Swaziland Newsletter No. 793 – 8 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.
The forgotten
people of eSwatini
By Joan Stott, Mail
& Guardian, South Africa, 1 September 2023
(Joan Stott is Amnesty International’s debt and human rights fellow)
It’s been seven months since the killing of eSwatini
human rights defender Thulani Maseko, a lawyer and activist who refused to turn a blind eye
to injustice. He was dedicated to seeing human rights respected in the country
and he spoke for the people who continue to yearn for the respect and
fulfilment of their rights.
One of his acts of
standing against injustice was raising concerns in 2014 about judicial
independence and integrity in the country. For that, Maseko and journalist
Bhekithemba Makhubu were sentenced to two years in prison on charges of
contempt of court. The trial that convicted them was grossly unfair and Amnesty
International declared them prisoners of conscience.
At the time of his killing, Maseko chaired the Multi-Stakeholders Forum,
a group of political parties and civil society groups calling for democratic
reform in the country.
Maseko’s voice was not alone in the call for democratic reform in
eSwatini. Since 2018, protests against the lavish lifestyle of King Mswati III
— Africa’s last absolute monarch, in power since 1986 — and the widespread
misuse of public funds have been brewing across the country.
All while people get poorer and poorer. In 2022, World Bank figures
indicated at least 32% of the population live below the international poverty
line of $2.15 a day and 55% live under the lower-middle-income country poverty
line of $3.65 a day. When this is compared to the lifestyle of luxury cars,
travel abroad and deluxe homes of Mswati and his family, the acuteness of
inequality is palpable — fuelling dissent and social tension.
Earlier this year, the Mo Ibrahim Foundation published its 2022 Ibrahim Index of
African Governance. The index covers all 54 African countries and has
been published since 2007.
It is an important and well-regarded barometer on the performance of
African countries on safety and the rule of law; citizen participation and
rights, inclusion and equality — including gender equality; the environment for
business, labour, government and the rural economy and human development such
as health, education, social protection and the climate.
It includes official and expert data, as well as information focused on
public perception.
A quick look through the 2022 publication may lead one to believe
that eSwatini has progressed in
delivering overall, properly functioning governmental institutions and
providing people with adequate, basic services, such as food, water, housing,
education and health.
Upon closer examination, however, there has been a troublesome decline
in eSwatini’s key scores since 2017. The satisfaction of the people of the
country with the state and economy has deteriorated, particularly in
perceptions of the functioning of the economy, human rights, social inclusion,
gender equality and the provision of social services such as health, education,
and water and sanitation.
The index shows a score of zero for things such as accountability and
transparency, the rights to freedom of expression and freedom of religion and
belief, digital rights and the representation and access to markets in the
rural economy. It reveals that the people of eSwatini are not happy with how
their freedoms are unduly limited.
This is most clearly evident in the heavy restrictions on freedom of
association and peaceful assembly in the country — with authorities using the
Suppression of Terrorism Act of 2008 and the outdated colonial-era law, the
Sedition and Subversive Activities Act of 1938, to silence activists and
political opposition.
An ongoing wave of protests began in June 2021, after the mysterious
death of 25-year-old law student Thabani Nkomonye in May of that
year. His death was allegedly at the hands of the police. His body was found in
a field about 10km outside Manzini, the country’s largest urban centre.
To read more of this report, click here
https://mg.co.za/thoughtleader/2023-09-01-the-forgotten-people-of-eswatini/
By Sihle
Mavuso, Independent on Line (South Africa), 1 September 2023
The “autocratic” government of the Kingdom of Eswatini
(Swaziland) has been slammed for its decision to fire a top teachers’ union leader,
with the Communist Party of Swaziland saying the move is aimed at silencing
those who are calling for democratic reforms.
The condemnation comes after the kingdom fired Mbongwa
Dlamini, the president of the Swaziland
National Teachers Union (SNAT), one of the labour movements that has been giving
King Mswati III sleepless nights for decades.
According to the Times of
Eswatini, Dlamini was accused by the Teaching Services Commission of
absteentism, and he was slapped with 109 charges.
After a protracted
disciplinary hearing that went on and off for years, Dlamini, who is a teacher
in one of the schools in the country, was fired last week.
The general secretary of the
communist party, Thokozane Kunene, says the decision to fire Dlamini dates back
to 2018, when he ascended to the office of the presidency of the union.
He said Dlamini “has been in
and out of Mswati’s kangaroo courts and tribunals defending himself from the
regime’s concocted charges imposed through the Teaching Service Commission, an
institution tightly controlled by the ruling regime.”
He said on August 10, 2022,
Dlamini was summoned by the police commissioner to answer why he had cautioned
teachers on the dangers of going to work in the midst of the political unrest
in Swaziland.
Soon after getting nominated
for re-election as the union’s president in March 2022, the regime reinstated
all the trumped-up charges that were unfairly levelled against him as far back
as 2018.
He said the regime went on to
arbitrarily withhold his salary for more than eight months and slap him with
109 trumped-up charges.
“The dismissal of the
President of the Swaziland National Teachers Association (SNAT), Comrade
Mbongwa Dlamini, which followed many years of intimidation and harassment by
the Mswati autocracy, is but one of the gross acts of union bashing by the
Mswati autocracy.
“By attacking union leaders,
the regime’s primary objective is to break the resilience of the people in the
quest for democracy,” he said.
However, the spokesperson of
the government of the kingdom, Alepheous Nxumalo, said the process was fair.
“The matter of Mr Mbongwa
Dlamini is one of employer-employee responsibility, which is governed by the
Industrial Act of 1980 as amended and other related labour laws.
“Therefore, government refutes
and dismisses outright any insinuations of political indulgence or influence on
the labour outcome between Dlamini and his employer, which is the Teaching
Service Commission (TSC).
He added that Dlamini had his
legal team on his side all the time, and if he felt the process was unfair or
politically motivated, they could advise him accordingly.
“Mr Dlamini was duly
represented by a legal team of his particular choice in this case, and
government has no doubt whatsoever that he will access proper legal guidance
and advice on a way forward on his dismissal should he feel that it was unfair
and/or politically motivated,” Nxumalo added.
CIVICUS, FSEJ demand release of activists
By
Chinomso Momoh, Development Diaries, 6 September 2023
CIVICUS and Foundation for Socio-Economic
Justice (FSEJ) have urged Eswatini authorities to immediately release
pro-democracy activists Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza and Mthandeni Dube from prison.
Development Diaries reports that police arrested Mabuza and Dube, both members
of parliament, on 25 July, 2021, amid a sweeping and violent crackdown on
peaceful pro-democracy and anti-police protests. It is understood that Mabuza
and Dube face up to 20 years imprisonment after a flawed conviction on
trumped-up charges.
‘As Eswatini celebrates the anniversary of
its freedom from colonial rule, the authorities must free jailed activists
Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza and Mthandeni Dube without delay’, said CIVICUS Chief
Programmes Officer, Mandeep Tiwana.
‘Mabuza and Dube never should have been
arrested in the first place, and should not spend one more minute behind bars’.
The civil society organisations (CSOs)
believe that Mabuza and Dube’s imprisonment is part of a sharp downturn in
rights in Africa’s last absolute monarchy. Human Rights Watch (HRW), in June,
reported that the crackdown on pro-democracy protesters by security forces had
led to the death of at least 46 people, as well as other serious human rights
abuses. The report further noted that the Eswatini authorities have failed to
ensure accountability for the crackdown.
The Eswatinian administration has
increased its crackdown on dissenting views since protests for democracy first
started in May 2021, detaining critics of the government on bogus charges,
interfering with peaceful protests, and opposing calls for democratic reforms.
The protests erupted after the death of
25-year-old law student Thabani Nkomonye, allegedly at the hands of police.
Eswatini was ranked ‘not free’ in the 2023 Freedom in the World report by
Freedom House, with the country scoring 17 out of a possible 100.
Development Diaries calls on the Eswatini
authorities to respect the human rights of activists and conduct a transparent,
independent, and impartial investigation into the killings and other human
rights violations resulting from the security forces’ excessive use of force.
By Zweli Martin Dlamini, Swaziland News, 6
September 2023
LOZITHA: King Mswati’s
Spokesperson Percy Simelane says, the highly anticipated 55-55 King’s Birthday
and Independence Day double celebration will continue smoothly, without the
presence of other Heads of State within the Southern African Development
Community (SADC) region.
Responding to this Swaziland
News on Tuesday evening, when asked why SADC Heads of State snubbed such an
important event in the history of the country, the Spokesperson said, other
guests might not be physically present but, they will be represented.
The event will be held on
Wednesday at the Somhlolo National Stadium, former President Jacob Zuma, Taiwan
President Tsai Ing-wen and former Botswana President Ian Khama are expected to
grace the event.
“The celebrations in question
are not a SADC Summit. Therefore, participation in them is not mandatory. The
invitations were dispatched were not orders, and we did not expect every SADC
Head of State to come in person. Representation is normal everywhere in the
world if the intended guest is engaged in other pressing duties of national
interest. With or without total participation of SADC Heads of State, we
believe we shall successfully celebrate as a nation. There is no Nation we
almost became, and we believe we are not expected to celebrate like another
SADC Nation with may have enjoyed total participation of SADC Heads of State”,
said the King’s Spokesperson.
Eswatini will, on Wednesday, 06
September 2023, celebrate fifty-five (55) years of Independence from British
rule including the King’s Birthday.
Reached for comments,
Sivumelwano Nyembe, the Spokesperson of the pro-democracy MultiStakeholder
Forum (MSF) said, they observed the notable absence of the sitting Heads of
State at what he described as a meaningless independence celebration.
“We earnestly hope that
governments both within the region and across the world will voice their
concerns regarding the absence of democracy in Swaziland. It is our belief that
Swaziland requires substantial political support to facilitate a meaningful
transition to democracy, which is essential for ensuring sustainable peace in
the country. We strongly advocate for the initiation of internationally mediated
political dialogue, a critical step in addressing the prevailing challenges. We
call upon the heads of states in the Southern African Development Community
(SADC) to take on the responsibility of pushing for political dialogue in
Swaziland. The failure to implement their own resolutions poses a threat to the
dignity and legitimacy of SADC. The people of Swaziland are in dire need of
this internationally mediated political dialogue to pave the way for a
democratic and peaceful future”, said the MSF Spokesperson.
On another note, Penuel
Malinga, the Secretary General of the People’s United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO),
released a statement, saying,the Independence Day serves as a constant reminder
of the task to push the Swazi struggle and, intensify the fight to reclaim
freedom and independence from the royal family.
See also
Multistakeholder Forum (MSF):
Eswatini celebrating non-existing independence amid political oppression.
http://swazilandnews.co.za/fundza.php?nguyiphi=5130
Editorial comment, Times of eSwatini (print edition), 7 September 2023
FROM the walkways of our cities and towns, from our public transport
systems to our residential areas, waves of violence roll on without any
prospect of stopping. It has been reported that a husband doused his wife with
petrol and set her alight; a ranger and a suspected poacher died on Sunday in a
shoot-out and an 82-year-old man was stoned to death, among a host of other
atrocities that happened countrywide.
It is pointless to quote well-known statistics, but it is more important
to address the political paralysis and administrative apathy that have allowed
this crisis of violence to exist and engulf our daily lives. In a traumatised
society such as ours, depleted of reasoning and sense-making justice,
everything becomes a trigger.
There is visible defiance of systems that seek to advance the rule of
law when those clash with existing economic or traditional practices. We have
allowed the elimination of all processes that allow for the rule of law. We go
from being offended by someone to killing them.
There are no longer any steps allowed in-between. We have to find and
deal with the root cause of this before it destroys our future.
Shame on us
THERE is a need to tighten
existing laws and policies around the violation of children and gender-based
violence. Violence against women and children should be everyone’s
responsibility. When a woman or child is beaten, hurt, raped, assaulted or
killed, it is a shame on us all. It is even worse if we knew it was taking
place and could have prevented it.
Working together as a society,
we must use our voice and our reserves of courage to forever end the violence
perpetrated by men against women and children. If children see this happening,
they will most certainly do it thinking that it is the norm, and it is okay for
them to do it too.
Cops blame unrest, bad publicity for losing elections
By Joseph
Zulu, eSwatini News, 2 September 2023
MBABANE: It is ‘back to work’ for at least 30 police officers who had
earlier shown interest in participating in the primary elections as they lost.
About 39 police officers had written to the National Commissioner
(NATCOM) of the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS), William Tsitsibala
Dlamini, requesting time off from work so that they could participate in the
elections. This is according to an earlier report by this publication. The
police officers, including about four women were from various bases around the
country. It was gathered that less than 10 police officers managed to win.
However, it has now emerged that out of the 39 who had participated in
the general elections, at least 30 of them did not make it. Unlike other
democracies whereby political parties register candidates to stand for
elections, in Eswatini, candidates are first nominated as individuals who then
are elected in two phases beginning at primary elections and then followed by
secondary elections.
Dumisile Khumalo, who is the Secretary General (SG) of the Police Staff
Association confirmed that very few officers had made it beyond the primary
elections, which were held last Saturday. She said she could only remember only
three who had made it and that she did not have the exact figures of how many
made it. She noted that among those who had made it was Sicelo Dlamini,
popularly known as Khunga Nkosi. Dlamini was elected under Mayiwane Inkhundla
at Herefords. Superintendent Themba Simelane, who had been nominated at
Herefords, however, did not make it beyond the primary elections.
Khumalo said in her view, police officers suffered bad publicity due to
the political unrest. Since 2021, the country had experienced a political
unrest, which resulted in the destruction of property. It was also reported
that over 10 police officers had been shot dead during unrest.
To read more of this report, click here
http://www.times.co.sz/news/141749-cops-blame-unrest-bad-publicity-for-losing-elections.html
SWAZI
MEDIA COMMENTARY
Find us:
Blog: www.swazimedia.blogspot.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/142383985790674
X (formerly Twitter): @Swazimedia
No comments:
Post a Comment