Swaziland Newsletter No. 828 – 24 May
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.
eSwatini
allegedly assisting Russia to register ships amid US sanctions, tankers now
bear Swazi flag
By
Bongiwe Dlamini, Swaziland News, 21 May, 2024
MBABANE: News24, a South African online
publication reported on Monday that, dozens of Russian tankers remain stuck
doing nothing months after being sanctioned by the Treasury Department, a
signal of the US’s scope to disrupt Moscow’s petroleum supply chain if it
chooses to.
The report further suggests that, since
October, forty (40) ships involved in Russia’s oil trade have been added to the
Treasury’s list of designated entities, mostly for breaching a price cap that’s
meant to restrict the Kremlin’s access to petrodollars.
But amid the US sanctions, the landlocked
tiny Kingdom of eSwatini is now registering ships with an alleged intention to
assist Russia and other sanctioned countries.
“The data show five of the Hennesea
tankers are also operating with new identities, all of them now sailing under
the flag of Eswatini. The tiny land-locked country in southern Africa, formerly
known as Swaziland, is among the latest to offer ship registry services.This
comes after the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) issued a warning in
April regarding flags it identified as fraudulent. It raised specific concerns
over flags purportedly administered on behalf of Guyana and Eswatini
respectively,” News24 reported.
See also
No Russian vessels with eSwatini flag
- govt
http://www.times.co.sz/news/145213-no-russian-vessels-with-eswatini-flag-govt.html
No political will to deal with
evictions
Son
of the Soil, Times of eSwatini, 20 May 2024
The Kingdom of Eswatini faces
escalating international scrutiny due to recurring incidents of forced evictions,
predominantly executed by governmental entities, private enterprises and
occasionally, municipal authorities. These evictions are frequently accompanied
by the demolition of residential properties in a manner that seemingly
contravenes both the national Constitution and various international human
rights agreements to which Eswatini is a signatory.
The United Nations Committee
on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights categorises forced eviction as the
non-voluntary displacement of individuals, families, or communities from their
homes or lands, devoid of legal protections or recourse. Fundamental to this
discussion is the universal human right to property ownership, either
individually or collectively, as safeguarded by Section 19 of our Constitution,
which explicitly outlaws compulsory property deprivation under arbitrary
conditions. The core of this provision underscores the necessity of protecting
human proprietary rights.
In disputes concerning land or
property ownership, a primary consideration is the determination of the
rightful title holder, which could range from traditional chiefs overseeing
Eswatini Nation Land, private landowners, or municipal authorities backed by
statutory provisions. Such considerations become particularly complex when
residential developments emerge on contested lands. The challenge arises
when an entity asserting land ownership overlooks the rights of current
occupants, who are often economically disadvantaged citizens lacking secure
tenure, placing them in a profoundly vulnerable position.
It is essential to recognise
that both local and international human rights frameworks staunchly oppose
prioritising the rights of those with superior claims over ordinary citizens’
rights. Our Constitution explicitly details conditions under which property
deprivation is permissible, such as through lawful procedures that ensure
prompt, fair and adequate compensation; guarantee access to justice; and are
sanctioned by a court order. Regrettably, numerous instances of forced eviction
in Eswatini have transpired without adhering to these fundamental standards,
violating constitutional safeguards on property rights.
To read more of this
report, click here
http://www.times.co.sz/thinking-aloud/145162-no-political-will-to-deal-with-evictions.html
See also
Human rights violations intensify in
eSwatini
https://swazilandnews.co.za/fundza.php?nguyiphi=6561
Human rights violations intensify in eSwatini: Sigangeni resident Joseph Dlamini evicted by Indvuna Phazamisa Mhlanga
Over 700 vacancies crippling agriculture - PS
By Nonduduzo Kunene, eSwatini
News, 17 May 2024
LOBAMBA: The Ministry of Agriculture has over 700 vacant posts that have
crippled service delivery, among other challenges.
The figures were disclosed by the Principal Secretary, Sydney Simelane.
He said the hiring freeze had crippled their service delivery, because retired
and deceased officers had not been replaced since 2018, when the circular was
introduced. “We are a big ministry and we need officers. Currently, we
have more than 700 vacancies, which have affected our service delivery,” he
said.
The PS made this presentation when he was leading the Ministry of
Agriculture before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) yesterday. The deputy
chairperson of the PAC Manzi Zwane, who is also the Chairman of the House of
Assembly Public Service Portfolio Committee, said he was worried about the
number of vacancies in the ministry.
He asked the PS if he submitted the vacancies to the Ministry of Public
Service, which is responsible for hiring civil servants. “We have heard that
the hiring freeze was lifted and controlling officers can fill vacant posts,”
he said.
The human resources officer, in response, told the MPs that despite the
Ministry of Public Service issuing a circular that stated that the hiring
freeze had been lifted, the situation on the ground had not changed.
The officers highlighted that before the circular, officers had to ask
for a waiver from Cabinet. It was stated that the difference was that the
waiver had to be requested at the public service Ministry and posts would be
issued based on the available budget. The officers said even before this
circular, posts were issued based on the available budget.
The controlling officer also told the PAC that for this financial year, he had
asked for 60 posts for extension officers, but he was granted only four.
Public
Accounts Committee wants forensic audit
By
Phephile Motau, eSwatini Observer, 21 May 2024
THE issue of unaccounted for COVID-19
response project funds continues to haunt the National Disaster Management
Agency (NDMA) as members of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) have called for
a forensic audit.
This was during the appearance of the
deputy prime minister’s office yesterday, where it emerged that over E30
million funds were still not unaccounted for.
The auditor general found that there were
unaccounted for funds amounting to E30 936 877.72 for the COVID-19 response
project in the financial year ended March, 2021.
The AG said the audited financial
statement (detailed statement of comprehensive income), reported a total
expenditure amount of E349 955 313, whereas the records and management
performance report submitted to his office represented an expenditure amount of
E319 936 887.72 for the project.
This indicated unaccounted for expenditure
designated for the COVID-19 Response Project.
However, the response by the DPM’s office
yesterday showed that the issue had been resolved, yet the AG’s office said it
remained unresolved.
To read more of this report, click
here
http://new.observer.org.sz/details.php?id=22479
See also
AC demands E55 million
breakdown from NDMA
http://new.observer.org.sz/details.php?id=22484
Congo failed coup
- eSwatini political party blasts Mswati
Swati Newsweek, 22 May 2024.
SWALIMO abhors dirty political
meddling by the eSwatini royalty in foreign territories.
The Swaziland Liberation
Movement (SWALIMO) is noting with serious concern the continued tendencies by
Eswatini royalty of wanting to meddle in other countries state affairs
unwarrantably.
We have for years been
concerned about the continued Taiwan-Eswatini relations even when it became
clear to all other countries of the world that Taiwan belongs to the Mainland
China yet King Mswati has stubbornly associated with the province, while dragging
the state along.
Recently the Botswana
government complained of King Mswati’s hosting and dining the former President
of Botswana Ian Khama who is a wanted fugitive in that country.
As of current we are getting
reports of a barbaric coup attempt in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) by
elements very attached to a senior Prince trained by the last breath of the
Muammar Gaddafi regime who unfortunately is son to King Mswati 111.
These trends are disturbing to
us all as a nation as they point towards a banana republic system that is
presided mafia style and will eventually lead to political chaos when foreign
nations decide to revenge Eswatini’s meddling in their territorial affairs. The
coup attempt tells us that indeed Eswatini royalty is priding itself in the
tensions between other nations of the world.
It is very unfortunate that
Eswatini’s royalty is also the ruling oligarch which means the Eswatini state
is now frowned upon by many countries of the world. We have always been calling
for democracy in this country so that at the end royalty can be easily
identified outside of the state because we have never seen a kingship that
prides itself in causing havoc in other territories unnecessarily while
employing tools of the state.
The Eswatini royalty needs to
be governed and controlled soon, otherwise we will find ourselves losing the
peace we have come to love as foreign elements decide to visit this country to
seek political revenge as it has become apparent that this country is now a
breathing ground for coup plotters who want to destabilize democracies and hand
dictators to the people.
Issued by:
Thantaza N Silolo
SWALIMO
Spokesperson.
Govt totally bans all single-use
plastic bags
Siboniso
Nkambule, Times of eSwatini, 23 May 2024
MBABANE: Government has effected a total ban on all
single-use plastic carrier bags.
This measure is effectively
from December 1, this year. The announcement was made by the Minister of
Tourism and Environmental Affairs, Jane Simelane, during a press conference
held at her offices yesterday. Simelane said, under the terms of the ban,
all retailers, supermarkets, manufacturers and vendors would be prohibited from
selling or providing for free single-use plastic shopping bags to
customers. This encompasses bags made from traditional plastic materials,
including polyethylene and polypropylene, regardless of thickness. She
said this marked a significant step towards eliminating plastic pollution and
safeguarding the planet for future generations, including positioning of the
Kingdom of Eswatini as a tourism destination of choice in Southern Africa.
To read more of this
report, click here
http://www.times.co.sz/news/145232-govt-totally-bans-all-single-use-plastic-bags.html
University of eSwatini closed amid
struggle to pay water and electricity bills
By
Bongiwe Dlamini, Swaziland News, 21 May, 2024
MBABANE: Gabie Ndukuya, the President of
the Swaziland National Union of Students (SNUS) has called upon all
stakeholders to put pressure on Government as the University of Eswatini
(UNESWA) closes amid shortage of water and electricity allegedly, due to unpaid
bills.
Speaking to this Swaziland News on Tuesday
morning shortly after Acting Registrar Richard Masuku released a memo,
informing staff about a decision to temporarily close the University amid
shortage of water and electricity, the Students President said, Government must
be pressured to prioritize the institution of higher learning with funds and/or
resources.
“The solution here is call upon all
stakeholders to collectively put pressure on Government to fund the University,
the crisis is escalating and affecting the students”, said the Students Union
President.
Education Minister Owen Nxumalo had not
responded at the time of compiling this report.
On another note, Richard Masuku, the
UNESWA Acting Registrar confirmed through a memo directed to the staff that,
the University was temporarily closing due to shortage of water and
electricity.
“The decision was reached as a result of
the disconnection of water supply by the service provider last week, and the
imminent disconnection of electricity supply”, reads the memorandum in part.
The institution of higher learning
Chancellor is King Mswati has been struggling without resources for some time
now, as the Government prioritizes royal extravagance over the education system
and other social programs.
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