Swazi Media Commentary: SPLM

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Friday, 13 June 2025

Swaziland Newsletter No. 881 – 13 June 2025

Swaziland Newsletter No. 881 – 13 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

Urgent statement to the Swazi government on the abduction and killing of children

Lioness Sibande, Secretary General, SPLM, Swati Newsweek 10 June 2025

SOURCE

The Swaziland Peoples Liberation Movement urgently calls on the Tinkhundla Government to take immediate action against the rising syndicate responsible for the abduction and brutal murder of innocent children. The lives of Swazi children are at stake, and we demand swift and decisive measures to put an end to this atrocity.

We calling for two immediate actions of, the closure of schools until adequate security measures are in place.

Deployment of soldiers and police nationwide to prioritize the safety of children.

We call on parents to keep their children at home until the government takes this crisis seriously and demonstrates a genuine commitment to protecting the future of our nation.

A message to the Prime Minister of Tinkhundla Government is, how many more lives must be lost before decisive action is taken? Your silence and inaction are unacceptable. We know that your children are educated in neighbouring countries, protected by state security. But what about the vulnerable children of Swaziland?

We call on the Swaziland National Association of Teachers SNAT, to urge educators to stand with parents in safeguarding our children’s lives. Schools must be closed until the Ministry of Education implements security measures, enforces strict protection protocols, and ensures that all students follow a synchronized timetable to prevent isolation and vulnerability. Extra classes that expose children to risk must be halted immediately.

The Ministry of Education Has Failed Us, it has turned a blind eye to this crisis, abandoning its responsibility to protect the nation's children. This negligence must end now.

A Call to Action for All Swazis:

We must unite as a nation to protect our children. We urge communities to form citizen-led patrols and safety forums, taking turns to watch over neighbourhoods and ensure children are safe. History will judge us if we allow complacency to prevail.

No Minister, Government Official, Police Officer, or Chief will stand up for your child, you must rise and be the change you seek. Let us not be the generation that ignored the cries of the innocent.

See also

Government raises alarm over child kidnappings

https://independentnews.co.sz/15572/news/government-raises-alarm-over-child-kidnappings/

China grants zero-tariff access to 53 African nations, eSwatini excluded

By William Narh, Citi Newsroom, 12 June 2025

SOURCE

China has announced a new zero-tariff policy for exports from 53 African countries with which it maintains diplomatic relations, further deepening its economic foothold across the continent.

The initiative excludes Eswatini—the only African nation that recognises Taiwan—underscoring Beijing’s firm adherence to its One China policy.

The announcement followed high-level talks in Changsha, Hunan Province, between Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and African officials, and was formalised in a joint communiqué.

The tariff exemption is part of China’s broader push to position itself as Africa’s principal trade and investment partner amid escalating global trade tensions.

The joint statement criticised rising protectionist measures in global trade, particularly those recently imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump, and called for a return to dialogue and multilateralism in resolving disputes.

Labour Minister Phila Buthelezi praises trade unions and other stakeholders after successful removal of eSwatini from list of ILO countries violating workers’ rights

By Musa Mdluli, Swaziland News, 6 June, 2025

SOURCE

MBABANE: Phila Buthelezi, the Minister of Labour and Social Security has praised trade unions and other stakeholders after the successful removal of eSwatini in the list of countries violating human rights.

In a statement released on Friday, the Labour Minister attributed this success to the existence of improved social dialogue and tripartism in the country.

“The Ministry congratulates all our social partners for believing in the strength of engagements at a national level and avoiding hanging the dirty linen of the country in the international community,” said the Minister through the statement.

The International Labour Organization(ILO) has removed eSwatini from the list of countries violating human rights, to be discussed by the Committee on the Application of Standards (CAS) during the 113th Session of the International Labour Conference (ILC) in Geneva

More than entertainment: bringing fire to the SDGs through dialogue, art and action

United Nations eSwatini, 9 June 2025

SOURCE

For the 18th year, the vibrant MTN Bushfire Festival lit up the scenic Malkerns Valley of the Kingdom of Eswatini on the last weekend of May 2025. And, for the third consecutive year, the United Nations in Eswatini partnered with the festival’s “Bring Your Fire Zone” to harness the transformative power of music, dialogue, and arts to spread urgency about achieving the SDGs. From university auditoriums across the Kingdom ahead of the festival to the rolling green fields of the festival grounds, this partnership has sparked meaningful and passionate conversations on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the country’s aspirations especially those of its youthful population. This year, the dialogue spotlighted Food Systems, Climate and Pollution, Health & Gender Equality, HIV, and the Sustainability of Arts and Culture Festivals for their intrinsic value and contribution to the creative economy.

Widely recognized as one of Africa’s premier music and arts festivals, the three-day MTN Bushfire draws an estimated 20,000 attendees each day from 60 countries on average, offering a dynamic mix of music, art, and cultural exchange. The festival has earned international acclaim - CNN named it one of the “7 African music festivals you really have to see,” while the BBC hailed it as a “Top African Festival.”

Thus, for UN Eswatini, the festival is more than just entertainment. It is serious business and an invaluable platform. For a start, the festival is the most important event in Eswatini’s creative economy, contributing approximately USD$3.7 million to the national economy and creating between 900 and 1,200 jobs over the three days. For Eswatini’s relatively small economy, that’s a big deal. It is also celebrated for its strong commitment to social responsibility including promoting the circular and green economy. A portion of every ticket sold supports local initiatives, such as Young Heroes and Gone Rural boMake, which provide assistance to orphans and rural communities throughout Eswatini.

Under the rallying call, Bring Your Fire, the UN-MTN Bushfire partnership has evolved into a powerful platform for youth engagement - one where creativity fuels action, dialogue drives ideas, and young voices help shape a more inclusive and sustainable future.

This year, eight UN agencies - UNHCR, UNESCO, IOM, UNFPA, WHO, WFP, UNAIDS, and FAO - have joined forces with the Bushfire team to co-create moments that inform, inspire, and engage.

To read more of this report, click here

https://eswatini.un.org/en/295914-more-entertainment-bringing-fire-sdgs-through-dialogue-art-and-action

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Friday, 12 April 2024

Swaziland Newsletter No. 822 – 12 April 2024

Swaziland Newsletter No. 822 – 12 April 2024

Poverty continues to linger in eSwatini

By Queen Magagula, eSwatini Observer, 6 April 2024

SOURCE

Eswatini continues to experience high and persistent poverty levels despite the progress it has made over the years.

This was revealed by the World Bank report released on Monday. The report highlighted that Eswatini was a small country with an economy that shared borderlines with South Africa and Mozambique.

Poverty, according to the report, persisted partly because of the lack of quality jobs.

Unemployment in Eswatini was reportedly among the highest in the (SADC) region for over a decade and a large part of the population lives below the poverty line, according to the report, although it was noted that there has been a moderate decline from 63 per cent in 2010 to 58.9 per cent in 2017.

“It is even higher among young people aged between 15 and 24 years, at 59.1 per cent as of 2021. Quality problems in education mean that young people lack the right skills to participate in the labour market. This undermines Eswatini’s potential to benefit from its large and young population,” reads the report.

On a positive note, the report highlighted that poverty calculated using the lower-middle-income country poverty line was projected to decline from 52.1 per cent in 2024 to 51.4 per cent in 2025.

The World Bank Report added that while the projected economic recovery should have a positive impact on households, this improvement would be constrained by the lower agricultural production and structural challenges facing the poor, including low job creation and low access to services.

In addition, the report stated that inequality in consumption per capita and access to public services remained high and Eswatini was among the most unequal countries in the world, with a Gini index of 54.6 in 2016. Disparities in access to basic public services across income groups and geographic locations persist, although access is being expanded.

Factors beyond the control of individuals, including early education, parental education, place of birth and place of residence explained 38.5 per cent of consumption inequality in 2017,” the report states.

The report said Eswatini’s economic prospects for 2024 were favourable partly because of higher Southern African Customs Union (SACU) revenues.

To read more of this report, click here

http://new.observer.org.sz/details.php?id=22282

Swaziland People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) condemns King Mswati’s soldiers for threatening those who are calling for democracy

By Colani Khulekani Maseko, Swaziland News, 7 April 2024

SOURCE

NOKWANE: Lioness Sibande, the Secretary General (SG) of the Swaziland People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) has released a statement on behalf of the political organization, condemning King Mswati’s army for threatening and/or inciting violence against human rights defenders and political activists.

The threats were issued during the Army Day Celebration at the Nokwane Army Headquarters on Friday and the event was graced by among others, former South African President Jacob Zuma and Ex-Botswana President Lieutenant General Ian Khama.

"The accompanying narrator emphasized that these drills were specifically design to address future potential demonstrations. Unfortunately, this evoked painful memories for many Swazis, reminiscent of a tragic incident that occurred on October 20, 2022. On that day, teargas was deployed by armed members inside a bus carrying innocent, unarmed government employees and Swazi citizens enroute to a peaceful and authorized march organized by the National Public Service Union ( NAPSAWU). In an unprovoked and barbaric act, gunshots were fired at the workers as they desperately tried to escape the suffocating gas fumes within the bus”, reads the statement in part released by the Secretary General (SG) of Swaziland People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM).

eSwatini’s democratic reform process in jeopardy

Peter Fabricius, Institute for Security Studies, 5 April 2024

SOURCE

Fifteen months after the murder of political activist Thulani Maseko, the political reform movement he ably led also seems to have died.

If it were purely a matter of motive, there would be little doubt who should be held responsible for killing human rights lawyer Thulani Maseko – Eswatini’s leading political activist – on 21 January last year.

Maseko was shot dead through a window of his home near Mbabane in front of his wife, Tanele, and two young sons.

Since then Eswatini’s opposition and the country’s democratic reform momentum both seem to have collapsed, leaving King Mswati III high and dry and apparently unassailable – an island of absolute monarchy in a regional sea of supposed democracies.

At the time of Maseko’s murder – most call it an assassination – Eswatini was still officially on the agenda of the Southern African Development Community (SADC). The latter had persuaded the king to embark on a course of democratic reform in response to the surge of deadly violence that shook the country in June 2021.

Eswatini was still officially on SADC's agenda for democratic reform

Maseko then chaired the Multi-Stakeholder Forum (MSF), which brought together all the main political and civil society pro-democracy groups under a rare common umbrella, articulating the demands for a real and inclusive national democratic dialogue.

But it became clear after his death that he was holding the MSF together largely by the force of his intellect and personality because, since then, it has essentially disintegrated. One of the principal divisive forces was Mswati’s decision to call parliamentary elections on 29 September last year. Though Swazi elections are essentially meaningless as members of Parliament exercise no real power, some members of the democratic opposition still opted to support them. Most chose to boycott, believing elections should be postponed until after a legitimate reform process had been conducted.

The divisions over the election fractured the opposition to Mswati’s autocratic rule.

To read more of this report, click here

https://issafrica.org/iss-today/eswatini-s-democratic-reform-process-in-jeopardy

Limkokwing University Director Princess Tfobile and her Musa Sibandze lawyers failed to secure court order seeking to ‘kickout’ striking Lecturers

By Bongiwe Dlamini, Swaziland News, 8 April 2024

SOURCE

MBABANE: Princess Tfobile Gumedze, the Director of Limkokwing University of Creative Technology (LUCT) and her Musa Sibandze Attorneys failed to secure a court order, seeking to ‘kickout’ striking Lecturers.

The Limkokwing lawyers had ran to court demanding that, the Lecturers must not be allowed to protest inside the University premises.

“Interdicting the members of the 1st Respondent from demonstrating inside the Applicant’s premises and disrupt the on-going examinations”, reads the Notice of Motion filed by Limkokwing lawyer Banele Gamedze of Musa Sibandze Attorneys.

But Acting Industrial Court Judge Banele Ngcamphalala refused to grant the order expelling the Lecturers inside the University premises, instead she ordered that, both parties must agree on the time and the legal strike must continue to take place inside the premises of the University.

“The parties have agreed that the members of the 1st Respondent will sing between 08:00am and also between 12:15pm to 13:45pm. The parties have further agreed that the members of the 1st Respondent will assemble in front of House 2 and march towards the gate and march towards the administration block. The designated area is the emergency point next to the multi-purpose hall”, reads the court order in part issued on Friday.

The strike continues even this week, the Lecturers are demanding among others, Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA), the end of employment on short term contracts and victimization of employees who express themselves against injustice by the Management.

Govt confirms pink eye outbreak

By Phephile Motau, eSwatini Observer, 11 April 2024

SOURCE

Parents have been advised to keep their children at home and to isolate those who show ‘pink eye’ symptoms following an outbreak of conjunctivitis.

The advisory was issued by the ministry of health following reports of outbreaks in the Manzini and Lubombo regions where affected pupils were sent home.

The pupils were from St Michael’s High, Mambane Secondary, Siteki Nazarene and Mnyafula Primary.

St Michael’s pupils were sent back home on Tuesday morning after some cases were identified on Monday. The pupils were advised to seek medical attention.

Chairperson of the Public Health Emergency Management Core Team, Dr Masitsela Mhlanga, said anyone could get pink eye, but family members and close friends of someone with infectious conjunctivitis were at increased risk.

Dr Mhlanga said it was, therefore, advisable to isolate patients with pink eye so as not to spread the infection within the family

“Children with pink eye should be kept out of school to prevent the disease from spreading to other pupils,” said Dr Mhlanga, adding that it was best to limit contact with infected persons until the symptoms go away.

He further advised that infected persons could return to school or work when the itching, pain, and tearing stopped.

Pink eye is defined as an inflammation of the transparent membrane that lines the eyelid and eyeball.

This membrane is called the conjunctiva.

To read more of this report, click here

http://new.observer.org.sz/details.php?id=22314

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Tuesday, 3 November 2020

Swaziland riot police fire teargas, rubber bullets to break up peaceful ‘clean-up’ event

Armed riot police in Swaziland (eSwatini) used teargas and rubber bullets to break up a peaceful gathering called to ‘clean-up’ a township and arrest its leaders.

It happened at KaKhoza in Manzini on Saturday (31 October 2020).

Swati Newsweek, an online newspaper, reported an event organised by the Swaziland People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) was broken up by a battalion of heavily armed officers from the riot police known as the Operational Support Services Unit (OSSU).

Vusi Shongwe, SPLM President confirmed the incident. A number of SPLM members were arrested.

Newsweek reported police had earlier told the SPLM not to go ahead with the event. The campaign had been widely publicised online.

Shongwe told Newsweek, ‘Rubber bullets, teargas, batons were used on the KaKhoza residents and SPLM cadres while conducting the clean-up campaign.’

Swaziland is ruled by King Mswati III as an absolute monarchy. Political parties are prohibited from taking part in elections and groups advocating for change are banned under the Suppression of Terrorism Act.

The SPLM describes itself as movement campaigning for ‘a constitutional multi party democratic Swaziland in our life time’. The SPLM is one of six political groups in Swaziland that last year formed the Political Parties Assembly (PPA) to advocate for change.

There are restrictions on freedom of association and assembly in Swaziland. In a review of 2019, Human Rights Watch reported police continued to restrict gatherings even though the Police Service Act of 2018 limited their powers to prevent gatherings as it required only a ‘notice of gathering’ to be submitted to the relevant local authority, unlike the previous 1963 law that needed the police to issue a license to permit public gatherings. The Public Order Act of 2017, which imposes restrictions on the government’s power to limit freedoms of assembly and association, was also ignored.

Freedom House scored Swaziland 16 out of a possible 100 points in its Freedom in the World 2019 report. It concluded that Swaziland was ‘not free’.

Thursday, 2 August 2018

Report Says Swaziland Police Spying On Legal Protests

Police in Swaziland / Eswatini are video recording and keeping data of protest marches by political parties and labour federations. They then use the information to deprive people of college scholarships, jobs in the army, police, and correctional services or promotions in government departments, an online newspaper reported.

The protestors who are usually seeking democratic reforms or workers’ rights are seen as ‘a major threat to the state’. Swaziland is ruled by King Mswati III as one of the world’s last absolute monarchs. Political parties are banned from taking part in elections and people campaigning for democracy are prosecuted under the Suppression of terrorism Act.

The Swaziland News reported (25 July 2018) the Police Intelligence Unit had been captured filming a protest march organised by the Trade Congress Union of Swaziland (TUCOSWA) in June 2018. It said this was a common practice.

The newspaper reported, ‘It is alleged that the information is further used to identify and subsequently conduct surveillance on protesters who are seen to be a major threat to the State.’ It added many people ‘believe the information is manipulated to victimize members of the various banned political movements’.

It quoted Vusi Shongwe, President of the Swaziland People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) saying, ‘The recording of the TUCOSWA march proceedings by members of the regime’s forces although a standard practice in the policing fraternity, in Swaziland it seeks to serve two main objectives. To instil a cloud of fear and intimidation to the marchers. It is also used to single out the ringleaders when the videos are reviewed later.’

Mfanafuthi Tsela, Deputy President of the People’s United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO) said the purpose of recording protesters was to intimidate and keep information about protesters with the intention of victimizing them.

“The purpose is both intimidate and to keep information about protesters, in order to victimized them. It’s a thing that they have been doing for some time” he said.

The newspaper said the information was ‘used to deprive Swazis scholarships, jobs in the army, police, and Correctional Services or promotions in government departments’.

There is a long history of police and state security forces spying in Swaziland. In September 2017 police in Swaziland disguised themselves as news reporters at a march of public servants in Mbabane.

The Sunday Observer in Swaziland at the time called it ‘spying’ and said it had happened before at other public demonstrations, ‘They [police] are always plain clothed and carry traditional journalistic tools including cameras and notebooks,’ the newspaper reported.

It added police took video and still photographs of marchers. The newspaper speculated that these might be used to later track down and intimidate participants. The march was legal. A police spokesman said they were not spying because the march took place in a public place.

In August 2017 it was reported that police infiltrated a Pensioners’ Association meeting to make notes on proceedings.

In June 2017 some senior politicians in Swaziland reported fears their phones were being tapped. One also thought his car might be bugged.

In July 2013 it was reported that police in Swaziland were spying on the kingdom’s members of parliament. One officer disguised in plain clothes was thrown out of a workshop for MPs and one MP reported his phone had been bugged. Ntondozi MP Peter Ngwenya told the House of Assembly at the time that MPs lived in fear because there was constant police presence, in particular from officers in the Intelligence Unit.

The Times of Swaziland newspaper reported at the time that at the same sitting of the House Lobamba MP Majahodvwa Khumalo said his cellphone had been bugged ever since he started being ‘vocal against some people’.

In May 2013 the Media Institute of Southern Africa reported that police spies had infiltrated journalism newsrooms in Swaziland, which had led to a heightened climate of fear.

It is legal in certain circumstances to tap phones in Swaziland. The Suppression of Terrorism Act gives police the right to listen in on people’s conversations if they have the permission of the Attorney General.

When the Act came into law in 2008 Attorney General Majahenkhaba Dlamini said that anyone who criticised the government could be considered a terrorist sympathiser.

In 2012 it came to light that the Swaziland Army had attempted to buy cameras and phone monitoring equipment worth US$1.25 million. The Umbutfo Swaziland Defence Force (USDF) – the formal name of the Swaziland Army – was sued in the Swaziland High Court because it ordered the equipment, but did not pay for it.

In 2011 a journalist working in Swaziland for the AFP international news agency reported on her blog that her phone calls were being listened in to.

In August 2011 Wikileaks published a cable from the US Embassy in Swaziland that revealed the Swazi Government had tried to get MTN, the only mobile phone provider in the kingdom, to use its network for ‘surveillance on political dissidents’.

Tebogo Mogapi, the MTN chief executive officer (CEO) in Swaziland, refused to comply and later did not have his work permit renewed and so had to leave the kingdom.

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Friday, 13 June 2025

Swaziland Newsletter No. 881 – 13 June 2025

Friday, 12 April 2024

Swaziland Newsletter No. 822 – 12 April 2024

Tuesday, 3 November 2020

Swaziland riot police fire teargas, rubber bullets to break up peaceful ‘clean-up’ event

Thursday, 2 August 2018

Report Says Swaziland Police Spying On Legal Protests