Swaziland
Newsletter No. 928 – 29 May 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 Edwin Naidu, Mail & Guardian (South
Africa), 27 May 2026
Eswatini has signed a $300
million agreement with Taiwan to build a massive strategic oil reserve but the
project is raising difficult questions in a country battling deepening poverty,
soaring unemployment and allegations of elite enrichment
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.
To read more of
this report, click here
https://mg.co.za/africa/2026-05-27-eswatinis-oil-reserve-gamble/
Still no trace of missing E67m elderly grants
By Ntombi Mhlongo, Times of eSwatini, 28 May
2026
LOBAMBA: Sixteen years after
millions meant for elderly grants could not be traced, the Deputy Prime
Minister’s (DPM) Office has admitted that it has failed to recover the money
and has since referred the matter to the Losses Committee.
The issue resurfaced yesterday
during the appearance of the office before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC),
where officials were responding to audit queries raised by Auditor General
(AG), Timothy Matsebula.
According to the Auditor
General’s Financial Audit Report for the year ended March 31, 2024, the
Department of Social Welfare still has unretired cash advances amounting to E67
671 963.88 dating back to the 2010 financial year.
Matsebula said the money had
originally been issued to government officials as imprests for the payment of
elderly grants in constituencies when beneficiaries were still receiving grants
in cash.
However, the cash advances
were never retired against the wages advance suspense account as required under
government financial regulations.
The auditor general stated
that in the 2010 financial year alone, E26 941 081.70 remained unretired and
the amount continued accumulating over the years to the current E67.6 million,
with no recoveries made from the public officers responsible for the funds.
Matsebula advised the
controlling officer to investigate the matter, hold the officers involved
accountable and ensure the retirement of the cash advances.
He also directed that the
matter be reported to the Losses Committee and relevant authorities for further
investigation.
The controlling officer had
previously informed the AG that internal investigations had been conducted, but
were unsuccessful because some documents were incomplete while others could no
longer be located. Officials who had handled the transactions at the time were
reportedly asked to provide reports explaining what transpired, but no
meaningful progress was made.
The matter was also reported
to the Royal Eswatini Police Service. However, the AG raised concern that
supporting evidence showing the progress of police investigations, as well as
proof that the matter had been formally submitted to the Losses Committee, had
not been provided.
Read more of this
report, click here
MOFA still assessing recruitment of eSwatini workers
ICRT (Taiwan), 27 May 2026
The [Taiwan] Ministry of
Foreign Affairs says government is still assessing the possible recruitment of
workers from Eswatini.
According to the ministry’s
Department of West Asian and African Affairs, a feasibility study on labor
cooperation between the two countries was still in its early stages.
The statements come amid
renewed speculation the Lai administration is seeking to source workers from
Eswatini.
The foreign ministry has
recently dismissed online rumors that the government has already agreed to
recruit 1,000 workers from Eswatini annually following President Lai Ching-te’s
trip to the kingdom earlier this month.
The ministry has insisted that
such online reports are “a classic case of disinformation” with “no basis in
fact.”
The 1,000-worker figure also
appeared in a 2025 report published by the Eswatini Observer.
Meanwhile, the foreign
ministry says it is currently focusing on upgrading vocational training in
Eswatini and working with the Ministry of Labor’s Workforce Development Agency
to help strengthen workforce training in the Southern African country.
King Mswati’s R10billion budget prioritized by
Ministry of Finance ahead of SACU receipts, Government suppliers might be paid
in September 2026 after civil servants outstanding salary review payments
By Zweli Martin Dlamini, Swaziland News, 26 May
2026
MBABANE: King Mswati’s
R10billion budget as reflected in the National Budget remains a top priority
for the Eswatini Government and according to a Ministry of Finance payment plan
leaked to this publication, the King through his King’s Office, will receive a
larger amount shortly after the country receives payment from the Southern
African Customs Union (SACU).
The King and his royal family
consume about forty percent (40%) of the National Budget in a country where
about 70% of the population lives below the poverty line and as a result, the
country is facing a health crisis and, Government is struggling to timely pay
suppliers resulting to private companies struggling to pay salaries as the
Government financial challenges manifest into a National cash flow crisis.
But the tiny Kingdom ruled by
an absolute Monarch recently faced shortage of passports and other Identity
Documents (IDs) amid rampant looting allegedly by a royal syndicate, linked to
King’s sister Home Affairs Minister Princess Lindiwe.
Acting Eswatini Government
Spokesperson Thabile Mdluli declined to comment when reached by this Swaziland
News on Tuesday morning.
On another note, the
Government 2026/27 payment plan further suggests that, civil servants will
receive their outstanding eighty-five percent (85%) salary increment in July
2026, the Eswatini Revenue Service (ERS) and SACU are highly expected to fund
the budget items.
King Mswati II
50% of UN funds returned due to poor implementation
By Nomalungelo Phiri, eSwatini Observer,
25 May 2026
Minister of Economic Planning
and Development Dr Tambo Gina has raised concern over Eswatini’s inability to
fully utilise funding received from the United Nations (UN), revealing that in
some cases up to 50% of allocated resources are returned due to implementation
challenges.
Speaking during the Joint
National Steering Committee meeting held at the UN House on Thursday, Gina said
the situation was worrying, especially at a time when the country continues to
face poverty and unemployment.
“In some cases, at least 50%
of the resources we receive go back because of lack of implementation. With all
the problems we face, including poverty, it is a shame to have resources
returned simply due to delays in implementation,” said Gina.
The minister commended
development partners, including ambassadors and international stakeholders, for
their continued support to Eswatini’s development agenda.
“It is very impressive to see
our European partners and high-level ambassadors continuing to support the
country.
“I strongly appreciate
government, the resource group and all their teams for the work they are
doing,” he said.
Gina also raised concern about
the effectiveness of some collaborating structures involved in development
programmes, saying their large size does not always translate into meaningful
implementation.
“Sometimes the collaborating
groups are very big, but some members only attend meetings. The key issue in
many African countries is weak implementation,” he said.
Despite these challenges, he
said the UN Cooperative Framework remains aligned with government priorities
and development goals.
“This programme is very much
aligned with government priorities. There is commitment in terms of
aspirations, but we must also show commitment through action,” he said.
He cited early childhood
development as an example of an area that is widely recognised but still not
fully integrated into national systems.
“We all understand the
importance of early childhood learning and its impact on human development, but
we must move from aspiration to full implementation,” he said.
Gina reaffirmed government’s
commitment to strengthening cooperation with the UN and development partners.
“Government is committed and
the UN is equally committed. We will do everything to ensure we also play our
part,” he said.
He further urged the UN to
maintain its presence in Eswatini, saying government would work hard to ensure
continued partnership.
“We will work hard to
encourage the UN not to reduce its presence in the country,” he added.
SWAZI
MEDIA COMMENTARY
Find us:
Blog: https://swazimedia.blogspot.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/142383985790674
