Friday, 21 April 2023

Swaziland Newsletter No. 773 – 21 April 2023

 

Swaziland Newsletter No. 773 – 21 April 2023

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.

 

Three ministers accused of campaigning with rice from Taiwan

By Phiwase Phungwayo, Times of eSwatini, 17 April 2023

SOURCE

 

MANZINI: Three ministers are accused of campaigning for the oncoming elections using rice donated by the Embassy of the Republic of China (Taiwan).

The three are Minister of Labour and Social Security Phila Buthelezi, Minister of Tinkhundla Administration and Development David ‘Cruiser’ Ngcamphalala and Minister of Sports, Culture and Youth Affairs Harris ‘Madze’ Bulunga. They have been accused of taking advantage of the Taiwan Embassy by allegedly using donated rice to campaign for the upcoming elections. This was an allegation submitted by some Manzini South constituents during the civic and voter education exercise hosted by the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC). It took place at the Manzini Nazarene High School Hall yesterday. Some of the constituents were of the view that certain ministers were taking advantage of their term in office now to engage in campaigning exercises with food parcels (rice) donated by the Taiwan Embassy. They asked the EBC to do something about this, as they felt it was offside.

Sibusiso Dlamini first highlighted that he was aware that campaigning was only permitted in the secondary elections. He questioned how a candidate could be voted for without properly introducing himself; his educational background, as well as economic policies in the primary elections. He queried how they were supposed to nominate people they did not know.  “Another thing, the EBC declared that campaigning is not allowed at this stage but we see the Taiwan Embassy is going up and down with some ministers such as Madze, ‘Cruiser’ and Phila Buthelezi, distributing rice parcels to constituents, much against your directivce,” Dlamini alleged.

The constituent further supposed that the EBC was quiet amid the ‘campaigns’ by the said ministers. On another note, he enquired how the EBC ensured fair voting in prison. The constituent alluded to that there were no people (bogalajane), who were present in Correctional facilities to ensure that voting was done fairly without officers influencing inmates to vote for a particular person.  Another constituent purported that the ministers were campaigning because they were all along not distributing the parcels but were seemingly doing so in the past two months. He alleged that they were using their power in office to push their campaigns because no one could call them to order.  He was supported by another member, who supposed that the ministers were using the remaining time they had to solicit votes from constituency members.

When drawn for comment, Minister Ngcamphalala disputed the allegations, stating that such did not hold water. Ngcamphalala said the embassy did not only single out ministers but was giving out donations to everyone. The minister articulated that as far as he was concerned, people who were in office were not campaigning but only serving their mandate. “We are not campaigning but doing our job. A person in office is not campaigning but it is the one who is not in office, as he or she is still aspiring to be elected, (who can be said to be campaigning). Otherwise we are only doing our job,” Ngcamphalala reiterated.  Meanwhile, Minister Buthelezi wondered if Taiwan only offered donations to ministers. He chose not to comment on the allegations. “I cannot be part of politics without direction. I wouldn’t want to entertain any rubbish, let alone involve an independent country in cheap politics, I don’t think it would be fair. So I don’t have anything to say in this,” Buthelezi said. Minister Harries ‘Madze’ Bulunga said for the record, the rice donation had always been there for the past five years to every MP who requested such from the embassy.

“They have always assisted us with other items such as walking sticks for the elderly and wheelchairs. There is no harm in asking for such and distributing to the needy of my constituency. The last donation to Mbabane East Inkhundla was on November 3, 2022 and it’s not for campaigning because I gave it to bucopho and indvuna to distribute in the four imiphakatsi,” he said. In response, EBC Education Facilitator Vusumuzi Mdluli said they were not certain that the ministers were campaigning. He said as long as they did not declare by word of mouth, requesting for people’s votes, then they could not be deemed as campaigning.

 

Organisation of Africa Trade Union Unity speaks on workers’ rights violations by eSwatini kingdom

The Star (Kenya), 16 April 2023

SOURCE

 

The Organisation of Africa Trade Union Unity (OATUU) has come out to condemn the continued violation of workers' rights by the Kingdom of Eswatini.

Through its President, Francis Atwoli, the union has termed the acts by the regime to harass and intimidate unionists as barbaric and of criminal nature.

"When we are demanding our rights. We are not thieves, we are not terrorists...We were elected to do our work," Atwoli retorted.

The COTU-K secretary general made the remarks during the OATUU 50th anniversary in Ghana.

It was themed “Fidelity, Unite and Action for A Decent Life for African Worker.”

According to the official, Africa has made great strides in terms of democracy and any move to reverse the gains through such flagrant acts ought to be strongly rejected.

Some other officials, he said, have been arrested for leading demonstrations.

"Africa has come from far, if we have any region or country that still victimises, harasses or intimidates workers, it must be condemned," he stated.

The banning of public gatherings and the killing of more than 80 protesters in the last year by security, he noted, is "not what should happen in this era".

He regretted the recent issuance of a "warrant of arrest" to the secretary general of a Union.

This is after a directive where the official asked its members to boycott work last December in demand for wages and improvement of work conditions.

The monarch of Eswatini, King Mswati III, continues to 'crush' anyone protesting the deteriorating human rights situation in the country.

There are several laws in place which severely restrict freedom of expression and association, including the Sedition and Subversive Activities Act of 1938, which continues to be invoked, the Public Order Act of 1963, and the Suppression of Terrorism Act, of 2008.

In addition, the State of Emergency, which was declared in 1973 remains in effect and suspends constitutional freedoms.

In 2014, the Government tabled legislation to dissolve all workers’ and employers’ federations in Swaziland, including the Trade Union Congress of Swaziland.

In 2019, the Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT) president was fired from his teaching position for attending a union meeting.

SNAT is a member of the organisation of Education International.

In October 2021, teachers and public sector workers were attacked while they were delivering a petition to the Municipal Council of the capital city, appealing for decent working conditions, a salary review, and basic trade union rights.

Security has been accused of being behind the brutal murder of Thulani Maseko, a human and trade union rights lawyer.

It has also been cited for the forced exile of Sticks Nkambule and Mbongwa Dlamini, both leading representatives of trade unions in Eswatini.

 

PUDEMO senior members run to petition Mswati’s Finance Minister Neal Rijikernberg linked to a plot to assassinate President Mlungisi Makhanya

By Zweli Martin Dlamini, Swaziland News, 18 April, 2023

SOURCE

 

MBABANE: Finance Minister Neal Rijikernberg who allegedly hired mercenaries on behalf of Mswati has been, once again, linked to another assassination plot following the death of human rights lawyer Thulani Maseko, this time the target is the President of the People’s United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO) Mlungisi Makhanya.

As a result, senior members of the political organization petitioned the Minister on Tuesday, notifying him that he will be held personally accountable for all the violations of human rights in the Kingdom of eSwatini.

Even though the issue of the assassination was not specifically included in the petition, the action comes after weeks of an intensive investigation following the leak of electronic evidence where one Brian Nyembe was speaking to alleged South African killers (Tinkabi) hired to assassinate the PUDEMO President.

Nyembe, an employee of Pigg’s Peak plantation was arrested a few weeks ago for allegedly housing members of the pro-democracy Swaziland International Solidarity Forces (SISF) and subsequently released allegedly, with conditions that he will assist the State in assassinating Makhanya.

A questionnaire was sent to Superintendent Phindile Vilakati, the police Spokesperson, however, she had not responded at the time of compiling this report.

It has been disclosed that after being released from jail, Brain Nyembe was given twenty thousand Rands (R20,000.00) by State agents linked to the Finance Minister, and he sent the money to his son Mbongseni Nyembe who was a member of the Swaziland International Solidarity Forces.

It has been uncovered that Mbongseni and one ‘Putin’ Vilakati (both being members of the Solidarity Forces) fled after the killing of Mlandvo Khumalo by Mswati’s soldiers and the subsequent arrest of other members of the Underground Forces. 

Mbongseni fled to KwaZulu Natal (KZN),while ‘Putin’ was hiding in Mpumalanga province in the Republic of South Africa.

An independent investigation conducted by this Swaziland News further uncovered that soon thereafter, Senior Superintendent Clement Sihlongonyane secretly released Brian Nyembe from jail and convinced him to continue being a member of the Underground Forces while monitoring Makhanya with an intention to assassinate him.

It is alleged that the top cop further informed the two ‘on-the-run’ members of the Solidarity Forces that they won’t be arrested if they agreed to participate in the killing of Makhanya.

According to intelligence information in our possession, the assassination of Makhanya by members of the Underground Forces would then be used to justify and spread State propaganda information suggesting that even Thulani Maseko was killed by Solidarity Forces as per a narrative pushed by the eSwatini government.

But one of the alleged killers (Inkabi) based in KwaZulu Natal (KZN), decided to leak the electronic conversation to this investigative journalist, saying the ‘project’ was not implementable because the target was a high profile person fighting for the rights of the people in Kingdom of eSwatini.

Reached for comments, Brian Nyembe denied that he was involved in the plot to assassinate Makhanya but confirmed that a few weeks ago, his son who was a member of the Solidarity Forces was in KwaZulu Natal.

“It's true that I was arrested and later released by the police. But my release was not on the condition that I facilitate the assassination of Mlungisi Makhanya. The police discovered that I did nothing except to provide accommodation to the Solidarity Forces when they conducted their operations,” he said.

When asked about his son Mbongeni Nyembe who went to KwaZulu Natal to engage killers (Tinkabi) and hand over the R20,000.00 that was referred to as ‘airtime’ money, Brian Nyembe confirmed that his son was in KZN.

“I can confirm that my son Mbongseni is in KZN, but these days I am struggling to get hold of him,” he said.

Worth-nothing, Brian Nyembe who was released by the police sent an audio message to the alleged killers (Tinkabi), other State agents facilitating the assassination and asked them to try and locate Mbongseni as the money was with him.

In the audio and/or electronic evidence, Brian Nyembe clarified that the ‘project’ was not in any way funded by King Mswati’ but by a businessman, Nyembe had earlier denied any involvement or links with a businessman over the assassination plot.

But a separate investigation by this Swaziland News later confirmed that the businessman was allegedly Neal Rijikernberg, who had previously assisted King Mswati, an absolute Monarch,with the hiring of mercenaries.

Brian Nyembe allegedly sent the audio after the State agents and or killers (Tinkabi) questioned him about payments as Mbongseni was not available.

To read more of this report, click here

http://swazilandnews.co.za/fundza.php?nguyiphi=4171

 

Why are the PPA leaders snoring when the king’s forces attack our people

Opinion by Eugene Dube, Swati Newsweek 16 April, 2023

SOURCE

 

MBABANE: The information I have obtained from the Political Parties Assembly (PPA) insiders is that there is no current chairperson of the PPA.

Mswati is now burning our freedom fighters. His police officers have burnt Wonder Gama in the streets of Swaziland. The PPA is silent. Why do we have such an organisation which is not speaking out against injustice?

Such an organisation is supposed to be helping in leading the struggle for multiparty democracy in Swaziland. However no leader is willing to take over as chairperson of the PPA.

I remember how the Political Parties Assembly was formed in Manzini at SNAT centre in 2019.

I had exposed the ridiculous purchase of several Royce Rolls cars on the Swaziland News. I was the first journalist who managed to get a comment from the then King’s Office Chief Executive Officer, Mgwagwa Gamedze. He confirmed that the king bought a fleet of toy cars.

That story changed the country’s political environment. Local political parties in Eswatini realized that Mswati and his family were determined in looting our resources hence they came together and formed the Political Parties Assembly now known as the PPA.

Those who were present at SNAT centre in November 2019 came together and formed PPA. If my memory serves me well. The main goal of the PPA was to unite political parties and push for full democratisation programme of Swaziland. The late unionist and Swazi Democratic Party (SWADEPA) Jan Sithole, became the first PPA chairperson.

Sithole looked more organised. He was a good communicator and organizer. After his demise, the Political Parties Assembly struggled to win the hearts of many Swazis. Thanks to online journalists who had fiercely criticised the regime and opened the minds of many Swazis suffering under the Dlamini dynasty in Swaziland.

The problem with PPA and MSF is that there is a clique which campaigns for one political party. This is a time of fighting the oppressor however some other party members share common sentiments with the brutal monarch. This has killed the Swazi struggle.

Old political parties discredit new, emerging activists. Their programmes are sabotaged for merely not belonging to those parties who want to control the struggle in Swaziland, regardless how effective the strategy might be.

Personally, I am victim. Many a times, I have been attacked by the so called "comrades." I become out of favour because I refused to join their political organisation.

As journalist I fully understand my duties and responsibilities. It is a great honour for me to serve my Swazi Nation and the people of Africa at a time of political crisis.

It is my prayer that this political activists will wake up one day and smell the coffee and sabotaging fellow comrades who are not in its kraal. We need unity as Swazis and wadge this revolution.

There is one golden rule for soldiers. "You don't kill another soldier,"

We need leadership from the PPA leaders. This organisation should have character. It must be able to influence our current generation.

My Opinion is that victims of the struggle like Wonder Gama, the Swaziland Liberation Movement Deputy chairman burnt with petrol by the police and SWAVISA members including Madzabudzabu Kunene should be given more platforms in big media organisations like Aljazera TV, CNN, BBC, to tell the Swaziland Liberation story.

Political victims of the Swazi struggle must be given a chance to tell our story to the international community to fight the regime.

Personally, I only need victory for my nation against this evil regime. Our ideas and strategies seek to free our suffering people, it would be unfortunate if some activists are hell bent in promoting themselves as individuals instead of prioritising the noble course of democracy and freedom.

Aluta Continua!!!

 

eSwatini to roll out vaccine to fight cervical cancer

By Siboniso Nkambule, eSwatini Observer, 20 April 2023

SOURCE

THE ministry of health has introduced the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine.
The vaccine is known to reduce HPV infections and ultimately reduce the number of cervical cancer cases and other HPV-related cancers.

The vaccine will be rolled out to girls aged nine to 14 through a catch-up campaign starting on June 1.

The 10-day campaign will target over 70 000 girls and will be conducted in schools and communities.

This was revealed by National Cancer Control Unit Programme Manager Xolisile Dlamini during a media briefing on the status of HPV in the country held at Hilton Garden Inn on Tuesday. Dlamini said in recent years, the ministry had observed a high number of cervical cancer cases and Eswatini was one of those leading in cervical cancer. 

She said research had shown that most of the cervical cancer cases were a result of HPV infection. According to Dlamini, in 2021 alone, 317 women in the country were diagnosed with cervical cancer, unfortunately, over 80 per cent of them live with HIV, whilst 32 per cent of those had died from the disease.

She stated that this often happened because the cancer had become too advanced, and had spread to the entire body, making the chances of survival after treatment very low.
“From these statistics we can deduce that women present their condition very late, and thus minimizing chances to prevent and reduce the HPV infection.

Therefore, early diagnosis is key to win this war. HPV infections are often asymptomatic, and they can resolve spontaneously, however, persistent infection with high-risk HPV types such as types 16 and 18 can lead to cancer. She said the HPV vaccine had been introduced in many countries around the world, including South Africa, Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Dlamini said its introduction was part of a larger goal to eliminate cervical cancer.
Dlamini highlighted that the country had adopted the WHO global strategy to achieve three targets, 90 per cent of girls fully vaccinated with HPV vaccine by age 15, 70 per cent of women screened twice in their lifetime (at ages 35 and 45) with a high-performance test and 90 per cent of women with cervical disease receive treatment.

SWAZI MEDIA COMMENTARY

Find us:

Blog: www.swazimedia.blogspot.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/142383985790674

Twitter: @Swazimedia

 

No comments:

Post a Comment