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Friday, 26 April 2024

Swaziland Newsletter No. 824 – 26 April 2024

 

Swaziland Newsletter No. 824 – 26 April 2024

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.

 

Govt investigating cause of documents leak - Alpheous

By Phephile Motau, eSwatini Observer, 22 April 2024

SOURCE 

Government Spokesperson, Alpheous Nxumalo, says the prime minister has assured the nation that investigations have been initiated to ascertain how privileged information was leaked or stolen.

Nxumalo issued the statement following the series of articles titled ‘Swazi Secrets’ by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), which is based on an alleged leak of more than 890 000 internal records from the Eswatini Financial Intelligence Unit (EFIU).

According to the ICIJ, the documents were obtained by Distributed Denial of Secrets, a non-profit organisation devoted to publishing and archiving leaks, which shared them with the ICIJ.

ICIJ said it coordinated a team of 38 journalists across 11 countries to explore the documents.
The ICIJ said the documents include bank records, police investigation reports, court affidavits, and confidential exchanges between government agencies within southern Africa.

The records also include details about banks in African countries and beyond that have facilitated financial transactions for people and companies suspected of criminal activity.

Nxumalo said the 800 000 plus documents stolen by some neo-colonialism agencies masquerading as journalists was nothing more than a crude propaganda and onslaught against both the sovereignty of the Kingdom of Eswatini and its sovereign interests.

“Among many of the objectives of the publishing of these stolen documents was to hurt the prestige and taint the good image of the individuals concerned. Government condemns in the strongest terms possible and rejects entirely all the contents contained therein,” he said.
Nxumalo said Eswatini was not for sale even to the highest bidder.

He added that the government was determined to continue to defend the country's sovereignty and its integrity with all resources and arsenal at the country’s disposal.

“These stolen documents will not deter or derail us from protecting the country from those who are hell - bent to destroy its good image and good standing with international partners and friends within the international community,” Nxumalo said.

To read more of this report, click here

http://new.observer.org.sz/details.php?id=22361

 

See also

Eswatini Financial Intelligence Unit ‘Leaks’: Business Eswatini sees silver lining

http://www.times.co.sz/news/144785-efiu-%E2%80%98leaks%E2%80%99-be-sees-silver-lining.html

Sources who leaked State financial intelligence documents to international investigative journalists are safe, threats of an investigation by Government Spokesperson a mere political hangover

https://swazilandnews.co.za/fundza.php?nguyiphi=6404

 

Multibillion looting within Ministry of Health

By Zweli Martin Dlamini, Swaziland News, 22 April, 2024

SOURCE 

MANZINI: Kidney failure patients at the Raleigh Fitkin Memorial (RFM) might die in numbers as the hospital is operating without a kidney failure dialysis machinery.

Eswatini has about 70% of the population living below the poverty and therefore, struggling to afford private hospitals or quality health-care amid the degenerating health crisis triggered by, among others, rampant corruption in public administration.

Dialysis is a type of treatment that helps the body remove extra fluid and waste products from the blood when the kidneys become dysfunctional.

Kidney failure patients who contacted this publication said, the situation suggests that they are waiting to die as there are no hopes that the health crisis might be addressed soon.

“We are dying a painful death, every week I’m expected to do dialysis but there’s no equipment now, when we go to Mbabane, they told us to go to RFM, it’s painful”, said the patient.

Reached for comments on Monday evening, Mayibongwe Masangwane, the Secretary General (SG) of the Swaziland Democratic Nurses Union (SWADNU) first asked to consult with colleagues at RFM hospital to verify what happened, he said he wasn’t aware of the situation about the dysfunctional dialysis machinery.

Masangwane subsequently confirmed to this Swaziland News after verification that indeed, the hospital was operating without a dialysis or kidney machinery.

“I’ve confirmed and discovered that it’s true. The information I received suggests that it’s been a long time since the hospital operated without the dialysis machinery, patients were previously referred to Mbabane Government Hospital but seemingly, there’s now a problem with Mbabane in exchanging the working equipment.  So yes, there’s no dialysis machine at RFM Hospital”, said the Nurses Union Secretary General (SG). 

A questionnaire was sent to Khanya Mabuza, the Principal Secretary(PS) in the Ministry of Health, however, he had not responded at the time of compiling this report.

Eswatini is in the midst of a health crisis amid looting and/or rampant corruption within the Ministry of Health, the Funduzi Forensic Services report exposed how SwaziPharm Director Kareem Ashraff and other suppliers allegedly looted over R1billion public funds resulting to the health crisis.

 

Home Affairs probe: Govt services at some workers’ homes

By Stanley Khumalo, Times of eSwatini, 22 April 2024

SOURCE 

MANZINI: As investigations into fraudulent activities at the Ministry of Home Affairs deepen, it has been uncovered that most government services were offered in the backyard of some civil servants’ places of abode.

The police, in their investigations, followed tips on allegations that there was a ‘syndicate’ milking the State of thousands of Emalangeni, as they rendered services of the ministry from their backyards. The investigators reportedly found that some civil servants were selling government documents, such as birth certificates, national identity (IDs) documents, marriage certificates, travel documents, international passports, visas and work permits.  The sources said these documents were found last week at the residences of some civil servants. Along with the documents, it was said the police also found government stamps, which were used in ‘authenticating’ the fraudulent paperwork.

The sources supposed that some of the civil servants deployed to the Ministry of Home Affairs had a big clientele among people of Asian origin and from some north-eastern African countries. According to the sources, the modus operandi of the decadent civil servants was that they dealt with agents who informed them of people in need of these documents.
Thereon, it was said the civil servants would in turn bring the documents to their residences, where they were picked up by the ‘clients’. It was said some of the civil servants were also found with blank documents, which were said be filled per ‘order’. The clients were said to have been paying the civil servants in cash, as this was discovered during a raid of residences of some of the civil servants fingered in the fraudulent act of releasing government documents in the black market.

It was gathered that some of the civil servants were found with hard cash in their houses, while others hid it in their vehicles.

To read more of this report, click here

http://www.times.co.sz/news/144767-home-affairs-probe-govt-services-at-some-workers%E2%80%99-homes.html

 

Action for Southern Africa Human Rights Defenders protest outside eSwatini United Kingdom Embassy on King Mswati’s birthday amid human rights violations

By Bongiwe Dlamini, Swaziland News, 20 April, 2024

SOURCE 

Action for Southern Africa (ACTSA), Human Rights Defenders protest outside eSwatini United Kingdom(UK) Embassy on King Mswati’s birthday amid human rights violations.

LONDON: The Action for Southern Africa (ACTSA) in collaboration with the Southern African Human Rights Defenders Network (SAHRDN), staged a protest outside the eSwatini Embassy in the United Kingdom (UK), amid human rights violations in eSwatini.

This comes after the United States (US) Parliament passed a resolution, condemning among others, the ongoing human rights in the country including the killing of human rights lawyer Thulani Rudolf Maseko, the Chairperson of the MultiStakeholder Forum (MSF).

Eswatini Government Spokesperson Alpheous Nxumalo declined to comment when reached by this publication on Saturday morning.

In a joint statement sent to this Swaziland News on Friday afternoon, the human rights organizations said, the protest was meant to highlight the ongoing atrocities in eSwatini on or during King Mswati’s Birthday.

“Together with Action for Southern Africa (ACTSA), this protest is organised by a coalition of global citizens deeply concerned about the ongoing human rights violations in Eswatini. Our diverse group comprises human rights defenders, civil society organizations, women's groups, youth organizations, diplomats, professionals, clergy, and individuals dedicated to justice from all corners of the globe”, reads the statement in part.

The human rights organizations further mentioned that, there “is nothing to celebrate in eSwatini amid human rights violations”.

Eswatini is ruled by King Mswati as an absolute Monarchy, political parties are banned from participating in elections while political activists, human rights defenders including independent journalists are arrested, tortured or even killed for demanding democracy or criticizing the King and his Government.

To read more of this report, click here

https://swazilandnews.co.za/fundza.php?nguyiphi=6393

 

emSwati leave venue with full stomachs

By Sabelo Ndzinisa, eSwatini News, 20 April 2024

SOURCE 

MANKAYANE: The thousands of emaSwati who were part of the King’s birthday celebration at Mankayane Sports Ground yesterday, left the venue satisfied with full stomachs.

This is because food was provided in abundance for those who attended and it was evident after the event, that people were happy with the food service, judging by their positive comments. In the past functions of this nature, food used to be served only after the event, but it was a different case this time around, as people were served three times. Many of the people interviewed were not shy of praising the King for ensuring that they celebrated his birthday without any hunger issues.

 As soon as you arrived at the venue, you were first served breakfast by the caterers even before taking a seat. This was a pleasant surprise for many, as it was a first-of-its-kind and it did not end there, as they were also served lunch before getting food takeaways at the end of the event. Even though a majority of the people were served with breakfast and lunch, as soon as it was announced that ‘inkhosi iphekile bekunene’ at the end of the event,  they still wanted more, as they rushed to the food serving point. where they were duly served without any hassle.

As a result, as people left the venue after getting the last meal of the day at around 5pm, they had nothing but only good words to say about the organisers of the event, the Ministry of Home Affairs headed by Princess Lindiwe Dlamini. Noteworthy is that there was still the garden party hosted at the Mandvulo Hall yesterday evening, where only card carrying  invited  guest enjoyed more food goodies as they rubbed shoulders with Their Majesties.

To read more of this report, click here

http://www.times.co.sz/news/144746-emaswati-leave-venue-with-full-stomachs.html

 

Proposal to ban miniskirts, cleavages in community meetings

By Sithembile Hlatshwayo, Times of eSwatini, 23 April 2024

SOURCE 

MBABANE: The community of Makholokholo has proposed the banning of miniskirts and showing of cleavages in community meetings.

The proposed ban, which has caused an uproar, also extends to men, who are forbidden from wearing short pants and sleeveless shirts that expose the flesh. The restrictions hiked emotions during a Ward II, Makholokholo community meeting, which was held at the gogo centre, yesterday morning, chaired by the Local Community Committee (LCC) Chairperson, Knowledge Ngwenya. Ngwenya is renowned for his no-nonsense stance towards teachers who abuse young girls in schools. After much contention, the meeting failed to arrive at a conclusion on the issue, but parents were advised to engage with their children, after which a final decision would be made. Makholokholo is a township in Mbabane, in the Hhohho Region, situated near the Mbangweni suburb.

According to some of the community members, inappropriate dress code, which include miniskirts and shorts is common among the youth during meetings. The elders said this was totally unacceptable. The issue has divided the community, as some residents are of the view that the ban would isolate the young people, and discourage them from attending meetings.
The community members feel that it is unreasonable to approve a certain dress code, yet even in church, they have the liberty to wear anything they want to, including short skirts and pants for women. Others are of the view that a line should be drawn, as there are specific dress codes for particular gatherings, hence the community meetings are respectable and need to be accorded the dignity they deserve.

“When attending a community meeting, women should not expose flesh by wearing skimpy outfits, but should cover-up,” they stated.

 

To read more of this report, click here

http://www.times.co.sz/news/144784-proposal-to-ban-miniskirts-cleavages-in-community-meetings.html

 

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