Swaziland Newsletter No. 806 – 8 December 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.
Senior
official: eSwatini economy poorly managed by Govt
Nonduduzo
Kunene. Times of eSwatini, 1 December 2023
EZULWINI: You would swear parliamentarians were having a
moment of silence when an officer from the Ministry of Economic Planning and
Development detailed how poorly government was managing the Eswatini economy.
The officer said there was
lack of monitoring of government resources, high corruption in ministries which
had made service delivery impossible, and uncontrolled spending, which had
affected some sectors of the economy. During the presentation, the parliamentarians
would simply squirm in their chairs, nod in agreement or show faces of
exasperation when Principal Planning Officer in the Ministry of Economic
Planning and Development, Siphiwe Dlamini, detailed to them that transforming
the lives of people would remain a dream because government was poorly managing
the economy. Dlamini was speaking during the ongoing induction conference for
the 12th Parliament yesterday. She was taking the parliamentarians through the
2023 to 2026 National Development Strategy.
Dlamini stated that the plan
clearly stated that good governance was the anchor of economic
recovery. “It is impossible to transform people’s lives if the economy is
not performing well,” she said. She started by presenting figures to put
things into perspective. She noted that the numbers did not give a good picture
of the country. Dlamini said the National Development Plan was aimed at
changing the picture of the country. She told the MPs that, according to
the figures, the population of the country was 1.1 million and its growth was
at 0.7 per cent, with a majority being the youth.
Dlamini added that 33 per cent
of the population was unemployed. This group, Dlamini said, was formed by the
youth, which is 58 per cent of the polulation. She noted that these statistics
were as per the 2021 Labour Survey. The officer added that 69 per cent of
the population had access to clean water. She noted that the Human Capital
Index was 37 per cent. Dlamini said the lower figures of the human index
reflected the need for the government to invest more in education and health.
“Not just education but
quality education, that will make them productive when they reach productive
ages,” she said. Dlamini stated that it was unfortunate that the current
education system was not good enough, because it was providing opportunities
for white-collar jobs, yet that sector was saturated. She said there was need
to bring in more skills. She recalled that the lockdown that was
introduced due to COVID-19 cost a lot of people, who had white collar jobs,
their employment, while only those with technical and vocational skills
thrived.
“That showed that having a
life skill is very important in life and for the economy, for the good
production of goods and services,” she said.
The officer said when they
were drafting the National Development Plan, they assessed the situation in the
country and in government. She said they also assessed what needed to be done
to develop the lives of the public.
Dlamini said the plan looked
at the management of the economy. She mentioned that the assessment showed that
the country’s economy was poorly managed. “It is for that reason that it is
growing below average, and government is facing a fiscal crisis,” she
said. Dlamini told the MPs that it had been announced that the country
would receive a lot of money from regional economic bodies. Noteworthy, the
country received the highest Southern African Customs Union (SACU) receipts of
E11 billion.
“Can you see or feel the
money?” she asked. The house was as quiet as a graveyard when she posed the
question.
To read more of this
report, click here
See also
Who’s telling who? and what?
http://www.times.co.sz/feature/142918-who%E2%80%99s-telling-who-and-what.html
eSwatini Finance Minister Neal Rijikernberg appeals for
donations to end Malaria, Nurses Union Secretary General Mayibongwe Masangwane
says money will be looted through corruption
By Bongiwe Dlamini, Swaziland News, 7 December 2023
MBABANE: Neal
Rijikernberg,the Minister of Finance has launched the End Malaria Fund Border
Resource Mobilisation Campaign, an initiative that seeks to raise funds that
will help the country drive its end malaria activities.
It has been reported through
Government online platforms on Wednesday that, boxes will be placed at selected
ports of entry such as Ngwenya Border Post (Oshoek), Matsamo Border Post,
Lomahasha Border Post, Mhlumeni Border Post, King Mswati III International
Airport and Lavumisa Border Post where members of the public and tourists will
donate.
“Malaria Elimination remains
Eswatini’s top priority as we gear up to attain this vision in the
not-so-distant 2025 and as such,we need to work collaboratively across sectors
to ensure the realization of this vision. As a Government, we remain committed to
ensuring that health is one of the key priorities as we embark on the national
budget. As we seek more resources from various international and local
partners, we continue to appeal to the people of Eswatini to use these
facilities and donate towards funding the malaria program,” said the Finance
Minister.
But Mayibongwe Masangwane,
the Secretary General of the Swaziland Democratic Nurses Union (SWADNU) said,
the donations will not help, in any way, as corruption was rife in the Ministry
of Health.
”Corruption is at the
highest level within the Ministry of Health, so even if the Finance Minister
can raise funds to fund Malaria, the money will be looted through corruption,”
said the Nurses Union Secretary General.
PM statement on International Day of Persons with
Disabilities
Swati Newsweek, 3 December, 2023
MANZINI: Eswatini Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini
Dlamini published a message early today as the globe commemorates the day of
people living with disabilities.
The PM said, “As Prime
Minister of the Kingdom of Eswatini, I join the world in giving a message of
support to Persons with Disabilities and make a personal commitment to create,
foster and promote a more disability inclusive Eswatini.”
However Eugene Dube, the Swati
Newsweek Online editor says the Mswati regime undermines the economic rights of
people living with disability. He urged the new PM Russell to address this
issue.
Swati Newsweek Online editor
Eugene Dube says, “We have people living with disabilities who earn E280 each
per month in Swaziland. This is a disgrace. Swazi leaders have greatly
oppressed our people including disabled persons. The people with disabilities
need money and love to survive. We need to live together and have equal
rights.”
Lydia first female NatCom
By Kwanele Dhladhla, eSwatini Observer, 1
December 2023
His Majesty King Mswati III has
appointed Lydia Sijabulile Dlamini as the first female to serve as acting
National Commissioner of the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS).
According to a memorandum
directed to all divisions within the police service, Dlamini, whose substantive
position was Senior Deputy National Commissioner, began serving as NatCom at
the beginning of November.
It was stated that the king
gave Dlamini, who has been a police officer for over two decades, the
responsibility to lead the police service until February 28, 2024.
“Bayethe Wena Waphakathi,” read the message from Dlamini in appreciation to the
king for the appointment to lead the service.
Lydia, who holds an LLB Degree
and Masters in Public Sector Management, takes over from William Tsitsibala
Dlamini, who passed away about a month ago at the age of 69 after collapsing at
the OR Tambo International Airport while on his way back home from an Interpol
meeting in Angola.
He had served as the head of
the police service since 2019 after his predecessor, Isaac Magagula, was
appointed senator. The late national commissioner served in the police service
for 46 years.
The incoming NatCom will be expected to uphold His Majesty King Mswati III’s
instruction to ensure that police officers strive in building trust and
confidence in the community they work in.
The king also directed that the
guiding principle and value of the policing profession should be discipline and
that as officers of the law they should always exhibit conduct that was
exemplary and above reproach.
His Majesty added that as law
enforcers, police officers must always refrain from behaviour that would bring
disrepute to the police badge.
His Majesty the King
highlighted that another key defining trait of being a police officer was
serving the nation whenever the need arose, whether in or out of uniform.
Further, NatCom will also be
responsible for the provision of security for Prime Minister, Russell Dlamini
and Deputy Prime Minister, Thuli Dladla and the entire Eswatini nation.
According to Finance Circular
No.2 of 2023 following the 2021 situation of the unrest in Eswatini, there was
a shift in the country’s security landscape in May/June 2021.
The commission that tabled the
report to be used by the 12th Parliament stated that it was their view that the
NatCom remained ultimately responsible for ensuring adequate security within
the kingdom.
How
Govt failure to pay E85k led to drugs shortage
Sibusiso
Zwane, Times of eSwatini, 7 December 2023
MATSAPHA: Failure by government to pay E85 000 is one of the reasons that
led to the health crisis that has resulted in medical drugs shortages.
In fact, the Health Crisis Sub-committee
members learnt with shock that one of the things that lead to the shortage of
drugs in the country was the unavailability of E85 000. This amount is
what the Central Medical Stores (CMS) required to service and/or renew a
licence for its fleet management system, which include closed-circuit
television (CCTV) cameras and tracking devices. These devices were
instrumental in curbing the theft of the medical drugs when they were being
transported to various hospitals and clinics. Without these devices, some
officers took advantage of the situation and diverted the vehicles, resulting
in the drugs being delivered to unintended places. Following the expiry of
the service and/or non-renewal of the licence, the CMS team told the
sub-committee that government said it did not have a budget to service and/or
renew the system. As such, the CMS team said the cctv cameras and tracking
devices in their delivery trucks were not functioning.
One of the sub-committee members, Manqoba
Khumalo, who is the Minister of Commerce, Industry and Trade, asked in
disbelief if indeed government had said it did not have the E85 000. The CMS
team maintained its statement. The sub-committee, which comprises of
Minister of Health Mduduzi Matsebula, Minister Khumalo, Minister of Labour and
Social Security Phila Buthelezi, Minister of Finance Neal Rijkenberg and
Principal Secretary (PS) in the Ministry of Health Khanya Mabuza, was tasked by
Cabinet with addressing the ongoing health crisis in the country and it visited
the CMS warehouse in Matsapha to get a feel of the prevailing situation, so
that it could take an informed decision. However, during yesterday’s visit, one
of the sub-committee members (minister of Finance) was not present.
After the CMS team had given a
presentation to the sub-committee, Minister Khumalo, who also chaired the
meeting, asked what controls the medical stores had in place to ensure that the
drugs it dispatched reached the final and intended destination. He highlighted
that he was asking this question because there were stories out there, which
suggested that CMS delivery vehicles were sometimes spotted delivering medical
drugs to vehicles, instead of health facilities. In response, the CMS team
said they registered every box of drugs they dispatched and also registered
where it was going. Thereafter, they said they would get a delivery note and
rely on information which they got from regional pharmacists, who visited the
health facilities in the regions.
To read more of this report, click
here
http://www.times.co.sz/news/142934-how-govt-failure-to-pay-e85k-led-to-drugs-shortage.html
Opinion
by Zweli Martin Dlamini, Swaziland News, 4 December 2023
I’ve been conducting research on the
lawsuits and/or court judgements against the media particularly the Times of
eSwatini and some of these judgements suggest that the judiciary has been
pushing a corrupt agenda to undermine the independence of the media.
Apart from the judgement in the matter
between African Eco (Pty) Ltd trading as the Times of eSwatini and the
then Senate President Gelane Zwane, there are other matters that were concluded
and the courts awarded damages while disregarding the provisions of the law of
defamation.
In South Africa where the media is free
and independent, it cannot be so easy to successfully challenge a newspaper for
publishing articles of vital public interest particularly where the conduct of
the journalist in the process of establishing facts before publishing, has
proven that, there was absolutely no intention to defame.
It should be noted that even before
concluding that the applicant was defamed, the Presiding Judge must be
convinced with evidence that, there was an intention to defame and the story
was not of public interest and/or, it was intended to defame.
The courts have an obligation to protect
the media in line with the constitutional right to information but in eSwatini,
the judiciary is colluding with corrupt individuals to award huge monies as
compensation for defamation with an intention to discourage journalists from
exposing corruption, the Times of eSwatini has been, over the years, a
victim of this corrupt agenda.
The media, as the Fourth Estate
institution must be protected particularly by the courts to promote the free
flow of information.
A free and independent media positively
shapes the society by providing information to enable citizens to make informed
decisions regarding issues affecting their welfare either politically,
socially, economically or otherwise.
The Times has written many stories
about public figures including some of us(journalist) but, you cannot suggest
that, the media must be destroyed just because it has exposed or criticized
you, the media was established to inform the public and hold those in power
accountable.
Judge Nkululeko Hlophe who used to call
the Times and complain about articles involving him, opted to use his
judicial powers to attack the Times and award huge monies to applicants,
perhaps, as a revenge and this, I would suggest, is very unfortunate.
Now, we will monitor the conduct of Judges
particularly on cases involving or threatening the independence of the media,
Chief Justice Bheki Maphalala once fined the Nation Magazine and its
editor Bheki Makhubu two hundred thousand Rands (R200,000.00) merely for
criticizing the Judiciary, he wanted the Magazine to struggle financially and
subsequently close.
I once wrote an article for the Sunday
Observer titled “The Judicial Dictatorship” where I was criticizing Judge
Hlophe and the then corrupt Chief Justice Michael Ramodibedi, after reading
that article Judge Hlophe asked journalists in an open court saying “where is
the journalist who wrote this, I want to issue a warrant of arrest”.
As journalists, we are not here to massage
the feelings or egos of corrupt Judges, all public figures must be subject to
criticism, even editors and/or journalists, criticism is meant to, among
others, enhance or demand accountability of public power.
It should be noted that there are
established editorial structures within newspapers to discuss complaints and
where a lawsuit has been filed, the court must balance the public interest and
the dignity of the affected person and award a reasonable amount as
compensation.
The statements by Mbabane East Member of
Parliament (MP) Honorable Welcome Dlamini who suggested that the media must be
regulated by the State will never see the light of the day while we are still
alive, we cannot allow the Executive, Judiciary and Parliament to collude
against and/or undermine the independence of the media.
We will capacitate the society to
understand what media State regulation means and where the need arise, the
people must rebel against the State and protect the media because the media is
their only voice.
Regulating the media would mean those in
power will establish policies that will undermine the independence of the media
so that, the corrupt can loot more public resources with impunity.
As the situation stands, we are monitoring
each and every Judge who is handling a lawsuit against the Times or any
newspaper, Judges must research on South African cases involving the media and
come-up with fair judgements not to award huge monies and then claim a certain
percentage from the lawyers behind the scenes.
We are not suggesting that the media must
be allowed to disregard the law, journalists must uphold an ethical conduct
but, it is the duty of the courts to strike a balance between public interest
and the right to human dignity.
But having said that, where a newspaper
has been found to have deliberately published stories with an intention to
defame, the courts must protect members of the public in this regard.
SWAZI
MEDIA COMMENTARY
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