CABINET RESHUFFLE: SSN REACTION

Swaziland Solidarity Network

Statement

17 October 2011

SOURCE

MORE MAN MADE BLUNDERS FROM THE FARM

The Prime Minister of Swaziland, [Barnabas] Sibusiso Dlamini, has confirmed the king’s decision to fire the Minister of Justice, David Matse, after only a year in office.

Through its website, the government reported that Matse, along with the former Minister for Commutations and Technology, Nelsiwe Shongwe, had been summarily dismissed from their duties.

Matse’s dismissal is part of the on-going “man-made” judicial crisis in the country. It is alleged that Matse refused to endorse the victimisation of Justice Thomas Masuku, the judge who was recently fired after the Chief Justice leveled a series of allegations against him.

To fill the two vacant posts, the king has elevated the former Swaziland MTN, Senator Winnie Magagula, to the post of Minister of Communications and Technology. Mr. Matse’s post, on the other hand, will be taken by Chief Mgwagwa Gamedze, who was the acting Minister of Justice since the “suspension” of Mr. Matse. As part of this mad reshuffle, Mr. Lutfo Dlamini, the government propagandists and king’s step father, has been shifted to the Ministry of Labour and Social Security.

This very embarrassing reshuffle has nothing to do with reinvigorating cabinet or improving service delivery to the people of Swaziland. Instead, it is a way of punishing the principled former justice minister, and seeing to it that the telecommunications ministry is in the hands of people who “toe the line”.

Interestingly, it is such blunders that end up having a negative effect on the country's image, thus reducing its potential to attract much needed foreign investment. The king must take full blame for this one as well.

FORWARD TO THE PEOPLE’S DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF SWAZILAND!!!!

Issued By the Swaziland Solidarity Network [SSN]

See also

SWAZI PM TIGHTENS GRIP ON CABINET

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2011/10/swazi-pm-tightens-grip-on-cabinet.html

SWAZI PM TIGHTENS GRIP ON CABINET

David Matse, the Swaziland Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs, has now officially been sacked from the Swazi Government.

He was ‘suspended’ three weeks ago after he refused to sign a letter sacking High Court Judge Thomas Masuku. Masuku has been the centre of a judicial crisis in Swaziland where lawyers have been boycotting the courts for 10 weeks in his support.

Masuku has refused to be bullied by Michael Ramodibedi, the Swaziland Chief Justice, and has been outspoken in the defence of an independent judiciary in the kingdom, ruled by King Mswati III, sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch.

Matse is replaced in the Swazi cabinet by Chief Mgwagwa Gamedze. Barnabas Dlamini, the kingdom’s illegally-appointed prime minister, went on state radio to say that the position of Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs had to be held by someone who ‘knows how to work with the powers that be’.

Also sacked from the Cabinet is Information and Communication Technology Minister, Neliswe Shongwe. She has been in the news recently for her refusal to support the prime minister who wanted her to break the law in a dispute over which company should provide phones in Swaziland.

Lutfo Dlamini has been demoted from Foreign Affairs to Labour and Social Security. Lutfo has been under a cloud since January 2011 when it was discovered that he had taken money from the Kuwati Royal family intended for King Mswati and kept it for himself. He was saved from the sack by the Queen Mother, with whom he has been pursuing a close relationship.

In a statement posted on its website today (17 October 2011), the Swaziland Government stated the reshuffle changes ‘are aimed at revitalizing and re-engineering Government’s machinery to run with vigour and renewed strength toward realizing the major priorities of the Kingdom of eSwatini.

‘At present, the main focus of His Majesty’s Government is to find a lasting solution to the challenges currently faced by the country.’

There is no doubt that Swaziland is in deep trouble and is on the verge of bankruptcy, but it is unrealistic to believe that shuffling around the ministers who have failed to save Swaziland so far will make any difference.

A more likely reading of the reshuffle is that Prime Minister Dlamini has punished those ministers who have stood up to him and refused to be bullied. The changes may mean that he now has a tighter control over the government and what little dissent there has been from within cabinet will now be silenced.

See also

SWAZI KING RESHUFFLES CABINET

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2011/10/swazi-king-reshuffles-cabinet.html

SWAZILAND, A ‘BANANA KINGDOM’

Swaziland Solidarity Network

Statement

30 September 2011

SOURCE

OH, BANANA KINGDOM

While concerned Swazi citizens are still grappling with the dismissal of High court judge, Justice Thomas Masuku, it has been reported that the Minister of Justice has since been fired from his post.

Minister David Matse had spent only one year after being told to vacate office by the country’s authorities. The reasons for his dismissal are not clear but sources close to the matter say that he was fired for his refusal to be used in to victimise the recently fired High court judge Thomas Masuku.

Unlike Masuku, who can still appeal his dismissal, Mr Matse has little in terms of options because he was appointed and dismissed by the king who happens to be above the law and cannot be challenged through the courts.

We are aware of the fact that the former minister was not enthusiastic about being dragged back into the politics of the banana kingdom. He only accepted the post out of respect for the king. We hope that he has finally been vindicated and can finally enjoy his life without being used as a pawn by king Mswati and his senile henchman, Barnabas Dlamini.

Issued By the Swaziland Solidarity Network [SSN]

See also

‘SUPREME COURT JUDGES MUST RESIGN’

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2011/10/supreme-court-judges-must-resign.html

‘SUPREME COURT JUDGES MUST RESIGN’

Swaziland Democracy Campaign

Statement

30 September 2011

The Swaziland Democracy Campaign (SDC) is not only astounded about developments in the country’s judiciary but now feels justified in calling for Judges of the Supreme Court of Swaziland to resign.

In particular we call upon respectable South African Judge, Ian Farlam, to resign from the Supreme Court bench of Swaziland because the last shred of dignity that the Swazi courts have were eroded yesterday with the firing of Judge Thomas Masuku.

Judge Masuku is currently in the Netherlands leading a high levelled lawyers’ delegation and only got to know of his sacking through the media, like the rest of us.

If the monarch felt that the Judge needed to be removed from office, for whatever reason, the most noble and courteous way of doing so would have been to at least inform Judge Masuku first, rather than publicly embarrass him the way they have done.

We in the SDC are shocked at this latest blatant disregard for the law, contempt of the courts and abuse of the revered institution of the judiciary by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) and the monarch.

This shows that the regime is prepared to pull all stops in maintaining the status quo.

We are however not sympathetic to the sacking of Reverend David Matse, the Justice Minister. All those who serve the system do not deserve our sympathy. They should have known that the despotic regime knows neither friend nor foe. Anyone who stands in their vicious way is dealt with as though he or she was the enemy.

Matse should have looked at Marwick Khumalo, Roy Founarokis, Sam Mkhombe, Mfomfo Nkhambule. The list is endless.

We now call upon South African Judge Farlam to do the most honourable thing and resign from the Swazi bench. If he does not do so, his reputation is bound to be stained by the continued malaise we see in Swaziland daily. We know that Judge Farlam is a man of integrity with a colourful judicial record and we therefore call upon him to refuse to be associated with the Swazi bench, in particular when he will be headed by the internationally condemned Judge Micheal Ramodibedi.

We call upon other Judges of the Supreme Court to also refuse to sit at Judges of the Supreme Court until confidence in the country’s courts have been restored and the Lesotho born Ramodibedi is fired.

The firing of Judge Masuku is to us the icing on top of the cake and an indictment to the South African government’s continued association with the King Mswati dictatorship. If ever South Africa needed any evidence why they should withdraw the so called bail out, the sacking of Masuku should be enough to make hairs stand on end.

A country with no legitimate judiciary, where lawyers are in their 7^th week of a courts boycott, does not deserve to be trusted, particularly by a democratic country like South Africa.

See also

AMNESTY: REINSTATE JUDGE MASUKU

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2011/10/amnesty-reinstate-judge-masuku.html

AMNESTY: REINSTATE JUDGE MASUKU

Amnesty International

Statement

30 September 2011

SOURCE

Sacked Swaziland judge should be reinstated

The Swazi authorities should immediately reinstate a prominent high court judge, Justice Thomas Masuku, who has been sacked on trumped-up charges, Amnesty International said today.

Justice Masuku was suspended in June. He was then subjected to unfair dismissal proceedings over allegations made to Swaziland’s King Mswati III by the country’s Chief Justice, Michael Ramodibedi. These included a claim that Justice Masuku had insulted the King in one of his rulings.

Amnesty International is also calling for the reinstatement of the country’s Justice Minister, Reverend David Matse, who was suspended after refusing to authorize the Judge’s dismissal.

“These allegations had no basis in fact or law to justify the proceedings. Firing Justice Masuku and suspending Justice Minister Matse illustrates the depth of the crisis in the rule of law in Swaziland,” said Michelle Kagari, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for Africa

“Masuko’s hearing was effectively a kangaroo court which was chaired by the Chief Justice, the main complainant. It was held behind closed doors and breached international standards on fair trial” she said.

Justice Masuku has been harassed and suspended in the past for challenging unlawful royal decrees. His rulings have helped protect human rights and his resistance to government pressure on the judiciary has been crucial to maintaining its independence.

Swaziland’s Law Society had denounced the unfairness of the proceedings against Justice Masuku and his dismissal, as have other law bodies in the region. It is campaigning for the removal of the Chief Justice.

Amnesty International had previously criticized the nature of the dismissal proceedings against Justice Masuku. It called on the government to ensure proceedings were transparent, impartial, independent and conducted in public.

“The dismissal of Justice Masuku, based on vaguely stated allegations and handled in a grossly unfair manner, sets an ominous precedent for other judges who may wish to take similar stands in carrying out their duties,” said Michelle Kagari.

See also

LAW BODIES AGAINST JUDGE’S SACKING

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2011/10/law-bodies-against-judges-sacking.html