Swaziland Newsletter No. 810 – 19
January 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.
By
Bongiwe Dlamini, Swaziland News, 17 January, 2024
MBABANE: Chief Justice (CJ) Bheki
Maphalala has violated the basic principles of investigation by appointing a
team of Judges who are his ‘close friends’ to investigate alleged corruption
within the Master of the High Court.
Efforts to seek a comment Charity
Simelane, the Secretary General of the Law Society of Swaziland (LSS) proved
unsuccessful at the time of compiling this report, she said she was in court
when contacted.
The Master of the High Court is under the
Chief Justice’s Office and the Judges report directly to the CJ, Maphalala
stopped an independent Parliament investigation that was seeking to investigate
the disappearance of public funds and/or alleged looting of estates with the
Master’s Office.
Addressing the media during a press
conference on Tuesday the Chief Justice said, the Commission of Inquiry “has
been established” after a public outcry during Sibaya.
“I have appointed these Judges to listen
to the public outcry in the administration of the Master of the High Court
Office and I’m confident that they will work independently”, said the Chief
Justice.
The Judges who are closer or alleged
puppets of the Chief Justice and has been appointed as members of the
Commission of Inquiry into allegations of corruption within the Master of the
High Court Office include Judge Majahenkhaba Dlamini, Judge Mzwandile Fakudze,
Judge Lorraine Hlophe, Judge President of the Industrial Court Sifiso Nsibandze
and Judge Maxine LaNgwenya.
On another note, the Judges who were
appointed by the Chief Justice to investigate the Master of the High Court,
reports directly to him as the Head of the Judiciary.
See also
CJ appoints 5 judges for commission
of inquiry: public invited to probe of Master’s office
No cars, cops
unable to attend GBV cases
eSwatini News, 13 January 2024
MBABANE: Despite the increasing number of gender-based violence (GBV)
cases, the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) is reportedly not equipped to
fight it.
It is not a secret that GBV continues to be a pressing issue in the
country, prompting calls from mainly pro-women non-governmental organisations
for it to be declared a national emergency. By classifying GBV as a national
emergency, it is hoped that government would allocate the necessary resources
and funding to effectively combat this pervasive problem. It is essential to
note that the majority of those affected by GBV are women and children,
highlighting the urgent need for action. Also, the Sexual Offences and Domestic
Violence (SODV) Act, 2018, was enacted to empower the police to act on
offenders, while at the same time ensuring that the courts gave tough sentences
to offenders, sending a tough message.
To address GBV-related issues, the REPS have a specialised unit called
the Domestic Violence and Children’s Protection Unit. The unit has branches at
all police stations and posts throughout the country, ensuring that they reach
affected community members promptly. The primary objective of this unit is to
prioritise the needs for GBV survivors when they come forward with complaints,
including cases of rape. In the past, rape survivors needed a specific unit to
address their concerns, instead of being attended to in the presence of others,
who arrived to report other crimes.
However, concerning reports have emerged regarding the lack of resources
available to adequately address GBV cases. The phrase: ‘we are grounded’ is now
being used by some police officers, whom, speaking off the record said they
were concerned about the lack of tools. They said it was not only vehicles as
there was also a shortage of rape kits. The kits are used to assist during
traumatic situation when a person is reporting rape. The police officers
also said that they sometimes used personal funds to assist.
According to some police officers interviewed from various bases, nearly
all police stations (and posts inclusive) had a shortage of vehicles to attend
to GBV-related matters.
One police officer, *Mkhaba, disclosed that he was aware of
stations in the Manzini Region, such as Mankayane, Bhunya and Kapunga that they
complained of lack of vehicles to go about their duties.
Mkhaba further revealed that, in some instances, police stations could
only attend to less than 20 per cent of the reported GBV-cases, due to the lack
of transportation resources. Tragically, some abuse survivors are forced to
make their own way to the police station due to lack of vehicles. A police
officer also revealed that this lack of vehicles, had in the past, resulted in
fatal attacks. He also said the Manzini area appeared to have been hard hitting
because it had a very high number of GBV cases. Recently, there had been
calls to end GBV and that it should be declared a national emergency. More
police officers are now saying that it would be impossible to end GBV without
the necessary tools.
They blamed their superiors for this, accusing them of not taking time
to understand what was taking place on the ground. *Jomo, who is also a police
officer in the Hhohho Region stated that the REPS did not prioritise the
matters, especially those under the SODV Act 2018. He said these cases
also included rape or even some cases of assault. Jomo said an area such as
Buhleni was very large and that it had many case of GBV, yet they did not have
vehicles specifically for matters relating to GBV. Meanwhile, some police
officers are now demanding that the Prime Minister (PM) should act on this. The
PM is the minister responsible for the police.
* Not their real names
To read more of this report, click here
http://www.times.co.sz/news/143414-no-cars-cops-unable-to-attend-gbv-cases.html
Cops called in for
picketing ex-TLC employees
By
Kwanele Sibiya, eSwatini Observer, 14 January 2024
Police had to be roped in as about 30
former employees of The Luke Commission (TLC) convened next to the hospital
premises to deliver a petition, demanding, among other things a settlement
agreement payment.
They claim that their contracts were
terminated prematurely before the agreed period. The 30 are among the 160
employees who were retrenched last month.
The former employees also demanded long
service and notice pay from the hospital. They alleged that the authorities of
the hospital promised to take care of them and protect them.
“They said we won’t struggle financially,
however, they have failed to pay us on time,” alleged the former workers. They
claimed that they had been summoned to a meeting by the authorities where they
were told that they had been laid off from work, but after some time, they
received SMSes informing them that they had been retrenched.
They accused the hospital of breaching the
contracts, as some claimed that their contracts were to elapse on September
this year.
The workers said they were supposed to be
notified about the termination of the contracts 90 days before the contracts
were terminated.
“They should have given us a three months’
notice as per the provision of Section 32 of the employment Act,” they said.
They demanded that the hospital furnish
them with a notice pay as well as their settlement agreement fee, since,
according to the law, if there was an existing contract that was terminated,
they should receive all their benefits contained therein.
They further demanded long service payment.
The former workers also demanded to know the criteria used by the hospital when
deciding which worker to retrench.
They also requested a copy of the letter
from the office of the labour commissioner indicating that they were being laid
off or retrenched lawfully.
They claimed that workers who were of
foreign origin at the hospital were receiving special treatment as they were
allegedly paid higher wages.
It is worth noting, however, that the
petition delivery was a futile exercise as a battalion of police officers, who
were camped by the entrance of the hospital, prevented the workers from
delivering the petition.
An officer who was in charge of the
operation, who was only identified as Tsabedze, is said to have informed the
workers that they were not allowed to deliver the petition at the hospital due
to safety reasons, which he frankly refused to unpack.
To read more of this report, click
here
http://new.observer.org.sz/details.php?id=21855
PM open to debate to attain political
stability
By
Mthunzi Mdluli, Times of eSwatini, 12 January 2024
MBABANE: Prime Minister (PM) Russell Mmiso Dlamini says
political stability may not be easy to achieve but it is attainable.
Dlamini said there were risks
involved in attaining political stability. During a live interview with
Eswatini Television senior editor John Molelekeng, on Wednesday, Dlamini said
engagement with each other was the best option for maintaining peace, despite
differences based on political affiliation. The PM was responding to a question
on what he thought should be done to ensure that Eswatini continued to be a
peaceful country.
He said it was important to
allow people with different political views to state their case, without
engaging in a fight. “I believe that if you and I were to sit here and have a
debate on which political system was the best, I would then have to explain the
reasons for my conviction. After that, I need to give you the opportunity to
state why you feel another system is better,” he said. He said on merit,
one might possibly win the debate, despite that some people may feel that such
an individual did not make sense.
He said media platforms, such
as Eswatini TV, could create a safe space for debates. “I am saying a safe
space because when the debates take place, some of the participants end up
using vulgar language when they realise that they are losing,” he said. He
said during the debates; “Let the best idea win.” Dlamini said he believed
that emaSwati had the best ideas due to the fact that this was one of the
countries that had maintained its culture and traditions. “We have the best
ideas and ways of handling our issues.” He further stated that financial
stability was one way in which the country would come out of the challenges it
faced.
Political analyst Mbho Shongwe
says there is a difference between a debate and a dialogue. He was
responding to Prime Minister (PM) Russell Mmiso Dlamini’s assertion that having
debates on certain political issues was one of the risks to be taken by any
country to attain political stability. Shongwe said during debates,
participants chose which side they wanted to support. He said this, at times,
did not bear solutions. On the issue of dialogue, Shongwe said this was an
essential means to address issues of national interest. “On national interest
issues, we only need a dialogue and not debates in order to formulate policies,
government development, and how citizens must be governed. A dialogue must be
open and not one-sided to avoid a situation in which the one with the upper
hand would have the final say. This does not help anyone, but causes wars in
most countries,” said Shongwe.
He said the country needed a
dialogue, following the June/July 2021 political unrest, where some people lost
their lives and property. The dialogue was announced in 2021 after the tragedy
by government. According to Shongwe, the dialogue would help in finding
out the cause of the unrest, the people involved, or those who were responsible
for the unrest. “People died during the unrest. The government was present at
that time, but we are not told exactly what happened. We are told that the
unrest came as a result of terrorists, but we are not informed of who they
are,” Shongwe said. He said emaSwati were the ones in need of the dialogue.
“The dialogue is supposed to take place in a conducive environment, so that
everyone can be free when making submissions. YemaSwati le dialogue,” he said.
Also, former UNESWA political
lecturer Professor Qambukusa Magagula said there was a boardroom debate,
shaping the policy that was supposed to be developed. He said such a debate was
not only held for fun, but to come up with solutions regarding issues revolving
around the politics of that country. Regarding the political system,
Magagula said there was a ‘boardroom debate’ conducted by the government. He
said in this kind of debate, the government had the final say, thus sidelining
the views of the outsiders on the issues being addressed. “Sometimes, the
ruling government listens to the views of the other parties, but not to their
satisfaction,” he said. According to Magagula, any country not willing to
have discussions was heading for disaster. “Conversation is what builds any
society. Kuyakhulunyiswana,” he said.
By
Bongiwe Dlamini, Swaziland News, 16 January, 2024
MBABANE: Thulisile Dladla,the Deputy Prime
Minister(DPM) has threatened parents or guardians who fail to send their
children to school under the Free Primary Education (FPE) with arrest.
In a press statement released on Tuesday, the
DPM reminded parents to abide by the Children Protection and Welfare Act of
2012 to avoid possible prosecution.
“It is disheartening to note increasing
number of children of school going age roaming the streets and not attending
school. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister cautions parents/guardians not
to abdicate their duty to be involved in their children’s upbringing as
positive role models. This year, the office of the Deputy Prime Minister will
up-scale efforts to monitor these children and will implement and enforce
relevant provisions of the Children Protection and Welfare Act. Those parents/
guardians found to be on the wrong side of the law will be prosecuted”, said
the DPM through the press statement.
But Lot Vilakati, the Secretary General of
the Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT), when asked by this Swaziland
News to clarify if the situation in schools was conducive for children to
learn said, Government was yet to pay school fees and provide equipment under
the Free Primary Education(FPE).
“We have contacted some Headteachers and
they confirmed that Government hasn’t paid monies under Free Primary Education,
stationary is yet to be delivered. Furthermore, contract are yet to sign their
contract and this means no contract teacher has signed a contract for now,” said
the SNAT Secretary General when speaking to editor Zweli Martin Dlamini.
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