Swaziland Newsletter No. 823 – 19 April
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.
Unprecedented
leak reveals suspicious money flows through Africa's last absolute monarchy
Media
release, The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, 16 April
2024
The International Consortium of Investigative
Journalists is proud to bring you our latest investigation: Swazi
Secrets
The tiny southern African kingdom of Eswatini —
once known as Swaziland — has evolved against a constant backdrop: the
monarchy.
While most of the population of 1.2 million
faces grinding poverty, King Mswati III and members of his expansive family
flaunt their wealth, from flashy bespoke watches to fleets of luxury cars.
Now, an unprecedented leak from inside the
Eswatini Financial Intelligence Unit reveals how the king’s broken promises and
his inner circle have enabled suspicious money to flow through the landlocked
country and beyond.
Swazi Secrets is based on more
than 890,000 leaked internal records from
the EFIU shared with ICIJ by the nonprofit Distributed Denial of Secrets.
ICIJ coordinated a team of 38 journalists across 11 countries to explore the
documents, which include bank records, police investigation reports, court
affidavits and transcripts, and confidential exchanges between government
agencies in the region.
The investigation highlights the extraordinary role of Mswati
III and some of his key allies in supporting a new bank in a
years-long tussle with the regulator, the Central Bank of Eswatini.
It also exposes how a “special economic zone” — touted as a way to repair the
country’s tattered economy — became a ghost town home to two phantom gold refineries channeling
millions of dollars to Dubai.
“When we talk of the Swazi economy we can say the king himself is the economy,
because Swaziland is emblematic of a country where the entire economy is
actually captured by royal interests,” said one human rights activist, who
asked not be named for fear of retribution.
READ: How international gold dealers
exploited a tiny African kingdom’s economic dream
ABOUT: About the Swazi Secrets
investigation
FAQS: Answers to questions about the
leak, ICIJ’s reporting, and more
Stay tuned for more Swazi Secrets
stories from ICIJ and our partners in the coming days and weeks.
See also
International
team of investigative journalists exposes Eswatini Finance Minister Neal
Rijikernberg on shady establishment of Farmers Bank, an alleged conduit for
multi-billion money-laundering
https://swazilandnews.co.za/fundza.php?nguyiphi=6382
‘eSwatini not creating
enough jobs’
By Nomfanelo Maziya, eSwatini
Observer, 14 April 2024
Business
Eswatini (BE) Vice President Industrial Relations and Social Policy Committee
Andrew Le Roux has highlighted concerned over an economy struggling to attract
investment and generate employment opportunities.
This
was during the first edition of ‘A Business to Government Engagement’ at
Emafini Country Lodge yesterday.
"The
harsh reality is that Eswatini is not creating any jobs, and we have not been
doing so for quite some time,” said Le Roux.
He
emphasised the critical role investment plays in job creation, particularly
foreign direct investment (FDI).
However,
Eswatini seems to be failing to attract this vital source of capital according
to the VP.
Le
Roux pointed to several factors hindering FDI in Eswatini.
One
major concern is the perceived inefficiency of the court system.
“Our
most recent competitive index ranking tells a worrying story," he said.
"It highlights catastrophic inefficiencies in our courts, which
discourages investors seeking a stable and predictable legal environment,” he
said.
To
read more of this report, click here
http://new.observer.org.sz/details.php?id=22321
280,000 emaSwati face
hunger crisis
Sifiso
Sibandze, Times of eSwatini, 16 April 2024
MBABANE: Over 280 000 emaSwati,
who are already food insecure, will continue languishing in hunger as the dryer
and hotter-than-usual El Nino-induced weather sharply dented maize harvest
prospects across Eswatini’s main maize growing regions.
This
has raised risks for higher food-price inflation. According to the latest
Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis, about 238 500
people are faced with acute food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 [Crisis] and above)
between June and September 2023. The number of food insecure people is
said to have increased to nearly 283 000 between October 2023 and March 2024,
moderately higher than projections in the corresponding period of
2022/23. The anticipated year‑on‑year increase in acute food insecurity is
underpinned by the reduced maize harvest and high food prices, while a slow
economic recovery from the pandemic, causing income losses, is further
constraining households’ economic access to food.
With
the projected acute decline in grain harvests in Eswatini and other main
grain-producing countries in southern Africa, the price of white and yellow
maize is expected to soar further to record levels, exacerbating the persisting
cost of living crisis. According to the Director of Agriculture, Nelson
Mavuso, inadequate rains in some of the country’s key producing areas –
Mahlangatsha, Sitsatsaweni, Sigombeni, Ntfonjeni, Dlangeni, Sigangeni will
result in a decline in the harvest, affecting the food security position of
Eswatini. “The drought from the El Nino weather pattern has withered leaves,
wilted cobs and raised the spectre of hunger for thousands of farmers and
emaSwati, especially the vulnerable groups, the elderly and those with
disabilities,” Mavuso said.
To
read more of this report, click here
http://www.times.co.sz/news/144712-280%C2%A0000-emaswati-face-hunger-crisis.html
The luxury life of King Mswati III: eSwatini monarch
arrives in SA in ‘flying palace’
King Mswati III is thought to live a life of opulence,
with assets worth millions
By Itumeleng Mafisa,
The Citizen (South Africa), 16 April 2024
 |
| Swazi King boards a plane before a visit to South Africa Picture: Screengrab from video |
The Swaziland People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) said
it was shocked that eSwatini’s
King Mswati III decided to use a luxury plane to come for a
working visit to South Africa.
According to SPLM president Vusi Shongwe, King Mswati
III used what they described as a “palace in the air” to visit his neighbouring
country.
King Mswati III, who landed in the country on Sunday,
met President Cyril
Ramaphosa on Monday to discuss matters related to the
diaspora, including concerns about the former president of Botswana Ian Khama.
Civic groups in eSwatini have been raising concerns
about the plight of the people of eSwatini under one of Africa’s last remaining
absolute monarchies. There had also been reports of human rights abuses under
the current government.
King Mswati’s mode of transport to South Africa, the
Airbus 340-300 aircraft, was bought in 2018 from Taiwan by the king as a 50th
birthday gift to himself. It cost of R2.6 billion.
“It was customised from a commercial aircraft into an
ultra luxurious flying palace,” Shongwe said.
According to Shongwe, the plane features a living
area, meeting/dining area, a private bedroom and bathroom amenities for the
king, among other features.
“Concerns have been raised on the cost effectiveness
of using this large aircraft with huge flying cost implications for a less than
an hour-long trip to the Republic for his meeting with President Ramaphosa,”
Shongwe said.
He said technical analysis of the flight and the fuel
needed calculated that flying the plane for an hour would be more than R350
000.
Apart from his plane, Shongwe said the king lives a
life of opulence with assets worth millions. This includes cars, property,
jewellery and artwork.
He said the king receives at least at least R1bn
annually from national treasury.
“This man does not pay tax and he is not liable for
any taxation from the government. Out of a national budget he gets R1bn from
the government to him,” he said.
Shongwe said the king had several palaces across
eSwatini, the most opulent one being the Lozitha palace which house houses the
kings banquet hall – which has gold decorations and expensive chandeliers.
He also had at least 20 Mercedes Maybach SUVs
delivered to him. The king also boasts a watch collection with some of the most
expensive watches in the world. This includes a Jacob & Co Billionaire
Ashoka watch with 302 emerald-cut baguette diamonds set in 18k white gold. The
king also has a range of Rolexes.
“The cars were for his wives and family members, there
were other cars that he bought like Merc Klassen -VIP sprinters and V
classes. These were custom made,” he said.
In 2019, King Mswati III made headlines when a video
showed the arrival of the Rolls-Royce cars as gifts for his 13 wives.
Pigg’s
Peak Govt Hospital crisis
By Sibongile Sukati, eSwatini
Observer, 18 April 2024
While
things are falling apart at the Pigg’s Peak Government Hospital, the ministry
of health is elusive with answers on what is happening at the medical facility.
The
facility is plagued by broken equipment and rotting food as the cold-room is
malfunctioning, raising fears of contamination resulting in food poisoning, and
patients forced to sleep without hospital bedding as the laundry machine is
faulty.
This
comes as the ministry of health on Monday commemorated World Health Day where
Minister, Mduduzi Matsebula, said they had noted a gap in creating an enabling
environment for individuals to take positive health decisions and that meant
addressing things that were beyond the individual’s power yet directly had an
impact on the health of that particular person.
The
minister said this included access to clean water, clean air, environmental
issues, proper infrastructure and the availability of healthy food.
However,
concerned staff members have raised red flags, drawing attention to the
perilous situation they are faced with.
They
said things had got worse from the drugs shortage crisis and were now actually
frightening.
They
listed a number of faults with the hospital’s major equipment, which includes a
non-functional cold room, a broken industrial washing machine and medical waste
littered all over the hospital as it has not been burnt.
This
is because according to the members of staff the hospital is without fuel,
which is used to get the incinerator fired up and burn the medical waste, which
also includes used syringes.
As
a result, the buckets of used syringes (sharp containers) are stacked in a
corner next to the other medical waste that had not been disposed of.
The
last two drums of fuel, according to the staff members, were delivered on March
19 and last for about a week.
“The
incinerator was delivered to the hospital around December last year and was
commissioned on January 15,” said the source.
“However,
since there has been no fuel, the hospital has not been able to get rid of the
waste,” said another member of staff member.
On
the issue of the non-functioning cold room, the employees reported that the
compressor was not functional and as a result they were forced to keep the food
in a non-operational fridge.
They
said as a result food items such as dairy products were not being kept under
cold temperatures and that these included dairy products and vegetables.
“We
are afraid that this will lead to food contamination which will result in food
poisoning,” complained the staff members who said they were concerned about
their welfare as much as that of the patients.
To
read more of this report, click here
http://new.observer.org.sz/details.php?id=22340
Global MPs committee vows to continue monitoring
pro-democracy MPs case
By Eugene
Dube, Swati Newsweek, 15 April, 2024
MBABANE: Inter-Parliamentary (IPU) committee pledged
to continue monitoring the case of two imprisoned Swazi pro-democracy MPS
Bacede Mabuza and Mthandeni Dube.
The organization's statement reads thus, “Reaffirms
its belief that, over and above ongoing and new efforts to strengthen democracy
in Eswatini, a mission by the IPU Committee on the Human Rights of
Parliamentarians, which would include meetings with all the relevant
authorities, a meeting with the two members of parliament and their lawyers,
along with meetings with relevant third parties, would offer a useful
opportunity to discuss the issues that have emerged in the case at hand and to
examine possible solutions; is pleased to learn that the Eswatini delegation
informed the Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians, at the hearing
held during the 148th IPU Assembly, that such a mission would still be welcome;
and requests the Secretary General to continue to engage with the current
parliamentary authorities of Eswatini to dispatch the mission as soon as
possible; Requests the Secretary General to convey this decision to the Speaker
of the House of Assembly, the complainant and any third party likely to be in a
position to supply relevant information; Requests the Committee to continue
examining the case and to report back to it in due course,” the IPU said in a
statement.
See also
eSwatini MP Mduduzi Gawzela Simelane applauds
International Parliamentary Union(IPU) decision that declared arrest of
pro-democracy MPs on politically motivated terrorism charges unlawful.
https://swazilandnews.co.za/fundza.php?nguyiphi=6366
Lions
decor on gate seen as disrespect to King
Sabelo
Ndzinisa, eSwatini News, 13 April 2024
NGINAMADVOLO:
An adult man of Nginamadvolo in the Hhohho region has voluntarily removed
pictures of two lions on the gate leading to his homestead after he was accused
by some residents of showing disrespect to the King.
For two years now, the pictures of the two lions formed part of
the décor for the man’s gate but it seems this has not been sitting well with
some residents. In their view, the man’s decision to display the pictures
of the two lions outside his homestead’s gate was an act of disrespect towards
not just the country’s culture but the King himself.
In the Eswatini culture and customs, a lion is associated with the King while
an elephant is aligned with the Queen Mother.
Some residents in the area are said to have taken up the matter
with some umphakatsi members to whom they voiced out their displeasure about
the impression the man’s gate was giving in as far as culture was
concerned. It must be revealed, however , that the two lion pictures have
been outside the gate for about two years now allegedly without anybody
complaining, as attested by the home owner when speaking to the Eswatini
News this week.
He did not hide his disappointment at the manner in which this
issue is being handled, pointing out that the pictures of the lions have been
in existence for a long time. “I am very surprised that there are people
who have issues with the pictures of the lions on my gate because if my memory
serves me well, they have been there for about two years.
“Why have an issue now? It really beats me, but I have to respect that
people will always have their opinions on things and you cannot control that,”
he said.
To read more of this report, click here
http://www.times.co.sz/news/144676-lions-decor-on-gate-seen-as-disrespect-to-king.html
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