Swaziland Newsletter No. 867 – 7 March
2025
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.
Over
80 000 HIV+ patients, around 60 employees to suffer
By Ntombi Mhlongo, Times
Sunday, 2 March 2025
MBABANE:
Following the reported closure of the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS
Foundation (EGPAF) in Eswatini, around 80 000 emaSwati living with HIV are set
to be affected.
This
scenario is a blow to the country, which currently has over 210 000 people who
are on antiretroviral therapy (ARVs).
The
80 000 who are taken care of, including being consistently monitored by the
organisation include around 3 000 children in the Shiselweni and Hhohho
regions.
As
if that is not enough, this publication has uncovered that around 60 locals who
were employed by the organisation are set to lose their jobs.
The
EGPAF has been the highest beneficiary from USAID Eswatini.
This
is because the entity in the past year received a larger share among the top
partners of USAID Eswatini.
The
entity was awarded E155 756 250 (US$8.307 million), when converted in
yesterday’s exchange rate.
It
was followed by Pact World, which received E127 818 750 and the third
highest benefitting entity was The Luke Commission (TLC) with E125.44
million.
The
organisation is among many others that have been affected following a decision
by US President Donald Trump’s administration’s to terminate 90 per cent of
USAID’s foreign aid contracts.
Health
groups, non-governmental organisations and others who received money from the
US aid agency to do good work had been living under a cloud of curiosity since
Trump’s executive order froze the funding for a 90-day review on January 20,
2025.
To
read more of this report, click here
http://www.times.co.sz/news/149663-over-80-000-hiv-patients-around-60-employees-to-suffer.html
By Zweli Martin Dlamini, Swaziland
News, 28 February, 2025
MBABANE:
King Mswati’s lavish lifestyle funded with public funds is highly expected to
be on the spotlight, subsequent to a decision by the United States Agency for
International Development (USAID) officially terminating R1.3billion funding
for critical health programs in eSwatini.
This
decision comes after Donald Trump, the newly inaugurated US President halted
donor funding for a period of ninety (90) days pending review, however, some
eSwatini Non Governmental Organization (NGOs) were officially informed this
week about the termination of the funding.
But
King’s Spokesperson Percy Simelane previously told this publication that, the
“King’s budget is normally based on available funds”, he was asked to clarify
if Mswati will consider reducing his budget amid the looming financial crisis
in Government and the entire country.
Reached
for comments by this Swaziland News on Friday morning, Thembinkhosi Dlamini,
the Executive Director of the Coordinating Assembly of Non Governmental
Organizations (NGOs) confirmed that, some organizations received letters from
USAID, officially terminating donor funding for certain projects.
“You
will recall that the funding was first suspended pending review and now, some
projects funded by USAID have been terminated. This will not only affect NGOs
but even Government because here, we are talking about R1.3billion for the
entire country and for different programs, USAID was assisting health programs
even in the army,” said the CANGO Director.
It
has been disclosed that, soldiers were also benefiting from the donors as USAID
was supporting their clinics within the Army Barracks including the provision
of Antiretroviral (ARVs) drugs.
But
amid the financial challenges in Government and the entire country, King Mswati
spent millions hosting “Buganu Ceremony” and taking international trips with a
huge delegation resulting to taxpayers paying over R200million for each trip as
traveling allowances and other costs.
The
King also owns two (2) private jets and a fleet of Rolls Royce cars in a
country where about 70% of the population lives below the poverty line, with a
collapsed health system.
Eswatini
is also facing rampant corruption in the public administration and, the
Government has not demonstrated a political will to fight corruption and end a
culture of impunity.
See also
Elizabeth
Glazer shuts down
http://new.observer.org.sz/details.php?id=23535
NGOs’
blow as US ends USAID funding
http://www.times.co.sz/news/149635-ngos%E2%80%99-blow-as-us-ends-usaid-funding.html
Withdrawal
of USAID funding a big blow
http://www.times.co.sz/feature/149666-withdrawal-of-usaid-funding-a-big-blow.html
Reduce
King Mswati’s multibillion budget, fight corruption and escalate the collection
of domestic taxes to mitigate deficit amid withdrawal of foreign donor funding
https://swazilandnews.co.za/fundza.php?nguyiphi=8510
USAID
cancelled R1.3billion funding: Job losses looming in Hotels and Guest Houses,
some were generating significant revenue by hosting workshops for closed NGOs
https://swazilandnews.co.za/fundza.php?nguyiphi=8508
USA
funding withdrawal to impact development – CANGO Director
By Bongiwe Dlamini, Swaziland
News, 5 March 2025
MBABANE:
Phila Buthelezi, the Minister of Labour and Social Security says, Government
will cancel scholarships for all University students criticizing Tinkhundla
system as directed by Mbabane East Member of Parliament (MP) Welcome Dlamini.
Responding
to the MP in Parliament on Tuesday, the Labour Minister stated that, there’s a
clause in the scholarships agreement restricting the students from criticizing
Government or the Tinkhundla system.
“We
will definitely cancel the scholarships for those students because they are in
violation of the scholarships agreement,” said the Labour Minister.
On
another note, the Mbabane East MP suggested that, all University students
studying abroad who then join political parties and criticize the Tinkhundla
system must have their scholarships cancelled.
Eswatini
is an absolute Monarchy, political parties are banned and citizens who
criticise the Government are not only arrested, tortured or even killed but,
denied scholarships and jobs.
See
also
MP’s
scholarship call sparks outrage
http://www.times.co.sz/news/149711-mp-s-scholarship-call-sparks-outrage.html
Eswatini
MP Welcome Dlamini now calling for the cancellation of passports for all
citizens who oppose King Mswati’s Tinkhundla undemocratic Government.
https://swazilandnews.co.za/fundza.php?nguyiphi=8533
Welcome
Dlamini is off-side as scholarships are taxpayers money not Tinkhundla grant,
even pro-democracy activists pay tax
https://swazilandnews.co.za/fundza.php?nguyiphi=8528
Mbabane
Council shuts Mangwaneni Centre, 460 orphans left starving
By Themba Zwane, Independent
News eSwatini, 4 March 2025
MBABANE:
Daily food rations of over 460 Orphaned and Vulnerable Children (OVCs) have
been abruptly shut down amidst the ongoing feud between the Municipal Council
of Mbabane and residents at Mangwaneni area.
Independent
News found that for over a month now, the Municipal Council of Mbabane has
indefinitely closed the Mangwaneni Social Centre. It was a centre which fed
needy children, most of whom are pupils at Mangwaneni Community Primary School,
on a daily basis after school before going to their respective places of abode.
Workers
at the centre said the social centre doubled as a pre-school but since its
indefinite closure the minors who attended pre-school at the centre had to
remain at home ever since its closure.
A
few weeks ago, some concerned residents of the area stormed the Mbabane
Municipality demanding that they were handed over the centre’s keys. They
alleged that Council had no authority to close the community facility. They
insisted that facility belongs to the community and not the municipality.
The
residents alleged that when it was constructed a few years back, each homestead
was requested to contribute at least E30, and the Municipal Council only
contributed a part of the funds as they were merely assisting partners. The
residents also argued that community members undertook the physical work of
construction of the centre and not the Council.
When
the Municipal Council of Mbabane Information and Public Relations Officer,
Lucky Tsabedze, was drawn for comment on the matter, he confirmed it. Tsabedze
highlighted that the issue of Mangwaneni was an old feud between Council and
Mangwaneni residents.
Tsabedze
noted that the feud is related to that residents maintain that the area is
under the authority of a Chief as there was a Royal Household, and not by the
municipality. He also said the Municipal Council of Mbabane called upon
residents to halt construction of new structures ahead of proper development
municipality plans for the area.
Despite
this call, he said, residents have continued to construct new structures while
Council rendered services such as garbage collection.
“We have decided to stop rendering our services at Mangwaneni because they do not want to obey the instruction [that was] issued by the then Minister of Housing and Urban Development Prince Simelane. The erstwhile minister called upon residents to temporarily stop construction of new structures and Council to stop demolition of their houses until a solution was found to the ongoing impulse. However, we have noted as Council that the residents continue to construct new structures despite this directive from the then minister,” said Tsabedze.
We stand together – Zero
Discrimination Day 2025
eSwatini
Observer (Press Reader edition), 28 February
2025
EVERY year, on March 1, Eswatini joins the
rest of the world to observe Zero Discrimination Day, a universal call to
challenge and eradicate discrimination in all its forms.
This day serves not only as a reminder of
our shared humanity but also as a catalyst for positive change, encouraging
individuals and institutions alike to foster environments where diversity
thrives, and every person is treated with dignity and respect. Zero
Discrimination Day was first launched in 2014 by UNAIDS, with a vision of
creating societies that embrace diversity and counteract the stigmatisation of
marginalised groups in particular for people living with HIV.
Zero Discrimination Day is a significant
day for Eswatini as it highlights the importance of promoting equality and
eliminating discrimination in all forms. In Eswatini, this day is particularly
relevant due to the country's ongoing efforts to address issues related to HIV
and AIDS. Discrimination against people living with HIV and key populations can
hinder access to lifesaving treatment and support. By raising awareness and
advocating for the removal of discriminatory practices, Eswatini aims to create
a more inclusive and supportive environment for all its citizens.
Eswatini’s stance in fighting stigma and
discrimination was made clear when in 2015 during his Speech from the throne,
His Majesty King Mswati III emphasised the need to address drivers of HIV
including stigma and discrimination by stating that ‘Lokukhombana akuphele
kutsi nya Maswati’ translated as ‘stigma and discrimination must come to an
end’.
The country has done exceptionally well in
fighting stigma and discrimination as the 2023 Stigma Index report highlights
the progress made since the last PLHIV Stigma Index study in 2019.
To read more of this report, click
here
https://www.pressreader.com/eswatini/eswatini-observer-9ZB3/20250228/281762750001425
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