Swaziland
Newsletter No. 943 – 11 September 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’s
oil reserve gamble
By
More News (Taiwan), 8 September 2026
Eswatini is a country standing at a
crossroads — and increasingly, at the edge of a cliff. The latest World Bank
data paints a stark picture: one in three citizens is unemployed and nearly
half the population lives in poverty, surviving on less than $3 (about R50) a
day.
Youth unemployment hovers near
catastrophic levels and the economy, though showing flickers of growth, remains
too small, too fragile and too undiversified to absorb the thousands of young
people entering the labour market each year.
Against this bleak backdrop, under the
absolute leadership of King Mswati III since 1986, eSwatini government
officials have signed a $300 million (12 billion Emalangeni) financing
agreement with Taiwan for the construction of the Phuzumoya Strategic Oil
Reserve — a project pitched as a cornerstone of national energy security.
The deal, formalised in Taipei, commits
eSwatini to a 36-month build of an 80 million litre fuel reserve, split evenly
between petrol and diesel. It is the largest infrastructure financing agreement
eSwatini has entered in years.
But the question that hangs over the
announcement is unavoidable: Can a country battling deepening poverty and
chronic unemployment afford such a project and can it afford not to?
The project has become further mired in
controversy amid allegations about the beneficiaries of the agreement.
According to allegations circulating among activists and political insiders,
the project could financially benefit members of the royal family and
politically connected figures. The government denies the claims.
After a controversial visit to eSwatini by
Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te earlier this month, the Taiwanese agreed to
increase the transfer of interests to the nation.
Ambassador Liang Hong-sheng was reportedly
instructed to inform the royal family that once the storage facility was built,
the income would belong to the king and royal family.
Members of the royal family, including the
king and Natural Resources Minister Prince William Dlamini, will allegedly
receive a pro rata share of the $300m investment.
Liang will also allegedly receive $2.5m,
to be administered by a Taiwanese businessman in eSwatini, with other officials
and “green interest” groups set to benefit.
The king’s spokesperson, Percy Simelane,
however, denied any wrongdoing, saying a feasibility study was conducted before
the Phuzumoya Oil Reserve project received the green light.
“It had to be built only in the best
interest of the country and anyone who thinks it’s a ploy to put money in the
king’s pocket should consider seeing their doctor immediately.
“We understand we are living in a day
where people are proud of what they should be ashamed of but lying
unnecessarily appears satanic from where we stand,” Simelane said.
To read more of this report, click
here
The
hidden costs of the eSwatini-Taiwan relationship
Opinion
by Augustino Tendwa, China Daily, 8 September 2026
For decades, Eswatini and China's Taiwan
region have maintained a so-called “diplomatic relationship” which stands
outside the mainstream of the international community's adherence to the
one-China principle.
On May 2 this year, even though there was
widespread opposition, Taiwan leader Lai Ching-te sneaked onto an Eswatini
plane and smuggled himself into Eswatini by concealing passenger information
from the country, even as Taiwan was reeling from an earthquake. While in
Eswatini, he spoke about “diplomatic independence”. Yet the international community
and people in Taiwan described his action as “thief-like” and an “international
joke”.
On his return flight, after the use of
airspace was denied by countries in the region, Lai again slipped onto the
plane and forced his way through these countries' skies. The whole thing showed
the world how little Lai respects relevant countries' airspace and sovereignty
and cares for the opinion of the world.
The episode illustrates something that has
become increasingly clear: Eswatini's ties with the Taiwan region cannot exist
in isolation from the broader international consensus. They remain bound to the
overarching international framework defined by the one-China principle.
Eswatini, formerly known as Swaziland,
established “ties” with the Taiwan authorities in 1968. This occurred during a
period prior to United Nations Resolution 2758 in 1971, which recognized the
Government of the People's Republic of China as the sole legitimate
representative of China and restored its seat at the UN.
Following the establishment of their local
presence, the Taiwan authorities expanded engagement in Eswatini through
agricultural and development projects, attempting to leverage economic
assistance to serve political ends — specifically, to maintain the Taiwan
region's dwindling “diplomatic footprint” in Africa.
Yet the “diplomatic ties” with the Taiwan
region have brought no real benefits to ordinary Eswatini citizens. In 2025,
bilateral trade between Taiwan and Eswatini amounted to only about $6.47
million. According to data from international organizations, Eswatini suffers
from a severe wealth gap, with over 60% of the population living below the
national poverty line, nearly 40% of people living with HIV, and a large
portion of the population lacking access to clean drinking water and basic
sanitation. Youth unemployment in Eswatini remains exceptionally high. The
so-called “aid funds” from the Taiwan authorities have mainly flowed to a small
elite of powerful and wealthy individuals in Eswatini, offering no practical
value to the general public.
This brings fundamental development
questions into focus: has Taiwan's assistance generated sustainable local
employment and genuine technology transfer, or fostered independent local
capacity and institutional strength?
To read more of this comment, click
here
https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202609/08/WS6a9f6beae4b06d4aa055ce51.html
New
proposed law to screen foreigners entering country
By
Sibusiso Shange, Times of eSwatini, 10 September 2026
EZULWINI: Eswatini is on course to enact a
law that will prevent foreign nationals from entering the country without a
valid purpose.
This development was discussed during a
joint consultative meeting between Parliament and key stakeholders concerning
the Immigration Bill. The consultative meeting was held at the Eswatini Revenue
Service Emporium in Ezulwini.
The proposed legislation aims to establish
an up-to-date and reliable information system that will be used to vet any
foreign nationals wishing to enter the country.
If a foreign national fails to meet the
specified requirements or is deemed to pose a risk, a communication would be
generated through the system to prevent their entry into the country.
Notably, when the law is enacted, Eswatini
will align itself with other nations that have implemented strict control
measures to prevent unauthorised entry. Many countries utilise digital border
systems and stringent entry rules to curb illegal immigration and overstaying.
For example, in Europe, 29 countries
utilise the Entry/Exit System (EES), a digital database that records biometric
data such as fingerprints and facial scans, as well as details of entry and
exit records.
This system helps to identify overstayers
and automatically block unauthorised entries.
To read more of this report, click
here
https://times.co.sz/43339/news/new-proposed-law-to-screen-foreigners-entering-country/
Registrar
Complains: SANU students wearing tigcebhe, revealing clothes
By Sabelo
Majola, eSwatini Observer, 9 September 2026
Southern Africa Nazarene University (SANU)
has warned students against wearing revealing attire, saying continued
non-compliance with its dress code could result in disciplinary action.
The university issued the warning in a
memorandum dated August 28, 2026, addressed to all students by the Registrar,
Sipho Mhlanga.
In the memorandum, Mhlanga said the
institution had observed an increasing number of instances where students were
wearing excessively short skirts, commonly referred to as tigcebhe and
revealing attire.
The registrar also raised concerns about
students who fail to wear required protective clothing during practical
sessions.
He reminded students that its dress code
standards were intended to promote modest, professional and respectful
presentation in academic, clinical and professional environments.
The university said its position was also
based on its Christian identity and the values it seeks to promote among
students.
“Scriptural principles and our university
code of conduct call us to walk in modesty, integrity, and respect for
ourselves and others,” said the registrar through the memorandum.
Mhlanga further said attire that was
considered revealing was contrary to the spiritual and moral framework of the
university community.
To read more of this report, click
here
https://www.eswatiniobserver.com/sanu-students-wearing-tigcebhe-revealing-clothes/
eSwatini
public figures run to neighbouring democratic South Africa after engaging in
corruption and collapsing Kingdom’s Hospitals
By
Zweli Martin Dlamini, Swaziland News, 7 September 2026
MBABANE: Eswatini public figures including
members of the royal family are now running to the neighboring democratic South
Africa for medical treatment after allegedly engaging in corruption and,
collapsing the heath system.
Home Affairs Minister Princess Lindiwe who
was recently implicated in the alleged stealing of over R100million with her
‘JC’ religious cartel is a critical condition in a South African Hospital, the
Minister is being treated for cancer.
But it has been previously reported by
this publication that, the Home Affairs Minister was allegedly implicated in
the stealing of the money allocated for King Mswati’s forty (40) years on the
Throne, tenders meant to benefit companies owned by emaSwati within the Small
and Medium Enterprise (SME) sector, ended-up selectively benefiting members of
the Minister’s church who own companies.
Acting Government Spokesperson Thabile
Mdluli was not immediately available for a comment regarding the collapsed
health system.
Reached for comment by this Swaziland
News on Monday evening, Mlungisi Makhanya, the President of the People’s
United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO) first wished the Home Affairs Minister a
speedy recovery but warned that, more public figures including royal family
members who collapsed the health system might soon be victims of their own
looting.
“As a matter of principle and consistent
with our foundational values as an organization, PUDEMO will never celebrate
anyone’s illness. Whenever a human being is unwell, the starting point of
PUDEMO would always be to wish that person a speedy recovery. Having said this,
PUDEMO hopes that, this is going to serve as a reminder to the Minister and all
supporters of the regime of King Mswati that has collapsed the public health
system in our beautiful country that, collapsing public health care is like
committing suicide”, said the PUDEMO President.
Over
200 youths take climate issues to government
By
Lindelwa Myeni, eSwatini Positive News, 9 September 2026
MBABANE Over 200 young people from across
Eswatini have taken their climate concerns and proposed solutions to the
national policy level, following a series of regional climate dialogues held
throughout August.
The engagements, organised by LCOY
Eswatini 2026, brought together young innovators, farmers, students, young
agripreneurs and community activists from rural and urban communities across
all constituencies.
The recommendations gathered during the
dialogues are now being compiled into the National Youth Climate Statement,
which will be presented to government ministries, development partners and
environmental stakeholders at the main LCOY conference.
The initiative was aimed at ensuring that
the voices of young people at community level directly contribute to national
climate policies and broader international climate processes.
Among the key issues raised during the
regional engagements were water scarcity, poor soil health and the effects of
extreme weather on communities and livelihoods.
The decentralised approach also gave young
people an opportunity to share challenges specific to their communities while
identifying practical ways of responding to climate change.
The dialogues have already resulted in
action beyond policy discussions, with participants initiating community-based
activities such as waste management, tree planting and climate-smart farming.
LCOY Eswatini 2026 also used the regional
engagements to strengthen young people’s capacity in climate adaptation, policy
advocacy and community leadership.
Participants were able to build networks
with other young climate advocates, farmers, innovators and community
activists, creating opportunities for continued collaboration on
climate-related initiatives.
The National Youth Climate Statement will
consolidate the recommendations from the regional dialogues and present a
unified youth position on climate change in Eswatini.
The statement is also expected to
contribute to youth participation in global climate processes, including the
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and YOUNGO.
The regional dialogues have therefore
positioned young people not only as voices calling for climate action, but also
as active participants in developing and implementing solutions within their
communities.
See also
eSwatini turns to indigenous
knowledge to adapt to climate change (eSwatini Positive News)
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