Minister of Agriculture Mandla Tshawuka during the official launch of the Agriculture Sector Review (ASR) and the Agricultural Solutions Marketplace held as part of the National Strategic Dialogue on Transforming Agriculture and Agribusiness in Eswatini at Happy Valley Hotel yesterday.

The minister said government was determined to transform the country’s agricultural sector into one that is commercially competitive, climate-resilient, innovative and driven by technology. He said agriculture should no longer be viewed merely as a means of subsistence but as a modern business capable of creating employment, improving household incomes and making a greater contribution to national economic growth.

“We want agriculture to create decent jobs for our youth, generate wealth for farmers, improve household incomes and contribute significantly to national economic growth,” Tshawuka said.

To read more of this report, click here

https://eswatinipositivenews.online/agriculture-must-create-jobs-wealth-for-youth-minister-tshawuka/

Persons with disabilities highlight barriers faced while shopping

By Phiwase Phungwayo, eSwatini Observer, 4 August 2026

SOURCE

Persons with disabilities have called for greater accessibility and improved customer service in retail stores, highlighting the daily challenges they face when shopping.

The concerns were raised during the DPM Trolley Dash Drive at Pick n Pay Mashayitafula yesterday, where beneficiaries shared their experiences of navigating retail spaces.

Victor Mpila, who represented people with hearing impairments, said communication remained a major challenge, as shop assistants often assumed that customers with hearing impairments could hear normally.

He said the situation becomes even more difficult when assistants are unable to communicate using sign language, leaving people with hearing impairments struggling to access assistance while shopping.

Wheelchair users also raised concerns about inaccessible store layouts, particularly shelves positioned beyond their reach.

One beneficiary said wheelchair users were often overtaken by other shoppers, while products placed on high shelves were difficult or impossible for them to access independently.

Nelisiwe Shiba, who has albinism, said people often assumed that because persons with albinism appeared able-bodied, they had no visual difficulties.

She said the small size of numbers and words on price tags made it difficult for people with albinism to see prices, potentially affecting their ability to compare products and make informed purchasing decisions.

Sibusiso Maziya, who has a visual impairment, said shopping could be particularly challenging because assistants sometimes simply point customers towards products without explaining what was available.

He said this means that shoppers with visual impairments could miss out on cheaper alternatives and ultimately spend more money than they could afford.

The beneficiaries called for retailers to improve accessibility, train staff on disability inclusion and ensure that all customers can shop with dignity and independence.

Meanwhile, DPM Thulisile Dladla yesterday launched the country’s first-ever trolley dash competition specifically targeting unemployed people with disabilities, in a move aimed at promoting inclusion and challenging businesses to make their services more accessible.

The E30 000 trolley dash drive saw nine beneficiaries given the opportunity to shop for basic groceries worth up to E2 000 each at Pick n Pay Mashayitafula yesterday.

Sibongile Khumalo smiles alongside Siphocosini MP Mduduzi Matsebula, who is also minister of health after doing her shopping during the first-ever Trolley Dash Competition for Persons with Disabilities

To read more of this report, click here

https://www.eswatiniobserver.com/persons-with-disabilities-highlight-barriers-faced-while-shopping/

U.S., eSwatini strengthen E4 billion health partnership for the future

By Gcwalisile Mhlabane, eSwatini Positive News, 5 August 2026

SOURCE

MANZINI: The United States and the Kingdom of Eswatini are deepening a multi-billion-emalangeni health partnership that will strengthen the country’s healthcare system, protect communities from future disease outbreaks and build a more resilient health sector for generations to come.

The long-term collaboration was highlighted during the 16th East, Central and Southern Africa Health Community (ECSA-HC) Best Practices Forum held at The George Hotel in Manzini, where health leaders from across the region gathered to share successful healthcare solutions and strengthen regional cooperation.

Speaking during the forum, Kristine Clark, Team Lead for the Office of Foreign Assistance at the U.S. Embassy in Eswatini, said the partnership demonstrates the United States’ continued confidence in Eswatini’s healthcare achievements and its commitment to supporting the country’s next phase of health sector development.

Clark revealed that the two countries signed a five-year bilateral health Memorandum of Understanding in December 2025 worth between E3.48 billion and E4 billion, including a US$205 million contribution from the United States Government.

The agreement, which runs from 2026 to 2030, introduces a co-investment approach that promotes shared responsibility, accountability and increased national ownership of healthcare programmes, positioning Eswatini to sustain its health gains well into the future.

“The United States is proud to continue deepening this partnership between our two governments,” Clark said.

The investment will support critical health priorities, including expanding HIV prevention, treatment and care services, strengthening tuberculosis control programmes, improving health information systems, enhancing laboratory detection capacity and reinforcing disease surveillance across the country.

To read more of this report, click here

https://eswatinipositivenews.online/u-s-eswatini-strengthen-e4-billion-health-partnership-for-the-future/

eSwatini growth to slow after strong 2025 performance: IMF

By Lesego Lebuso, Channel Africa, 5 August 2026

SOURCE

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) says eSwatini’s economic growth is expected to moderate in 2026 despite strong expansion last year, as fiscal and external risks remain elevated.

An IMF team led by Xiangming Li visited Mbabane from July 23 to August 5 for discussions on the 2026 Article IV Consultation with the Kingdom of eSwatini.

Li said real gross domestic product (GDP) growth accelerated to 4.9% in 2025, supported by large public and private investment projects. However, unemployment remains high at 33.5%.

Growth is expected to slow in 2026 because of higher fuel costs, weaker global demand, tighter financing conditions, weather-related disruptions and easing investment activity.

Inflation moderated in 2025 and continued to decline in early 2026 before rising to 2.6% in June. The IMF expects higher fuel prices to push up average inflation for the year. “The outlook is subject to significant downside risks,” Li said.

Li said a prolonged conflict in the Middle East could raise fuel and fertiliser prices, weaken external demand and increase fiscal pressures. Climate shocks, particularly drought and erratic rainfall, could also disrupt agriculture, increase food prices and worsen poverty.

eSwatini’s external position improved modestly in 2025, with the current account surplus widening from 2.1% of GDP in 2024 to 2.4%. However, gross international reserves remained low at 2.5 months of imports at the end of 2025.

The IMF said the current account surplus is expected to narrow because of higher fuel costs and strong investment-related imports.

To read more of this report, click here

https://www.channelafrica.co.za/channelafrica/news/eswatini-growth-to-slow-after-strong-2025-performance-imf/

Our lives are in danger – Psychiatric orderlies

By Bongiwe Dlamini, eSwatini Observer, 6 August 2026

SOURCE

Orderlies at the National Psychiatric Referral Hospital in Manzini have accused the administration of placing their lives at risk by refusing to implement a two-shift system.

They said the current three-shift arrangement left them overworked, exposed to violent patients and without adequate support.

The aggrieved workers yesterday picketed outside the hospital before presenting a petition to the administrator, detailing what they described as unsafe working conditions and a lack of engagement by management.

They said the three-shift system left only one orderly to care for more than 60 patients in each ward, increasing the risk of assault while attending to violent psychiatric patients.

According to the workers, several orderlies had sustained serious injuries over the years, with some losing fingers, parts of their ears and suffering other physical assaults while on duty.

They alleged that despite reporting these incidents to management, the only assistance they received was pain medication and verbal apologies.

The workers further claimed that although government provides for overtime payments where applicable, the administrator allegedly refuses to approve their overtime claims.

They also said they did not receive hardship allowances despite the hazardous nature of their work.

The orderlies argued that physically handling violent psychiatric patients was not part of their original job description.

They said their core responsibilities were cleaning hospital wards, floors, surfaces and ablution facilities, requisitioning cleaning materials, and collecting and washing laundry.

However, they said their duties had expanded significantly due to the nature of the patients at the hospital.

They said their current duties included responsibilities that went far beyond housekeeping.

According to the workers, they were required to receive and manage violent psychiatric patients upon admission, provide security to patients around the clock, physically restrain aggressive patients, separate patients involved in fights and ensure patients remained safely confined within the facility.

To read more of this report, click here

https://www.eswatiniobserver.com/our-lives-are-in-danger-psychiatric-orderlies/

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