Swaziland Newsletter No. 883 – 27
June 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. The newsletter
and past editions are also available online on the Swazi Media Commentary
blogsite
Human
rights advocates call for reforms
By
Sifiso Nhlabatsi, eSwatini Observer (print edition), 26 June 2025
Human rights and gender equality advocates
as well as some traditionalists are calling for urgent reforms following
widowed Mtsambama Member of Parliament (MP) Sibongile Mamba’s prolonged absence
from parliamentary duties.
They argue that while culture is an
important part of national identity, it should not be weaponised to silence or
marginalise women. This follows a concern raised by Umhluma Women and Youth
Foundation Executive Director Lungelo Zulu about the absence of Mamba from
Parliament after the loss of her husband.
Africa Regional Coordinator for One
Billion Rising Colani Hlatjwako said Mamba’s prolonged absence was not merely a
personal matter, but a broad issue of structural inequality.
“As a country, it is time we move beyond
cultural practices and traditions that continue to discriminate against and
marginalise women. True equality means both access and the ability to lead
without fear, limitation or prejudice. When we speak of equal participation, we
are not only referring to numbers or representation, but also to creating a
working environment that enables women to be effective and impactful.”
She stressed that systemic cultural
barriers were still deeply embedded and prevented women from fully
participating in leadership roles. “What has happened to MP Sibongile is not
just a family matter, it affects the progress and well-being of the entire
constituency she represents,” Hlatjwako added.
Meanwhile, traditionalists Elliot
Mkhatshwa said women in leadership should not be forced to withdraw from public
duties under the guise of tradition.
“A person of Mamba’s stature must not be
subjected to such restrictions. If we want women to take part in leadership, we
must stop tying them down with customs,” he said.
He argued that cultural practices should
be adapted to suit modern-day realities, especially when they intersect with
national governance.
Mkhatshwa suggested that a twomonth
mourning period should suffice for women in leadership roles, and anything
beyond that becomes an unfair constraint.
Attempts to get official comment from the
House of Assembly leadership yielded no results. Speaker Jabulani Mabuza and
Deputy Speaker Madala Mhlanga were both contacted, but neither responded to
calls or messages by the time of publication.
Jacob
Zuma’s daughter flees husband King Mswati citing polygamy woes
By Chris
Matambanadzo, iHarare, 25 June 2025
The 22-year-old junior wife, known as
Inkhosikati LaZuma in the kingdom, is said to have walked away from palace
life, complaining that she could no longer bear being in a polygamous setup
where she “goes for months without seeing her husband.”
In line with Swazi tradition, when a wife
disappears — a practice known as kwemuka — the husband sends a delegation to
her family to plead for her return. In this case, a royal team was allegedly
dispatched to Zuma’s homestead in Nkandla, KwaZulu-Natal, to try to resolve the
matter.
Nomcebo’s marriage to King Mswati wasn’t
officially announced by the palace but was exclusively reported by Swaziland
News in 2024, when she was introduced as the King’s Liphovela (girlfriend)
during the annual uMhlanga Reed Dance ceremony. Shortly after, she joined the
royal household.
Now, her sudden departure has left both
families in a tense standoff.
When contacted for comment by Swaziland
News, King Mswati’s spokesperson Percy Simelane said he hadn’t been informed of
the incident. He explained that his office only handles the King’s public
matters, not private family issues.
“I am not aware, by design and principle,
my Office portfolio does not stretch into the King’s private life, only his
public life is my area of interest,” said the King’s Spokesperson.
Behind the scenes, sources claim that the
royal delegation has been camped in Nkandla for days, trying to meet with Jacob
Zuma — but the former president allegedly refused to even greet them.
According to insiders, Zuma told the envoys
that he had never supported the marriage from the start, but only went along
with it because his daughter was insistent. His silence now may be a sign that
he’s standing by her decision to leave.
King Mswati, who is known for his lavish
lifestyle and absolute power, has more than 14 wives and over 50 children, a
fact that reportedly became overwhelming for Nomcebo.
Efforts to reach members of the Zuma
family for direct comment were unsuccessful at the time of publication.
See also
“I haven’t seen my husband in
months!” Jacob Zuma’s daughter walks out of polygamous marriage with King
Mswati over marital struggles
Don’t
shut down hospitals – Ministry of Health
By
Timothy Simelane, Times of eSwatini (print edition), 25 June 2025
MBABANE: The Ministry of Health has
issued a stern warning to health professionals against shutting down operations
in public health facilities, labelling such actions as illegal.
Principal Secretary (PS) in the Ministry
of Health, Khanyakwezwe Mabuza, stated the ministry has received reports of
health professionals leaving patients stranded. “No one has the right to
close down a hospital,” he asserted.
Principal Secretary (PS) in the Ministry
of Health, Khanyakwezwe Mabuza, stated the ministry has received reports of
health professionals leaving patients stranded. “No one has the right to
close down a hospital,” he asserted.
Addressing concerns about a lack of medicines
and drug supplies, Mabuza clarified: “That does not warrant a shutdown of
the facility, because the doctor can still make a prescription for the
patient to get the drug elsewhere.”
He further explained that even if one specific
drug is out of stock, other necessary medications may still be available
to assist the patient.
When questioned about lengthy meetings
held by nurses, doctors and support staff while patients wait unattended,
Mabuza emphasised that all meetings must be sanctioned by hospital management
and conducted in a manner that does not affect patients.
“If these meetings go on and on and are
not sanctioned by the management, we will consider such to be a go-slow
strike,” Mabuza warned.
The ministry’s Communications Officer
Nsindiso Tsabedze, underscored the illegality of operational shutdowns.
He said some patients could find relief psychologically after meeting the
doctor.
“To some patients, just meeting the doctor
and having him inspect you, could be enough therapy,” he remarked.
The ministry engaged the media following
a series of meetings by professional staff at Mbabane Government Hospital
(MGH), where they sought solutions to shortages of drugs, medical supplies,
staff, security and other essentials. During these MGH meetings, patients
were observed waiting exhaustively, with some eventually returning home,
and entire blocks of treatment and examination rooms in the Outpatient
Department were locked. Only patients in wards reportedly received assistance
from a limited number of nurses.
Mabuza announced that the ministry would
introduce a customer care point in hospitals for patients to lodge complaints
about a lack of attention. The PS acknowledged that the ministry had
received two or three petitions from healthcare professionals and affirmed
that efforts were underway to resolve the reported shortages.
“We acknowledged the issues on these petitions.
Some of them may not be true, but we appreciate that the staff reached out to
the ministry to have these issues resolved,” he said.
Meanwhile, Tsabedze noted that despite
Monday’s meetings at MGH, the ministry had been alerted to another meeting
planned for yesterday. He said that was a cause for concern because patients
were being affected.
“We gathered from the media that the concern
is that there are no medical supplies and decided to address this issue,” he
concluded.
King
Mswati says eSwatini to establish Council of Chiefs to complete the country’s
constitutional governance structure
By
Musa Mdluli, Swaziland News, 25 June, 2025
MBABANE: King Mswati says eSwatini will
soon establish the Council of Chiefs to complete the country’s constitutional
governance structure.
Addressing the Ghana’s National House of
Chiefs in Kumasi on Wednesday, the King said establishing the Council of Chiefs
would place eSwatini as one of the African countries will formalized
traditional leadership, Government online platforms reported.
“Having a Council of Chiefs would place
Eswatini as one of several African nations with formalised Houses of Chiefs or
similar traditional leadership structures. This new Council will serve as a
platform for chiefs to advise the state on matters of tradition, custom, and
cultural preservation, reinforcing their pivotal role in Eswatini’s monarchical
democracy. The King said the country’s commitment to this structure underscores
a political will to harmonising tradition with modernity, ensuring that the wisdom
of chiefs continues to shape national policies in a rapidly evolving world.
Provision for such a structure is contained in Chapter 14 of the national
Constitution and is said to align with a broader African trend of recognising
traditional leadership within governance frameworks. The King emphasised that
Eswatini’s chiefs, under the Tinkhundla system, are central to the Nation’s
identity, administering communities, resolving disputes, and upholding the
values of ubuntu- unity, respect, and progress. The new Council of Chiefs will
amplify their role, ensuring their centuries-honed wisdom informs national laws
and policies,” reads the Government online report.
On another note, the King who applauded
Ghana traditional leadership for preserving culture, paid tribute to Ghana’s
first President, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, and Eswatini’s King Sobhuza II for their
visionary leadership in securing independence for their Nations while
safeguarding traditional governance structures.
Mswati’s Council of Chiefs plan signals deeper entrenchment of monarchy, not democratic reform
By Anele Dlamini, Swaziland Democratic News, 26 June 2025
In a recent address to Ghana’s National
House of Chiefs in Kumasi, King Mswati III announced Eswatini’s plan to
formally establish a Council of Chiefs a move presented as a step toward
preserving cultural heritage and enhancing traditional governance. This,
however is a calculated effort to deepen the monarchy’s control and further
entrench the undemocratic Tinkhundla system, rather than pave the way for
genuine political reform.
The King claimed the Council of Chiefs
would advise the state on matters of tradition and culture, ensuring the
“wisdom of chiefs” continues to shape national policy. While similar structures
exist in other African countries, Eswatini’s unique political context where
political parties are banned and the king holds absolute power means this
council will likely serve to reinforce royal authority rather than balance it.
Under the Tinkhundla system, chiefs already play a central role in local
governance, community dispute resolution and enforcing allegiance to the
monarchy. Formalising their role into a national council only strengthens the
regime’s grip on the grassroots.
The King further claims that this step
demonstrates political will to “harmonise tradition with modernity.” Yet in
reality, it signals a refusal to engage in the kind of democratic restructuring
that citizens and civil society have long demanded. Instead of opening pathways
to inclusive governance, Mswati is doubling down on traditional authority
conveniently controlled and aligned with royal interests.
Adding to growing concerns is the King’s
continued practice of including his children in structures of governance and
international trips, as was seen again in Ghana. These appearances go beyond
symbolic family representation; they suggest a deliberate strategy to groom and
position the next generation of royals within state and diplomatic spaces. This
pattern reinforces dynastic rule and signals the monarchy’s intention to
maintain a firm hold on power for generations to come.
Ultimately, while the Council of Chiefs is
being promoted as a tool for cultural preservation, it appears to be part of a
broader strategy to solidify the monarchy’s control, suppress democratic
aspirations and close the door on political reform in Eswatini.
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