Swaziland Newsletter No. 796 – 29
September 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.
Parliamentary vote set for Eswatini, Africa’s last
absolute monarchy
By Agence France-Presse, 26 September 2023
The last absolute monarchy in Africa, the Kingdom of Eswatini, will hold
parliamentary elections on Friday (29 September 2023), with political parties
banned from contesting.
The constitution emphasises “individual merit” as the basis for
selecting lawmakers, who cannot be affiliated with any political group. Being
in the good graces of King Mswati III, who wields absolute power, also carries
much weight.
About 585,000 registered voters will be called to choose 59 members of
the lower house of parliament, which plays only an advisory role to the
monarch. Mswati, who can veto any legislation, will directly appoint another 10
lawmakers.
With most candidates loyal to the king, the election is unlikely to change
the political scenery in the kingdom formerly known as Swaziland.
Only about a dozen of those nominated during primaries last month are
known to have ties to the opposition.
Many do not say which side they are on, fearing repression.
“Democracy is not that much practised around here,” Thantaza Silolo,
spokesperson for the largest opposition group, the Swaziland Liberation
Movement (Swalimo), told AFP.
Political parties have unclear status and cannot directly take part in
the vote.
They were effectively banned in 1973, but a new constitution in 2005
provided an opening allowing for freedom of association. Still, in practice,
there is no legal avenue for them to register, according to democracy watchdog
Freedom House. Swalimo is incorporated as a non-profit.
The People’s United Democratic Movement, one of the largest opposition
movements, has been declared a “terrorist” organisation and banned.
Two opposition lawmakers elected in the last vote in 2018 are currently
in jail. A third is in exile.
Most opposition groupings have called for a boycott. Three have told
voters to go to the polls.
Few political gatherings have taken place during a two-week campaigning
period.
Polls will open at 7am local time (05:00 GMT) and close at 6pm,
according to the electoral commission, with results expected over the weekend.
The mountainous country of 1.2 million people is landlocked between
South Africa and Mozambique. About half the size of Belgium, it gained
independence from the United Kingdom in 1968.
Mswati, 55, ascended to the throne at the age of 18 and has ruled with
an iron fist for 37 years.
The king is constitutionally above the law.
He appoints the prime minister and the cabinet, can dissolve parliament
and the government and commands police and the army.
Shows of dissent are rare, but in 2021 the kingdom was shaken by
pro-democracy protests. Dozens of people were killed as security forces
violently quashed demonstrations calling for reforms. A curfew was imposed,
demonstrations banned and internet access curbed.
Protests have continued sporadically after the crackdown.
Earlier this year, human rights lawyer and government critic Thulani
Maseko, was shot dead through the window of his home. Hours before his murder,
the king had warned activists who defy him not to “shed tears” about
“mercenaries killing them”.
The United Nations has called for an independent investigation.
Known as Ngwenyama, “the lion” in SiSwati, the king has been widely
criticised for his lavish lifestyle, while nearly 60 percent of the population
lives on less than $1.90 a day.
The plump monarch, who usually appears in public wearing traditional
clothes, is known to love luxury cars and watches. He spends millions of
dollars a year on his 15 wives, some of whom he married when they were minors,
and has at least 25 children.
To mark the 50th anniversary of independence, in 2018 he changed the
country’s name to Eswatini – meaning land of the Swazis.
Eswatini has one of the highest prevalences of HIV in the world with
about 26 percent of adults aged 15 to 49 living with the AIDS-causing virus in
2022, according to UN figures.
See also
Increased security
likely nationwide during and following general election
eSwatini’s sham election:
Medieval feudalism debases all Africa
https://www.citizen.co.za/news/opinion/eswatini-sham-election-medieval-feudalism/
Eswatini gears up for 'democratic
elections' this Friday... with no parties and an absolute monarch
Launch of the African Union Election
Observation Mission to the 29 September 2023 General Elections in the Kingdom
of Eswatini
Special voting smooth sailing – EBC
http://new.observer.org.sz/details.php?id=21200
LGBTIQ+ application
to be registered declined
By
Mbongiseni Ndzimandze, Times of eSwatini (print edition) 28 September
2023
MBABANE: Minister of Commerce, Industry and Trade
Manqoba Khumalo has declined the application by the LGBTIQ+ community to have
their association registered.
He found that the objects of the proposed association
sought to offend against the customary principles as preserved in the Eswatini
Law and Custom, that a man and a woman should start and maintain a love
relationship.
The minister’s decision comes after the Supreme Court
referred their registration application to him. This was after the Registrar of
Companies, Msebe Malinga, declined to register the Eswatini Sexual and Gender
Minorities (ESGM), which is a company in the course of formation. The
application was referred to the minister, because Malinga had already made a
decision over the matter.
The court ordered the minister to consider the
application for registration afresh and advise the appellants of his decision
in writing. The minister communicated his decision through a letter dated
September 27, 2023. The letter was written and signed by Acting Minister of
Commerce, Industry and Trade David ‘Cruiser’ Ngcamphalala.
“Inasmuch as the Constitution of the Kingdom of
Eswatini in Section 20, prohibits discrimination against any person on the
grounds listed thereof, there is nothing that suggests the intention of the
Constitution to include sexual orientation and gender identity as grounds for
discrimination,” said the minister. He said in the absence of a clear
prohibition of discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender
identity in the Constitution, the principles and rules of Roman Dutch Law were
still enforceable as the common law of the country in terms of Section 252 of
the Constitution.
“In exercise of powers given unto me in terms of
Section 27(30 of the Companies Act/2009, I, therefore, decline your clients
application to register the company. By the copy hereof, I direct the registrar
of companies not to register Eswatini Sexual and Gender Minorities,” said the
minister.
Melusi Simelane, in his capacity as the Director of
ESGM, together with Senele Mdluli, Mbali Dlamini, Thuthu Magagula, Mary Da
Silva, Sibongile Nxumalo and Thandekile Maziya, were the applicants in the
matter.
They had taken the registrar of companies, minister of
Commerce Industry and Trade and attorney general to court to review and set
aside the registrar’s decision to refuse to register their association.
When they were unsuccessful at the High Court, they
approached the Supreme Court on appeal. The appeal was heard by Judge Phesheya
Dlamini, who, during the hearing of the matter, said ‘there is something wrong
with anybody who says there are no gays and lesbians in Eswatini’.
During arguments of the appeal, Lawyer Sibusiso
Nhlabatsi, who was representing the appellants, said government seemingly
emphasised on sexual intercourse and ignored the objects of the association
they intended to register.
He told the court that the LGBTIQ+ members were
Christians and they fellowshipped. He said they were not calling upon the court
to legalise what was illegal. Government was represented by Principal Crown
Counsel Ndabehle Dlamini.
Multi-million drugs shortage scandal: Exposed
SwaziPharm Wholesalers Director Kareem Ashraf runs to Robison Bertram lawyers,
wants Auditor General (AG) to release investigation report.
By Zweli Martin Dlamini, Swaziland News, 24
September, 2023
MBABANE: Kareem Ashraf, the
Director of SwaziPharm Wholesalers (PTY)LTD has written a letter to the Auditor
General (AG) Timothy Matsebula, demanding the release of the investigation
report into health crisis.
The letter in possession of
this Swaziland News and dated 24th September 2023, was also addressed to Prime
Minister Cleopas Sipho Dlamini, Finance Minister Neal Rijikernberg, and
Attorney General (AG) Sifiso Khumalo.
“Our instructions therefore
are to demand as we hereby do that you cause to be produced for our copying (at
our cost), the “Forensic Investigation Report into Allegations of
irregularities Related to Procurement, Acquisition and Distribution of
Medicines to Public Health Facilities in Eswatini” that was purportedly carried
out by Funduzi Forensic Services (Pty) Limited within forty eight (48) hours of
receipt of this correspondence”, reads the letter in part.
Zweli Jele, the Robison
Bertram senior lawyer representing Ashraf, SwaziPharm and David Melvin had not
responded at the time of compiling this report.
Efforts to reach the Auditor
General proved unsuccessful at the time of compiling this report.
On another note, Ashraf,
through his lawyers indicated in the letter that he wants to take the report to
court for review.
This comes after this
publication released an investigative story exposing how Ashraf and his alleged
syndicate looted the Ministry of Health, resulting to a health crisis.
Cancer
patients at risk as lab tools break down
Sithembile Hlatshwayo, Times of eSwatini, 27 September 2023
MBABANE: Cancer patients receiving chemotherapy are stranded,
following the breakdown of the laboratory tools used to blend their drugs.
This has resulted in patients
waiting for the treatment for months, since June. In an interview, one of the
patients stated that he was supposed to start the chemotherapy treatment in
June 30, 2023, but to date he had undergone it. The patient said he was told
by nurses at the Moneni Cancer Hospital, which also provided chemotherapy, that
they would call to notify him once they were ready with the treatment. He said
they, however, did not explain the challenges they were facing. According
to the patient, his fears were that his condition was worsening and by the time
help was available, it would already be at an advanced stage. He said he
also approached the Mbabane Government Hospital, where he was diagnosed
following the challenges, and was told that there were no drugs but he was
referred to Manzini.
Other patients also confirmed
to have been through the same challenge and said they were frustrated by that
no explanation was being made, except that nurses promised to notify them when
the treatment is available. A reliable source close to the matter, who
preferred to remain anonymous, said the blending machine for the cancer drugs
had broken down and cracked a glass, which made it difficult to mix the
drugs. The source said following the breaking down of the machine at the
cancer hospital in Manzini, the blending was done at the Mbabane Government
Hospital, where also the glass broke.
She said the machine was being
repaired. The source further mentioned that from the first quarter (April
to January) they had been unable to get companies who could tender for cancer
drugs because most of the time patients were being transferred to South Africa
(SA). The source said they then purchase a few drugs, which made the
vendors less interested. According to the source, recently they were able
to tender for the cancer treatment successfully, such that government was now
ready to receive the drug tenders. She said government, through the
support of sponsors could now purchase the drugs. However, she said there
was currently minimum stock, which they could assist patients with.
Swaziland Democratic Nurses
Union (SWADNU) Secretary General (SG) Mayibongwe Masangane said cancer had to
be treated delicately and it was wrong for patients to lack treatment.
The SG said the reason the
patient was not being contacted by the nurses was that there was still no
drugs. Masangane said what was painful was that cancer advanced at a high
rate in other parts of the body when one has not started the chemotherapy.
“This means that if the cancer progresses, it may reach a point where the
patient cannot be treated.” Masangane said chances of the patients
surviving were reduced when each day passed by without them receiving the much
needed chemotherapy, which is why, as SWADNU, they referred to the drugs and
medicine shortage as a silent genocide. “In other countries people die
through the barrel of the gun, but here they die because of diseases which
could be prevented if there were drugs.”
Masangane said the situation
was a painful one and nothing showed to be improving in the health system
despite government assuring that they were addressing the state of affairs and
drugs were being delivered. For those patients who had already begun the
chemotherapy and were no longer receiving it, Masangane said they could end up
stopping the procedure all together, as the cancer was advancing. He said the
stage the country was in meant that emaSwati would get sick and
die. Masangane said even if government brought specialist doctors it would
not help because there were no drugs and medicine supplies in the country.
Nomalungelo Simelane’s brave stand for democracy in
Eswatini
By Agence France-Presse, 28
September 2023
The king
does not take kindly to dissent in Africa’s last absolute monarchy.
But it
doesn’t stop political opponent Nomalungelo Simelane from taking a rare stand
for democracy in Eswatini, formerly known as Swaziland.
The
44-year-old parliamentary candidate, also known as LaZwide, has been sharing
her message at campaign rallies ahead of Friday’s parliamentary elections.
Political
parties are banned in the hilly, landlocked country between South Africa and
Mozambique, and lawmakers cannot be affiliated with political groups.
King
Mswati III appoints the prime minister, cabinet and judges, while acts of
parliament need his seal of approval to come into force.
“We are
not allowed to be free, we don’t have free speech,” LaZwide told AFP on
Wednesday, before addressing a few hundred supporters in a muddy stadium in
Siphofaneni, a town around 80 kilometres (50 miles) from the capital Mbabane.
“If you
speak the truth, then you find yourself in exile, you find yourself in jail.”
Wearing
sturdy boots in the stadium drizzle, the former gospel singer said she entered
politics as an MP in by-elections last year, taking the seat of her
pro-democracy husband who was hounded by the regime and forced into exile.
“I am not
a politician but I’m making a lot of noise around here,” she said.
Campaign
rallies are rare in Eswatini, where the electoral campaign runs for just two
weeks.
In its
streets, posters are few and far between and there are no televised political
debates to tune into in the evening.
For 50
years, political parties have been banned — candidates for the 59 seats up for
grabs in Friday’s ballot cannot be affiliated to any political group under the
constitution.
Most of
the candidates are loyal to the king.
Two
opposition lawmakers elected in the last vote in 2018 are currently in jail.
“Yes I
have been scared,” LaZwide acknowledged.
Two years
ago, she fled the country with her husband and their five children when
security forces violently quashed demonstrations calling for reforms, leaving
around 40 people dead, she said.
With the
help of her religious faith and a strong personal conviction that she should
take up the baton from her husband, she came home, alone.
To read
more of this report, click here
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