Swaziland Newsletter No. 912 – 30 January 2026

 

Swaziland Newsletter No. 912 – 30 January 2026

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 newsletter and past editions are also available online on the Swazi Media Commentary blogsite.

 

Govt breach­ing UN chil­dren’s rights con­ven­tion - Par­ents

Sunday Observer (eSwatini) Press Reader edition, 25 January 2026 

Par­ents have joined the Swazi­l­and National Asso­ci­ation of Teach­ers (SNAT) in con­demning gov­ern­ment’s hand­ling of sweep­ing edu­ca­tion reforms.

They warned that the rushed rol­lout of Com­pet­ency-Based Edu­ca­tion (CBE) and a new four-year sec­ond­ary school pro­gramme amounts to poor gov­ernance and is a breach of an inter­na­tional chil­dren’s rights con­ven­tion.

Eswat­ini Schools Com­mit­tee and Par­ents Asso­ci­ation (ESCAPA) Pres­id­ent Cedric Chirwa said the asso­ci­ation fully agrees with the Swazi­l­and National Asso­ci­ation of Teach­ers (SNAT) that the min­istry of edu­ca­tion and train­ing was press­ing ahead with reforms without proper con­sulta­tion, adequate pre­par­a­tion or trans­par­ency, des­pite schools open­ing on Tues­day.

Chirwa said par­ents were neither con­sul­ted nor given access to reports eval­u­at­ing pilot pro­grammes, leav­ing them in the dark about what kind of edu­ca­tion their chil­dren will receive. “We agree with SNAT and it is even more alarm­ing that par­ents have also not been engaged,” Chirwa said.

“We have not seen any report on CBE or on the four-year pro­gramme. Par­ents do not know what edu­ca­tion will be taught to their chil­dren, and teach­ers them­selves are con­fused. That is a wor­ry­ing state of affairs as schools open,” he added. The cri­ti­cism comes as gov­ern­ment pre­pares to intro­duce CBE across sec­ond­ary schools and restruc­ture the sys­tem into a single four-year cycle cov­er­ing Grades 8 to 11.

The min­istry says the reforms will pri­or­it­ise prac­tical skills, cre­ativ­ity and mas­tery of com­pet­en­cies, while mov­ing away from tra­di­tional exam rank­ings and intro­du­cing new sub­jects such as music, dance, fine art and drama.

Chirwa said the man­ner in which the reforms are being imposed may place Eswat­ini in breach of the United Nations Con­ven­tion on the Rights of the Child (CRC), to which the coun­try is a sig­nat­ory.

“Art­icle 29 of the Con­ven­tion defines the aims of edu­ca­tion and also recog­nises the liberty of par­ents to choose the kind of edu­ca­tion they want to give to their chil­dren,” he said.

“By not con­sult­ing par­ents and other stake­hold­ers, and by with­hold­ing key reports, gov­ern­ment is going against that con­ven­tion,” he added. While care­ful to avoid incit­ing lan­guage, ESCAPA warned that side­lin­ing par­ents risks deep­en­ing mis­trust and entrench­ing divi­sions around edu­ca­tion policy.

“This is dan­ger­ous because it cre­ates a situ­ation where one party sees itself as always right and the other as oppos­i­tion. That is not what we want. We want to move together, to speak openly about how to improve the sys­tem and agree on the way for­ward,” he stated.

He cau­tioned that without trans­par­ency and shared own­er­ship, failed reforms could degen­er­ate into blame-shift­ing rather than account­ab­il­ity.

“If it fails, people will point fin­gers, and oth­ers will defend decisions even when they know things were done wrongly, simply for the sake of defend­ing,” he said.

At the core of par­ents’ frus­tra­tion, accord­ing to him, is the absence of pub­licly avail­able reports on the per­form­ance of CBE at primary school level and on the pilot of the four-year sec­ond­ary pro­gramme con­duc­ted in selec­ted schools last year.

Without these, ESCAPA argues, there is no evid­ence base for scal­ing the reforms nation­wide.

“These reports should have been avail­able not only to par­ents, but also to the media, so they could be inter­preted and explained to the wider pub­lic,” Chirwa said.

 

Three years on, justice denied for assassinated eSwatini human rights lawyer Thulani Maseko as Amnesty International demands independent investigation

By Abigail Jele, Swaziland News, 28 January 2026

SOURCE 

MBABANE: It’s been three solid years since the assassination of Thulani Maseko, a highly respected human rights lawyer who was shot dead at his home on 21 January 2023 in Eswatini. 

Three years on, no one has been held accountable for his killing, his assassination sent shockwaves across the country, the region, and the international human rights community, and remains a stark reminder of the risks faced by those who defend human rights in Eswatini.

As demands for justice continue, Amnesty International has raised serious concerns about the slow pace and lack of transparency surrounding investigations into his death.

Reached for comments by this Swaziland News, Amnesty International Southern Africa Coordinator stated that, even though the motive behind Maseko’s assassination “remains unclear”, they strongly believe he was murdered for defending human rights.

“Although the motive behind his killing remains unclear, Amnesty International has reason to believe that Thulani Maseko was murdered in connection with his work as a human rights defender and lawyer. Amnesty International is concerned that the search for those responsible for his violent death is dragging on, despite longstanding calls from civil society organizations, governments and intergovernmental organizations for an independent investigation into his murder.

Amnesty International calls on King Mswati III. to promptly, thoroughly and impartially investigate the unlawful killing of Thulani Maseko and to bring any responsible individuals to justice in a fair trial. Amnesty International also urges that Thulani Maseko’s family be granted access to justice and effective legal remedies. They must also be protected from intimidation”, said the Amnesty International Coordinator.

Three years after his killing, justice for Thulani Maseko remains elusive and continued absence of accountability not only deepens the pain of his family but also entrenches a culture of impunity that places all human rights defenders at risk.

 

‘Expel them’: eSwatini minister sparks alarm with anti-LGBTQ school rhetoric

By Luiz De Barros, Mamba Online, 28 January 2026

SOURCE  

LGBTQ+ young people have come under attack in Eswatini after the country’s Education Minister called for queer school pupils to be expelled, comparing them to gangsters.

According to local media, Minister of Education and Training Owen Nxumalo made the troubling remarks on Tuesday while visiting schools in the capital, Mbabane, to mark the start of the academic year.

Nxumalo claimed that learners in the southern African nation were being “coerced” into what he described as “unacceptable behaviour”, including gangsterism and homosexuality.

He told scholars and staff that same-sex relationships had no place in schools because they conflicted with religious beliefs and cultural traditions.

“We do not know where these practices come from, and we rebuke them in the name of Jesus,” Nxumalo was quoted as saying. “One fails to understand why a girl would convince another girl to fall in love with her.”

The minister added, “I will not tolerate any issues that come with homosexual relationships in our schools,” and vowed to personally ensure that any pupils involved in such relationships were expelled.

Nxumalo reportedly also praised US President Donald Trump’s stance on the LGBTQ+ community, describing it as the correct position to take.

LGBTIQ+ advocacy group Eswatini Sexual and Gender Minorities (ESGM) expressed its “deep concern” about the minister’s statements, noting that the Constitution guarantees equality and that every Swazi child has the right to education.

“Expelling learners on the basis of real or perceived sexual orientation or gender expression directly undermines these constitutional and statutory protections,” ESGM said in a statement.

“Such actions risk denying children their right to education, exposing them to stigma, violence, and long-term harm.”

The group stressed that “sexual orientation and gender identity are not misconduct” and said that “schools have a duty to address behaviour in a manner that is lawful, non-discriminatory, and consistent with child protection principles, not through exclusion or fear.”

ESGM called on the Ministry of Education and Training to ensure that schools are safe and inclusive environments for all learners, and to stop making statements that encourage discrimination, bullying or the exclusion of vulnerable children.

Eswatini remains one of the world’s last absolute monarchies and has a poor record on human rights. Although not actively enforced, men “suspected” of sodomy can be arrested without a warrant under the Criminal Procedure Act of 1938.

ESGM has been engaged in a years-long legal battle to overturn the government’s refusal, despite a court order, to register the organisation as an official entity.

 See also

Minister’s same-sex relationships statement: Minister must retract – CANGO (eSwatini Observer)

https://eswatiniobserver.com/ministers-same-sex-relationships-statement-minister-must-retract-cango/

 

15 minors raped in just 25 days

By Bongiwe Dlamini, eSwatini Observer, 26 January 2026

SOURCE 

At least 15 children under the age of 18 have been raped since the beginning of the year.

These statistics are according to cases that were officially reported to the police across the country.

The latest case was reported in Mankayane on January 21, where a four-year-old girl was raped allegedly by her 18-year-old neighbour. The incident happened at Nhlotjeni in December.

Sources close to the matter said the four-year-old and other minors usually went to the 18-year-old man’s home to play.

All seemed normal until early last week when the four-year-old girl’s mother overheard some children older than her daughter discussing what the teenager did to them when they went to play at his home.

Surprised, the mother is said to have then called her daughter aside and asked her what happened to them when they were playing at the neighbour’s home.

“The girl narrated that they were violated by the 18-year-old. Her mother reported the matter to the police, while parents and guardians of the rest of the children said they were still to discuss the matter,” said a source.

The suspect has not been arrested yet, as confirmed by Acting Deputy Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Inspector Mazwi Ndzimandze.

This case is at least the 15th to be reported to the police this month.

The cases reportedly happened in various areas in all four regions of the country.

The Lubombo region leads with six cases, followed by the Manzini and Hhohho regions with four cases each.

Only one case has so far been reported in the Shiselweni region.

More than half of the survivors of abuse are under 14 years, while at least four are aged 10 or below, indicating extreme vulnerability among younger children.

In the majority of the cases, the alleged perpetrators are known to the victims, including relatives such as uncles, cousins, stepfathers, neighbours, and boyfriends.

This points to abuse occurring largely within trusted environments such as homes, family settings and neighbourhoods, as previously articulated by SWAGAA in its latest report (December 2025).

To read more of this report, click here

https://eswatiniobserver.com/15-minors-raped-in-just-25-days/

 

The King’s Imbasha: How royal patronage is bankrupting the State

Opinion by Velaphi Mamba, Swaziland News, 25 January 2026

SOURCE 

King Mswati III has long relied on cultural nationalism as a substitute for democratic legitimacy. 

Culture, in his hands, is not simply heritage but a governing technology that is employed to manufacture obedience, suppress dissent, and convert public resources into royal loyalty. 

Under the banner of tradition, state power is reproduced not through accountable institutions but through ritual, spectacle, and increasingly, cash incentives meant to buttress a patronage system that has now bankrupted the country.

It is within this context that the practice of imbasha must be understood. Following the weeding of the King’s fields after the Incwala ceremony, regiments are paid a cash stipend, framed as cultural appreciation and a symbol of the king’s benevolence. 

This year alone, the reported cost of imbasha reached a staggering E45 million. At E1,000 per regiment member, this implies that roughly 45,000 people will be paid representing only 3.75% of Eswatini’s population of approximately 1.2 million. Fewer than four out of every hundred emaSwati will receive this benefit, while the remaining 96% are excluded, many facing chronic unemployment, food insecurity, and failing public services. 

It is important to also highlight the fact that imbasha is paid to men and boys only, who are the ones that culturally weed the king’s fields. The gender dimensions of the matter should therefore not go unnoticed.

The imbasha stipend is not a marginal expense nor a once-off gesture. If imbasha continues at E45 million per year and the 45 000 regiments’ figure remains constant, the state will have spent E450 million over a decade buying loyalty from a narrow segment of society. Nearly half a billion Emalangeni will have been transferred not through developmental programmes or social protection, but through a patronage system designed to reward ritual compliance and entrench royal hegemony. 

This is not a sustainable national redistributive program but selective appeasement, financed by a state already massively failing to meet its most basic obligations. The swelling numbers to weed the king’s fields are not a sign of the people’s love of culture and the king. 

They are emblematic of the economic desperation of the masses.

Worse still, the imbasha system is riddled with corruption and opacity. The money does not reach regiment members through transparent, auditable payment mechanisms. Instead, it is channelled through layers of traditional leadership – tindvuna and royal structures where discretion replaces accountability. 

This creates fertile ground for skimming, favouritism, and exclusion. Numerous accounts indicate that not all regiments receive the full E1,000, while others receive nothing at all, depending on their proximity to power. Portions of the E45 million vanish before reaching the intended recipients, shrinking even further the already tiny share of emaSwati who benefit. 

The absence of beneficiary registers, payment trails, independent audits, or parliamentary oversight means that tens of millions of Emalangeni are being moved annually in ways that offend basic principles of public finance management and potentially violate anti–money laundering laws. In any functioning state, such cash-heavy, politically controlled disbursements would trigger an investigation. 

In Eswatini, they are normalized and we are witnessing money laundering by the king in plain sight. This is egregious exercise of public finances and needs to be revisited.

King Mswati (centre) during the end of 2025-2026 Incwala ceremony

To read more of this commentary, click here

http://www.swazilandnews.co.za/fundza.php?nguyiphi=11208

SWAZI MEDIA COMMENTARY

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Blog: https://swazimedia.blogspot.com/

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Swaziland Newsletter No. 911 – 23 January 2026

 

Swaziland Newsletter No. 911 – 23 January 2026

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 newsletter and past editions are also available online on the Swazi Media Commentary blogsite.

 

80% women neglect children for jobs

By Nokuphila Haji, eSwatini Observer, 16 January 2026

SOURCE 

The deputy prime minister’s office has revealed that 80% of the cases handled under the Asibambaneni SibeNgumndeni programme involved women who had neglected their children while seeking employment opportunities.

This is contained in findings from a report compiled by the office, following visits to affected families.

When speaking during an Eswatini TV Programme, Kusile Breakfast Show, Senior Gender Analyst Thandwa Dlamini said the findings showed that many families were experiencing severe economic hardship, forcing caregivers to seek employment away from home.

She said women, who traditionally carry the burden of caregiving, often face difficult choices after childbirth, including leaving children behind in search of work.

She said 80% of the cases involved women neglecting their children, noting that the analysis revealed widespread struggles among women in communities to adequately care for their children.

Dlamini added that, in many cases, this neglect was a survival strategy, as women who lacked the means to support their children often took them to their grandparents, who then became the primary caregivers.

“There is also a gender-based violence component, because in most cases women who are abused run away from perpetrators, leaving the child behind becomes a form of protection for themselves and the child from future abuse,” she said.

To read more of this report, click here

https://eswatiniobserver.com/80-women-neglect-children-for-jobs/

 

eSwatini’s health workers call medical delivery drone network ‘revolutionary’

By Zimkhitha Mbulawa, Gavi, Vaccines Work, 21 January 2026

SOURCE

Health worker receives drone-delivered medications in Eswatini. Credit: Nkwe

Eswatini has joined the growing roster of African countries relying on medical drones for delivery of vaccines and other health commodities to their remotest communities.

But the Nkwe Drone Network comes with an important difference. Rather than dropping their payload by parachute, Nkwe drones land – meaning they can pick up sensitive cargo, such as blood samples, at the last mile.

Representatives of the organisation behind the Nkwe Drone Network say drone flights are typically six times faster than grounded medical transport, at a competitive cost.

Eswatini’s remotest districts are not only under-served in terms of hospital infrastructure: the delivery of vaccines, meds, antivirals and emergency bloodwork samples is constrained too. During the annual flood-prone seasons, things get dire.

That’s where Nkwe Drone Network – the kingdom’s first authorised medical drone network, which did over 600 flights in just its first year – jumps in.

The name “Nkwe” means “sprint” in siSwati, and was conferred upon the unmanned fleet by the kingdom’s health minister, Mduduzi Matsebula, at the official launch ceremony in June 2024.

“[Using] drone deliveries instead of roads has really helped a lot of us as a clinic in the vaccination of kids, adults, treatments, HIV tests, urgent bloodwork,” said Lomalungelo Mavuso, a community health worker who has served at Ngculwini Nazarene Clinic since 2017. Ngculwini is a rural healthcare centre in the northwest of Eswatini.

The people behind the drone initiative are The Luke Commission (TLC), a US-founded non-profit healthcare organisation operating in Eswatini for the last 20 years, and providing everything from cataract surgeries to HIV care.

To read more of this report, click here

https://www.gavi.org/vaccineswork/eswatini-health-workers-call-medical-delivery-drone-network-revolutionary

 

Scramble to seize control of the media is a new ‘political corona virus’ affecting Swazi journalism but, it’s curable

Opinion by Zweli Martin Dlamini, Swaziland News, 18 January, 2026

SOURCE 

It is public knowledge that my journey as a journalist has been going through a rough road of course, with potholes that smooth surfaces but, I’ve learned that “being hated by a dictatorship Government automatically gives one credibility in the eyes of the international community”.

The credibility arose from fact that, most international organizations are fully aware that, any undemocratic Government that strives on secrecy perceives the independent media as an enemy because, sometimes it reports critical news that does not favour the State.

It is for these reasons, the more the independent media is rebuked by the Eswatini Government, the more it gains international recognition and support because, most international organizations wants diversity of news and, those news cannot be disseminated in a more diverse way, if all publications are controlled by the State.

The media is facing challenges not only in Eswatini but within the African continent, it’s just that in Eswatini you find even very stupid people like King’s Interpreter Sihle Dlamini telling the media what to write, these fools think just because they work with King Mswati, then they have all the powers to tell journalists how to do their job.

The media is actually facing a political ‘corona virus’ but it’s curable.

It’s not only Sihle Dlamini, even “Sibutseki from eMalawini nasifake emajobo nje nemhelwane locotfukile” can just invade the newsroom claiming to be there to deliver an order from the King and block a story.

But maybe there’s nothing wrong with these royal lunatics invading Eswatini newsrooms to block stories because some media companies are owned by royalty or the Government, but the problem starts when they demonstrate a political appetite to control even the Swaziland News that is registered and operating in South Africa.

It should be noted that, there was a strategic reason why this publication was registered in the neighboring South Africa, one of the reasons was to force anyone seeking to challenge it in court, to approach the South African independent courts not the Swazi courts and if that person has a genuine case, that matter will be handled by independent Judges.

Eswatini Government lost a case against this publication at the Mpumalanga Court, there’s no way in South Africa where lunatics can just wake-up in the morning and decide to silence the media, maybe in the Spaza Swazi courts.

The Swaziland News will report anything critical about the Eswatini Government and the royal family, lunatics like King’s Interpreter Sihle Dlamini will do absolutely nothing to silence this publication except to read and enjoy critical articles.

Why those who claim to be ignoring this publication are the first ones to know what the Swaziland News has published and, other platforms learn through Sihle Dlamini’s platform that some public figures are responding to this publication.

This means Sihle Dlamini is a loyal reader of this publication, almost every five (5) minutes he is reading this publication.

Now that Facebook has approved Swaziland News to earn money through articles, Sihle Dlamini will contribute to the online revenue generation for this publication. Siyabonga kuMtukulu weMtukulu, we-Mntfwanenkhosi Njebovu.  

 

Why attend? Tariff hike will happen anyway - residents

By Khulile Thwala, Times of eSwatini, 21 January 2026

SOURCE 

NHLANGANO: Poor attendance marked the electricity tariff consultation held at Bethesda Church in Nhlangano, with residents attributing the low turnout to public fatigue.

Despair and a growing belief that tariff hikes are implemented regardless of public submissions were also attributed to the low numbers.

The tariff hike proposal public hearings are being hosted by the Eswatini Electricity Regulatory Authority (ESERA) in conjunction with the Eswatini Electricity Company (EEC).

Nhlangano-stationed Pensioners Association representative Ntombi Dlamini pointed out that it was unfortunate that many people failed to attend a consultation dealing with an issue that directly affected their daily survival.

“When I tried to raise this issue and encouraged people to attend the consultations, many of my colleagues and acquaintances accused me of financially abusing them,” said Ntombi.

She explained that even when she contacted pensioners ahead of the consultation to remind them to attend, the response was largely negative.

“They told me that these consultations are harassment, and by pressuring them to attend I was abusing them because they cannot afford the proposed electricity hike,” she said.

According to Ntombi, this sentiment explained the poor attendance at the meeting.

“I attend these consultations regularly, but today there is an evident poor turnout because people are now shunning these sessions,” she said.

She stressed that pensioners were adamant that they would not cope should the proposed tariff hike be implemented.

Ntombi lamented the meagre monthly income some pensioners received, stating that it was already insufficient to meet basic needs, even before factoring in increased electricity costs.

“If the little we earn is already pinched just to make ends meet, where will we get money for more expensive electricity units?” she asked.

To read more of this report, click here

https://www.times.co.sz/news/readmore.php?bhsadjgfoh=Why+attend%3F+Tariff+hike+will+happen+anyway+-+residents&yiphi=2609&bvhdgsj=News

 

eSwatini records world’s highest cervical cancer death rate

By Sibusiso Dlamini, eSwatini Observer, 18 January 2026

SOURCE

The country’s health system is facing another grave test.

As the kingdom grapples with an acute drug shortage crisis while being named among those with the highest suicide rates globally, new data now places the country at the very top of a far more lethal league table: cervical cancer deaths.

According to statistics drawn from World Population Review figures for 2026, the country records the highest cervical cancer burden in the world, with an incidence rate of 57.8 per 100 000 women.

The country’s crude incidence rate far exceeds that of neighbouring states already considered high-risk.

Lesotho follows at 49.9, Malawi at 42.8, Zimbabwe at 39.2, and Comoros at 38.8. South Africa, by comparison, records 35.6.

Even more alarming is the cumulative risk, as a girl born in the country today faces an 8.6% chance of developing cervical cancer by the age of 74 if current trends persist. This is among the highest lifetime risks recorded globally.

All in all, Southern Africa dominates the list of countries with the highest cervical cancer rates, reflecting shared challenges. Malawi (42.8), Zimbabwe (39.2) and Mozambique (33.1) all feature prominently, as do Zambia and Tanzania further north.

In public health terms, these figures, according to medical doctor and Ekuphileni Clinic Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr Advocate Dlamini, place the country in a category of extreme vulnerability.

Dr Dlamini’s explanation for the country’s alarmingly high cervical cancer death rate is that too many girls are being exposed to sex far too early, when their bodies are not ready to fight the virus that causes the disease.

“Cervical cancer is caused by a sexually transmitted virus known as the human papillomavirus (HPV). Not all HPV types are dangerous, but types 16 and 18 are responsible for most cervical cancer cases worldwide. Once the virus enters the body, it can quietly damage cervical cells over time, eventually turning them cancerous,” he explained.

To read more of this report, click here

https://eswatiniobserver.com/eswatini-records-worlds-highest-cervical-cancer-death-rate/

 

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Swaziland Newsletter No. 910 – 16 January 2026

 

Swaziland Newsletter No. 910 – 16 January 2026

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 newsletter and past editions are also available online on the Swazi Media Commentary blogsite.

 

eSwatini among world’s worst on workers’ rights again

By Sibusiso Dlamini, eSwatini Observer, 11 January 2026

SOURCE 

Eswatini has for the fourth consecutive year been ranked among the world’s 10 worst countries for workers by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC).

The Brussels-based global labour federation has released the 2025 Global Rights Index, placing Eswatini alongside Bangladesh, Belarus, Ecuador, Egypt, Myanmar, Nigeria, the Philippines, Tunisia and Türkiye as the countries where workers face the most severe and systematic violations of their rights globally.

The latest ranking in the annual index reinforces a pattern that has now become entrenched since 2022, where the country is at the bottom tier of the Index.

The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) is the world’s largest global

labour organisation, representing more than 200 million workers through national

trade union centres in over 160 countries.

The country’s score is unchanged from last year, a sign, according to the report, that conditions for working people have stagnated or deteriorated rather than improved.

In its country assessment, the labour federation links labour rights concerns to broader political matters, claiming that while trade unions, which are vital democratic institutions, continue to face persecution.

Central to the ITUC’s assessment is the use of the Public Order Act of 2017 to restrict gatherings, protests and petition delivery.

“Basic freedoms of expression and peaceful assembly are severely restricted,” the Index stated, highlighting cases involving Swaziland Transport, Communication and Allied Workers Union (SWATCAWU) Secretary General Sticks Nkambule and Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT) President Mbongwa Dlamini.

To read more of this report, click here

https://eswatiniobserver.com/eswatini-among-worlds-worst/

  

Another price hike to push consumers beyond survival point

By Stanley Khumalo, Times of eSwatini, 12 January 2026

SOURCE 

MBABANE: As EEC seeks a 20.67 per cent hike to avoid insolvency, debt-ridden households warn that another price increase will push them beyond the point of survival.

The Eswatini Electricity Company (EEC) has defended its application for a 20.67 per cent electricity tariff increase for the 2026/27 financial year, citing financial necessity rather than profit motive.

This reality of EEC simply means that consumers, who are barely coping with the cost-of-living, must dig deeper into their pockets and as the proposed tariff hike is more than double the previously approved seven per cent increase.

This proposed tariff increment, which the public is yet to submit on, if granted, consumers will see their purchasing power for electricity vanish. For E100, a customer will receive only 32 units, down from the current 40 units, with each unit costing E3.01.

The impact also transcends to those on the lifeline, which is designed for low-income households, as they are facing a proposed 15.6 per cent increase, while standard domestic users could see a staggering 26 per cent jump in their specific category.

Households, already buckling under a wave of price hikes for basic commodities, are facing a ‘breaking point’ as the electricity costs envisaged to increase in April 2026, are adding to other expenditures which have increased in recent months.

In October 2025, the price of bread, the ultimate staple for the working class, increased by seven per cent. This was effected while the public transport is still finalising its proposal for new bus fares.

They are projecting that the bus fare hikes will not be below 50 per cent. This, on its own, threatens household expenditure as parents and guardians use public transport for their children to and from school.

 

To read more of this report, click here

https://www.times.co.sz/news/readmore.php?bhsadjgfoh=Another+price+hike+to+push+consumers+beyond+survival+point&yiphi=2486&bvhdgsj=News

 

Emaswati welcome foreign powers, favour free trade

By Asafika Mpako and Stephen Ndoma, Afrobarometer 12 January 2026

SOURCE 

Eswatini has been on a drive to expand its diplomatic and development partnerships. In 2024, the monarchy established relations with Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, and Saudi Arabia and signed joint cooperation agreements and memoranda of understanding with Indonesia,  

Serbia, Rwanda, the United Arab Emirates, Uganda, and Türkiye (Africa Press, 2024). In the East, Eswatini is cultivating bonds with Bhutan, South Korea, and Singapore. And despite its relationship with China, its largest Asian trading partner (in 2022, Eswatini imported goods worth more than $109 million from China), Eswatini maintains official diplomatic relations with Taiwan – the only African country to do so (Musi, 2024; Odota, 2024).  

Before recent changes in U.S. foreign assistance, the United States was Eswatini’s largest source of aid, including hundreds of millions of dollars to fight HIV/AIDS and strengthen the country’s health systems (Cohen, 2025; U.S. Embassy in Eswatini, 2020). During the COVID-19 pandemic, Eswatini’s response was bolstered by support from the United States, China, and the European Union (EU), among others (Nantulya, 2021; Delegation of the European Union to the Kingdom of Eswatini, 2020). Even so, Eswatini’s economy suffered greatly due to the pandemic, with devastating effects for its citizens: As of 2022, 59% of Eswatini’s population lived below the national poverty line (Bertelsmann Stiftung, 2024; Musi, 2024). 

In August, King Mswati III was appointed deputy chairperson of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Organ on Politics, Defence, and Security Cooperation, charged with facilitating peace and security in the region (Eswatini Observer, 2025). Earlier in the year, Eswatini was elected to the African Union’s (AU) Peace and Security Council to represent Southern Africa for the 2025-2028 term, highlighting the country’s increasing influence in continental affairs (History Rise, 2025). 

How do Emaswati view their economic and political relations with the rest of the world? The most recent Afrobarometer survey reveals that citizens are supportive of international trade  and political cooperation. Most Emaswati see the economic and political influence of China as substantial and beneficial. Citizens are also far more positive than negative in their assessments of the influence of SADC, the AU, the EU, the United States, India, and the United Kingdom.  

Similarly, only about one in five respondents are dissatisfied with the way Eswatini’s needs and interests are recognised in SADC and AU decision making. But a substantial majority say African countries need a stronger voice on global platforms such as the United Nations. 

 

Small books, big futures: how families in eSwatini are reading together

By Mahlubi Ntsetselelo Dlamini, World Bank, 12 January 2026

SOURCE 

In the rural tinkhundla of Sithobela, a mother reading to her young son reflects a quiet transformation taking place across Eswatini. With only 2% of children owning three or more books, the Read@Home pilot - led by the Ministry of Education with World Bank support - set out to close the early literacy gap. By providing age-appropriate books in SiSwati and English, caregiver coaching, and teacher training, the initiative reached over 700 children across four communities. Early findings show increased reading at home, improved vocabulary, and stronger caregiver confidence. The pilot proves that even in resource-constrained settings, families can nurture a lasting culture of reading - starting with just 10 minutes a day.

In the rural inkhundla (subdivision) of Sithobela, nestled in Eswatini’s Lubombo region, a mother settles beside her four-year-old son after a long day. She holds a small SiSwati picture book, and he softly asks, “Ngicela ufundze emake”—please read. Within minutes, their quiet room fills with questions, laughter, and new words. As they close the book, he looks up and says, “Tomorrow again.” In that simple moment, reading transforms into an act of love, and a new daily tradition begins.

Reading to your child is more than a cherished ritual- it’s a fundamental pillar of child development. Studies consistently show that children who are read to regularly develop stronger language abilities, improved attention spans, and a lifelong love of learning. One study found that children who are read to are able to gain multiple dimensions of information- not just new words, but the ability to extract moral lessons and recall story details from picture books, thus fostering readiness for school.

But perhaps most importantly, these shared moments with a book create lasting memories - moments filled with curiosity, laughter, and meaningful connection that strengthen the unique bond between parent and child. According to the latest Eswatini Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (2022), although most children under five in the country have access to toys and play materials, only 2% were found to own three or more children’s books.

To address this significant gap, Eswatini’s Ministry of Education, with support from the World Bank, launched a pilot initiative in 2025 aimed at delivering books directly to households—focusing especially on rural and hard-to-reach communities. This effort is part of the Strengthening Early Childhood Development and Basic Education Systems to Support Human Capital Development in Eswatini Project. It was guided by a clear vision: to provide every young child with the opportunity to build a strong foundation for learning through access to early literacy resources.

Led by the Ministry of Education and Training and implemented through Bantwana (an NGO), the Read@Home pilot reached caregivers of children aged 0–5 years—especially families whose children weren't yet in formal early childhood programs. The initiative unfolded across four tinkhundlas: Maseyisini, Mayiwane, Mafutseni, and Sithobela.

To read more of this report, click here

https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2026/01/12/small-books-big-futures-how-families-in-eswatini-are-reading-together

 

SWAGAA data shows Manzini leading GBV cases in December

By Bongiwe Dlamini, eSwatini Observer, 14 January, 2026

SOURCE 

New data released by the Swatini Action Group Against Abuse (SWAGAA) reveals a troubling surge in gender-based violence (GBV) within the Manzini region, which accounted for 61% of all reported abuse cases in December.

According to the analysis of 53 GBV cases reported during the month, Manzini remained the epicentre of abuse, underscoring the urgent need for targeted interventions.

Lubombo followed with 23% of reported cases, while Shiselweni and Hhohho accounted for 9% and 7%, respectively. Notably, Hhohho recorded the lowest number of cases in December compared to earlier months in the year.

Also, the December figures indicated that women and girls continued to bear the brunt of abuse.

Of the 53 reported cases, 42 (77%) involved female victims, while 12 cases (23%) involved male victims.

Emotional abuse emerged as the most prevalent form of GBV, accounting for 66% (35 cases) of all reported incidents during the month.

Sexual abuse made up 15% (eight cases) of the total and was reported exclusively by female survivors, highlighting the persistent vulnerability of women and girls to sexual violence. No cases of financial abuse were recorded in December.

Further analysis of sexual abuse cases revealed pronounced geographic concentration.

Manzini recorded 61% of all reported gender-based violence cases in December, according to new data released by SWAGAA, highlighting urgent intervention needs.

Manzini alone accounted for 63% of all reported sexual abuse incidents, reinforcing its status as a critical hotspot requiring urgent intervention. Shiselweni followed with 13%, while Hhohho and Lubombo each recorded 12% of such cases.

To read more of this report, click here

https://eswatiniobserver.com/swagaa-data-shows-manzini-leading-gbv-cases/

 

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