Swaziland
Newsletter No. 750 – 28 October 2022
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.
King Mswati: I will rather die than to release
incarcerated pro-democracy MPs
Africa
Press, 22 October 2022
King Mswati allegedly said those who wanted incarcerated pro-democracy
Members of Parliament (MPs)Bacede Mabuza and Mthandeni Dube released, must
first pump a bullet through his head and kill him.
Mswati, an absolute Monarch with Executive, Judicial and Legislative
powers is implicated in a politically motivated case through electronic
evidence, he allegedly instructed his police to arrest the pro-democracy MPs
merely for demanding democratic reforms.
Jeffery Shabalala, the then Army Commander was investigated by this
Swaziland News and subsequently exposed confirming that Mswati allegedly issued
the order to arrest the MPs.
Now, royal insiders very close to the King alleged that the King was
approached and asked to at least release the MPs and participate in a political
dialogue to restore peace and stability in the country, however, the King refused.
“We tried to convince him to release the MPs but he said those who want
these MPs released must first pump-in a bullet through his skull. Watsi
angamane afe kunekutsi abakhulule,” said the royal insider.
But King’s Spokesperson Percy Simelane when responding to our questions
on the subject matter, said the matter was before court and urged lawyers
representing the MPs to challenge the alleged involvement of the King and
present evidence.
Courts in eSwatini are fully controlled by Mswati, who placed himself
above the Constitution.
“The arrest of the two Members of Parliament in question is before a
court of law. We believe their lawyers stand a better position to challenge the
alleged participation of the King and present proof.It would be therefore not prudent
for us to entertain it lest we stray into its merits and attract Contempt of
Court at our own expense,”said the King’s Spokesperson.
Simelane said as the King’s Office, they have a duty to be extra careful
when responding to questions on issues involving the King adding that
misinformation has become a song all over the world.
“We believe the Courts would be happy to hear how the King participated
in the arrest of the MPs in question and what exactly he said. We have checked
with the police but they have no record of any command to that effect,” he
said.
Reached for comments, Sicelo Mngomezulu, the lawyer representing the
pro-democracy MPs said they tried to file an urgent bail application after
receiving information suggesting that the King was allegedly involved in the
politically motivated case.
“You will recall that we tried to challenge the alleged involvement of
the King in the matter, after receiving information implicating the then Army
Commander Jeffery Shabalala who alleged that the King was involved. We even
filed an affidavit of the police officer who was with Jeffery but that was in
the bail application. Despite these allegations regarding the alleged
involvement of the King, we believe the court must issue a judgement
independently and release the MPs,” said the lawyer.
It has been disclosed that apart from interfering in the MPs court case,
the King allegedly issued an order to the police to shoot and disperse
protesters who were singing outside the High Court in support of the MPs.
Police’s unprecedented revolt against Mswati III
By
Sambulo Dlamini, CAJ News Africa, 25 October 2022
MBABANE:
A REVOLT by police officers in Eswatini is a fatal development highlighting the
worsening crisis in Africa’s last absolute monarch, characterised by bloodshed
in recent months.
It represents the first act resistance by the inner circle in the
administration led by King Mswati III (54).
For years, the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) has been accused as
one of the pillars of the king’s reign, which began in 1986 when he was a
teenager.
Their role as enforcers of Mswati III increasingly firm iron fist has
been evident in recent months as the king faces his biggest threat to power in
the form of protests by citizens demanding reforms and greater freedoms.
Scores of protesters have been killed, injured or kidnapped.
As the economic situation worsens, however, junior police officers have
been on a strike in recent days, in what is seen as a show of defiance to the
powerful king who acts as the Commissioner-in-Chief of the Police.
The Police Commissioner reports to him. William Tsintsibala Dlamini is
current Police Commissioner.
Junior officers, who are now at loggerheads with their seniors, have
been on strike demanding better salaries and improved working conditions.
In another incident seen as an embarrassment to Mswati III, the
aggrieved officers, under the Police Staff Association, have committed to
putting an end to the violence and atrocities meted on members of the public,
particularly the working class and the students during ongoing upheaval.
Things have taken a tragic turn lately.
Last week, two police officers who were on duty while others attempted
to go and protest at Prime Minister Cleopas Dlamini’s office in the capital
Mbabane were found dead.
They were killed in Manzini, the country’s largest urban centre.
It is not known who killed the pair but it is suspected those agitating
for the strike were behind the murder.
Seargent Dumsile Khumalo, Police Staff Association Secretary General,
who led junior police officers’ protest to the Prime Minister’s Office, was
arrested last Friday.
The Mbabane Magistrates Court has slapped her with charges of violating
the Police Act and Public Order Act.
The state has reportedly confiscated fire arms from some of the police
in fear of the situation deteriorating.
Meanwhile, fire fighters have recently picketed, demanding their
overtime allowances. Police resorted to fired stun grenades and tear gas to
disperse them.
The National Economic Movement (NEM), which is advocating for political
freedom and human rights for eSwatini citizens, is concerned that while the situation
in the country is deteriorating, the king was painting a picture on the
contrary.
“The talk that eSwatini is at peace is just bluffing the world by king
Mswati III. Series of protests are common in the country. Even police held
their protest,” the organisation stated.
NEM has warned that the march by police to deliver petition at Prime
Minister and cabinet offices in Mbabane was “an omen for a possible military
mutiny in near future.”
Slotarnet Dube, the human rights and social activist, concurred, “There
is an imminent political turmoil as law enforcements are at loggerheads.”
Prime Minister Dlamini denounced the killing of the two police officers
in Manzini as terrorism, which the emaSwati must unite and stand up against.
“We cannot allow the senseless killings of innocent emaSwati to continue
unabated,” the premier said.
Earlier, he assured Parliament that government was addressing the issue
of salary restructuring for junior state security officers.
The Prime Minister said the volatility was a hindrance to the dialogue
aimed at resolving the crises in the country.
“Such acts occur amidst calls for a national dialogue and that does not
enhance a conducive environment for a free and fair all-inclusive dialogue,”
Dlamini said at the House of Assembly.
The former Swaziland, a country of over 1,1 million people, is
experiencing its worst unrest since self-rule attained from Britain 54 years
ago.
The current crisis surpasses the anti-government protests of 2018 when
the Trade Union Congress of Eswatini organised a strike for salary increases.
The three-day strike resulted in widespread disruption.
The current unrest started in June 2021 as a consequence of anger
towards the lack of meaningful reforms that activists and the banned opposition
parties are advocating for, with the aim to usher in democracy in this
landlocked nation.
World Aids Day about equality this year - Health Minister
By
Andile Dlamini, eSwatini Observer, 27 October 2022
Minister of Health Lizzie Nkosi has
officially launched the 2022 World AIDS Day commemoration under the theme
‘Equalise: Eswatini Ending AIDS for all’.
Speaking at the official launch of the
2022 World AIDS Day, held at Sincephetelo MVA Fund auditorium in Mbabane, Nkosi
said Eswatini had met and surpassed the 95-95-95 target that had been set by
the United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (USAIDS).
The target simply means to diagnose 95 per
cent of all HIV positive individuals, provide antiretroviral therapy for 95 per
cent of those diagnosed and achieve the viral suppression of 95 per cent of
those on treatment by the year 2030.
“Participants from 15 years and older are
at 94-97-96 per cent. Females are at 95-98-96 per cent and males at 92-96-97
per cent. When the SHIMS 3 results were examined by the age-group, youth from
ages 15-24 they had a lower achievement on the cascade, at 84-96-90 for females
and for 91-96-87 for males,” she said.
Minister Nkosi said these results were
concerning and already showed the direction to be taken by the country.
“These concerning results on youth
already point to the direction the response should take in ensuring that the
youth continue to be the programme focus of HIV prevention and service delivery
in the kingdom,” she said.
The minister however said despite these
concerns, the results highlighted the sustained progress the country had made towards
HIV testing and treatment over the past five years, despite COVID-19
disruptions.
“It further shows that sustaining the three 95s was achievable in high HIV
disease-burden settings.
The improvement in all 95s between 2016
and 2021 demonstrates the return on continued investments in HIV service
delivery and data-driven programmes. On access to treatment, Eswatini has full
access for all,” she said.
She said while the country rejoiced in
this progress, there was still the issue of faltering HIV response in the
country, where entire groups of people were being left highly vulnerable to HIV
infection and unable to access HIV treatment, prevention and care services.
“Data shows that HIV infections are
increasing in 38 countries worldwide, including Eswatini and that the pandemic
continues to have the worst impact on adolescent girls and young women and key
populations,” he said.
The minister said ending the AIDS pandemic
as a public health threat in Eswatini would require additional investment and
relentless focus on challenging gender-based violence, gender inequalities and
other social and structural biases that made high risk populations vulnerable
to infection and kept them away from HIV prevention, treatment and care
services.
Minister Nkosi said punitive laws that
criminalised and marginalised vulnerable groups of people were denying the
right to health to these groups of key populations and holding the HIV response
backwards.
“As shown on SHIMS3 report, Eswatini
making all efforts to ensure equal access to treatment for all, including young
people, however, the challenge remains the social, structural, systems and
service drivers that fuel inequalities and increase HIV vulnerability.
These
challenges led to startling statistics as we saw that in 2020 there were 37.7
million people living with HIV worldwide and 1.5 million new infections,” Nkosi
said.
eSwatini celebrates International White Cane Day
United
Nations eSwatini, 23 October 2022
On Saturday, 22 October 2022,
the United Nations Family joined the National Association of Persons with
Visual Impairment in Eswatini (NAPVIE) in celebrating the International White
Cane Day at the Millennium Park in Manzini.
The event was held under the
theme: #WhiteCane Identifies, Protects My Sight: a plea for a conducive
atmosphere, which aimed at raising awareness about the white cane and its
significance in protecting persons with visual impairment.
UNFPA Head of Office, Ms.
Margaret Thwala-Tembe, who represented the United Nations Resident Coordinator,
Mr George Wachira, noted that despite many efforts done, more attention was
still required to address challenges faced by persons with visual impairment,
including in mobilizing resources.
Shortage of assistive devices
such as white canes, inaccessible route in public spaces, are among the myriad
challenges persons with visual impairment face in pursuit of their daily
chores.
“The United Nations in
Eswatini continues to stand in solidarity with all persons with blindness and
visual impairment by working with partners to create an enabling environment
for all persons living with disabilities to thrive and live independent lives,”
stated Thwala-Tembe. “The white cane is an important symbol of blindness
and tool of independence."
According to the Population
and Housing Census 2017, persons with disability form about 13% (146 554) of
the total population in Eswatini and sight disability is the most prevalent
category in the county with a prevalence rate of about 32%.
The commemoration of the
International White Cane Day, which is done globally on the 15 October, creates
an opportunity for a discussion on challenges and opportunities for persons
with sight disabilities in society.
President of the Federation of
Disabled in Swaziland (FODSWA) Mr Bongani Makama urged the Emaswati to
familiarize themselves with some of the identifiers of disabilities.
“This year’s theme states the
white cane identifies. Indeed, it a unique identifier. We need to popularize it
through engagements with the public so that they understand what it means and
how to protect the person carrying it,” Makama said.
The president’s words were
echoed by Mr Mandla Methula who is the National Director. Mr Methula shared
that disability friendly walkways could go a long way in protecting persons
with visual impairment from getting hit by the cars or damaging their canes.
“It is difficult to replace or
fix the white canes as they are not produced locally,” Methula said.
In Eswatini, the United
Nations and the Government through the Deputy Prime Minister’s Office are
currently implementing a disability mainstreaming project funded by the United
Nations Partnership for the Rights of Persons with Disability (UNPRPD) Among
other things, the project seeks to establish a National Disability Council
which will coordinate all disability related issues in the country.
SACP wants to use King Misuzulu’s coronation event to
highlight ‘oppression’ in eSwatini
By Sibusiso
Mboto, The Mercury (South Africa), 27 October 2022
DURBAN - The South Africa
Communist Party (SACP) has threatened to use King Misuzulu kaZwelithini’s
coronation event in Durban this weekend to highlight the plight of eSwatini
citizens, under what the party regards as the oppressive leadership of King
Mswati III.
On Saturday, Durban will be
abuzz as thousands are expected to gather at the Moses Mabhida Stadium for the
handing over of a certificate of recognition by President Cyril Ramaphosa,
confirming King Misuzulu as the monarch to the Zulu nation.
The SACP leadership believes
that the event will be an opportune moment to raise the plight of the people of
eSwatini.
SACP KwaZulu-Natal second
provincial secretary Bheki Mbatha said the party had decided to hold a protest.
He pointed out that it was not
meant to disrupt the festivities, but was aimed at raising awareness about the
conditions under which many people in eSwatini lived.
“We are not disrespectful to
King Misuzulu, but we will be failing in our role as vanguards in not bringing
to the world’s attention what the people of Swaziland have had to endure.
“South Africa is a democratic
country and we do not believe that an autocratic individual such as King Mswati
should be accorded any status,” Mbatha said.
He cited the imprisonment of
political activists and the lack of political activity in eSwatini in recent
years as the reasons behind their insistence that the absolute monarch not
attend the festivities in Durban on Saturday.
“We have always and will
continue to demonstrate our solidarity with the people of Swaziland because we
believe that they should be enjoying the kind of freedom that we enjoy,” Mbatha
continued.
He equated the experience of
the people of eSwatini to that of living under the apartheid government.
“For us it is important to
conscientise everyone concerned about what our neighbours continue to endure
because King Mswati is someone who just does not have respect for his people,
otherwise they would not be made to suffer the way they do under such
oppressive laws,” the provincial secretary stressed.
He would not divulge how they
would highlight the plight of the people of eSwatini, but insisted that the
world would know about the issue.
The festivities are set to
draw the attendance of many leading figures in the African continent, including
heads of state from other parts of the world. Last week it was confirmed that
King Mswati will attend the ceremony.
When asked about protests that
may take place regarding his attendance, the king’s spokesperson told
Independent Media there was “no reason to think the king could be deterred by
the protesters from attending the coronation.”
In addition, international
media groups such as the BBC are expected to cover one of the most eagerly
awaited events in South Africa.
King Misuzulu ascended to the
throne following the death of his father last year, King Goodwill Zwelithini
kaBhekuzulu, who had held the throne for 49 years.
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