Swaziland Newsletter No. 804 – 24
November 2023
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.
Can eSwatini develop
in its current political impasse?
By Melusi Simelane, Southern
Africa Litigation Centre, 21 November 2023
Another
election has come and gone in Eswatini. A Prime Minister and a Cabinet appointed
without the express will of the people. The election happened despite an
express call by the Southern Africa Development Community, SADC, for an inclusive national
dialogue after the July 2021 political killings and the recent
assassination of human rights lawyer Thulani Maseko in January 2023.
Eswatini,
also known as Swaziland, is a small country in Southern Africa. On paper, it is
a semi-constitutional monarchy, but the monarch has absolute power.
Eswatini’s
lack of democratic governance has resulted in stifled economic growth,
inadequate infrastructure, a weak education system, and a vicious cycle of
poverty, unemployment, low wages, inequality, and instability. Additionally,
the lack of accountability and the prevalence of corruption allows for the
misallocation of resources and diverts funds away from essential infrastructure
and social services.
After the
August 2023 elections, the monarch convened, as per section 232 of the Eswatini
Constitution, the ‘Swazi National Council’, known as ‘Sibaya’, where ‘the nation’ is supposed to convene and
form the ‘highest policy and advisory council of the nation.’ The
Eswatini Government spokesperson has declared the national dialogue concluded, noting the recently
completed Sibaya.
While Sibaya has a long and rich history in Eswatini, it
has also been criticised for its lack of transparency, inclusivity,
accountability, and democratic legitimacy, giving the monarch an upper hand.
Political activists in the country have constantly emphasised that the
said Sibaya is not the same as the national dialogue
envisioned by SADC and expected by local political activists and civil society.
One of
the main criticisms of Sibaya is that
it is not a representative body and lacks fundamental democratic principles,
particularly openness and inclusivity. Only adult citizens who support
the Tinkhundla system of government are allowed to
participate in Sibaya. This excludes a significant
portion of the population, particularly those with a dissenting voice or those
who might call for political reforms and the democratisation of the kingdom.
The recent Sibaya is an example of this,
where Sibusiso Dlamini, a political activist, had the
microphone violently grabbed from him as he called for democratic reforms. The effects of the Tinkhundla system of governance on democracy in
Eswatini are devastating.
The Tinkhundla system of governance is a mockery of
modern democracy. It violates several fundamental principles of democracy, such
as the principle of popular sovereignty. In a democracy, the people are the
supreme authority, and the government is accountable. The Tinkhundla system, on the other hand, gives the
monarch absolute power, making him accountable to no one. As a result, the
Swazi people have no real say in their governance, and their rights are not
protected.
The lack
of political freedom also plays a role, as circumstances or the state often
exiles political dissidents. The Eswatini government does not tolerate dissent,
making it difficult for people to express their views and advocate for change.
This extends beyond political dissenters. Minority groups such as the LGBTIQ+
community also have to fight twice as hard for fundamental liberties like the
right to freedom of
association.
While the
government spokesperson has declared the national dialogue concluded, it
remains to be seen whether the political turmoil in Eswatini comes to finality
paving the way for human development in the country. SADC must revisit the
Eswatini question and seek finality to the 50-year-old call for democracy and
political plurality by putting the country back on its agenda.
Only by
embracing democratic principles and empowering citizens can Eswatini develop
and pave the way for a brighter future. For a healthy democracy to thrive,
there needs to be a political plurality which expands to the right to criticise
and hold accountable those in positions of power. No institution should be
above criticism, and a political institution such as a monarchy, whose everyday
existence impacts the lives of over 1.3 million citizens, should undoubtedly
expect and encourage scrutiny and debate.
By Melusi
Simelane, Civic Rights, Consultant Programme Manager
eSwatini on track
to end Aids by 2030
Medical Brief, South Africa, 22 November 2023
In 2020, Eswatini
became the first African country to achieve the 95-95-95 target, well ahead of
2025, and since then, seems on track to end Aids by 2030 in a country that once
had the highest HIV prevalence in the world.
In 1991, in the
former Swaziland, being diagnosed HIV-positive was a death sentence, as there
had been no antiretroviral medicines for the 73 000 people living with the
virus since the first case was recorded in 1987 – but the country has seen a
remarkable turnaround of statistics in the past two decades.
By 1995, about 2
400 people had died of Aids, reports News24.
Hannie Dlamini was
one of them – diagnosed in 1991 – but instead of giving up on life, he became
one of the first people to openly declare his condition and became an HIV
activist.
The public sector
began providing antiretroviral therapy in 2001 at Mbabane Hospital, and in
2002, Dlamini was part of the history-making movement that fought for
community-based ARV programmes.
“When we asked the
government (in 2002) for ARVs in Eswatini, we did a pilot project with NECHA
(National Emergency Response Council on HIV/Aids) to see if people would use
the drugs,” he said.
“We initially
planned to enrol 200 people in treatment, but the demand was 630.”
The overwhelming
response could be one of the drivers of Eswatini achieving the “95-95-95”
target in 2020, becoming the first African country to do so ahead of the 2025
set date.
The target means
that 95% of people living with HIV should be diagnosed, 95% of those diagnosed
with HIV should be receiving antiretroviral therapy, and 95% of all those
receiving ART should achieve viral suppression.
The WHO reports
that the number of new HIV infections has steadily declined over the years,
falling from 14 000 in 2010 to 4 800 in 2020, and is anticipated to fall
further to 4 300 by the end of this year.
HIV-related deaths
have also decreased, from a peak of almost 10 000 in 2005 to 2 600 in 2021 and
2 370 in 2022.
Mother-to-child
transmission of HIV has also dropped from 6.3% in 2017 to 1.2% in 2022.
End of Aids still
possible by 2030: UN
Dlamini and other
people with HIV, and non-governmental groups, continue working to eliminate
Aids in Eswatini by ensuring everyone with the disease who needs treatment has
access to it.
They also
established the Swaziland Aids Support Organisation, a community-led
organisation that offers HIV critical information on general healthy living.
Community-led
initiative
Dr Michel Morisho,
an HIV management specialist at Mbabane Government Hospital, acknowledged that
“government could not have achieved 95-95-95 without communities”.
He said it was
government policy that anyone who sought medical care at a public hospital was
also offered HIV testing and counselling.
This is part of an
ambitious 100-100-100 target, an upscale from the 95-95-95.
Community
organisations such as Kwakha Indvodza are also key in encouraging men
to take full responsibility for their well-being and reducing toxic masculinity
and gender-based violence, which are some of the drivers of HIV.
Shortcomings
While Eswatini is
on the path to ending Aids, the country is facing other health burdens
associated with ageing, including non-communicable diseases like diabetes and
cancer, which highlights the vital need to strengthen the healthcare system to
provide easily accessible holistic disease management and treatment, along with
HIV services, to improve quality of life.
PUDEMO calls
upon Exams Council to take full responsibility for leaked exam papers, says
parents must not be forced to pay extra fees
By Bongiwe Dlamini, Swaziland News, 18 November
2023
MBABANE: Penuel Malinga, the
Secretary General of the People’s United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO) has urged
the Examination Council of Eswatini(ECESWA) to take full responsibility of the
leaked Form V exams papers and ensure that parents are not forced to pay extra
fees.
In a public statement sent to
this Swaziland News on Friday, the political organization said, it has been
following with keen interest the developments at the Examination Council of
Eswatini (ECESWA) regarding the form 5 leaked examination papers and the
subsequent decision ordering the learners to rewrite them.
“We first note the negligence
in handling the papers with confidentiality within the production, storage and
distribution chain of ECESWA and we suspect that this might be born of the
corruption which characterise Tinkhundla and its entities. The consequence of
this negligence does not only affect the credibility of the institution but
also the process of the examination and the qualification that is sought to be
obtained. To this end, we are calling upon ECESWA to be genuine on her alleged
investigation, speed up the process and hold accountable all those who have a
hand to the leakage of the papers. We also send a strong call that all the
stages of the process must be transparent and no individuals should be
protected for such malpractice.
“On the decision to rewrite,
we note that the costs associated with the rewriting the papers are many to
both schools and parents,” reads the statement in part.
The political organization
further noted that, as a result of the leaked exam papers, parents are expected
to yet again pay transport fees, lunch and other related cost for their
children to resit the examination and schools on the other are expected to
recommit resources.
“This has dire effects to both
schools and family budgets. We hold a strong view that the decision that was
taken was not a product of thorough stakeholder consultation and it greatly
lacks the feeling and interests of parents and learners.
We are calling upon ECESWA to
consider the following:
To take responsibility of the
rewriting costs to schools inclusive of paying for invigilators, boarding
facilities where applicable and other associated logistics;
To assume full responsibility
of the negligence and do not charge examination fees to learners for all the
papers.
To give learners enough time
to prepare for the exam before it commences and in between papers.
PUDEMO takes this time to
remind ECESWA that as an entity that works with stakeholders who have interests
in the operations of the entity and who are capable of thinking and providing
solutions when there are challenges, it ought to consult them when taking
decisions that will affect them. We are also calling upon all parents and
learners to follow closely the said investigation process conducted by ECESWA
and ensure that a malpractice of such magnitude and costs does not go
unpunished,” reads the statement released by PUDEMO.”
Justice Minister worried about ACC’s
absence
By
Andile Dlamini, eSwatini Observer, 12 Novembr 2023
“Where is the Anti- Corruption
Commission?”
This was a question posed by Minister of
Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Prince Simelane when giving a brief outline
of his intended focus in the new ministry he is heading.
This was during his farewell dinner hosted
by the ministry of housing and urban development at Happy Valley Hotel on
Monday. He was occupying the housing portfolio in the 11th Parliament.
Simelane questioned the absence of the
Anti-Corruption Commission.
“Where is the Anti-Corruption Commission?,
because I remember in the former years, ex-minister Majozi Sithole announced
the loss of E40 million to corruption and two months later announced another
E80 million.
You ask yourself what happened to the ACC
as government engaged services of external investigators. This all shows that
the law needs strengthening,” he said.
The minister also vowed that in his new
portfolio he will strengthen laws that deal with gender-based violence (GBV),
corruption and other crimes.
He said GBV has ravaged the country,
comparing it to a demon.
“Today the country is faced with this
demon of gender-based violence, I would compare it to the angel demon Beelzebul
and even Beelzebul is better.
You can tell that perpetrators find it
easy to commit crimes because they know that that they will be in prison for a
short time, the laws must be strengthened now more than ever,” he said. The
minister said that would act as a deterrent to would be offenders.
“We need to find a way to strengthen our
laws, and tighten all bolts and screws within the justice system,” he said.
He said now he would act upon his
statement at Mandvulo Grand Hall two weeks ago, where he asked the king to hire
more people in the police and Correctional Services as well as in the Umbutfo
Eswatini Defence Force.
“Even as a farmer, you need to adequately
secure your property so that any animal that wants to disturb cannot. In front
of His Majesty I asked for more security forces and today where I have been
deployed, I will put a strong boundary that is the law, they must fear breaking
the law because this fence of mine will be fortified,” he said.
Health crisis: heads must roll, Minister
Matsebula
By
Timothy Simelane, Times of eSwatini, 21 November 2023
MBABANE: Minister of Health Mduduzi
Matsebula says everyone who played a role in the ‘collapse’ of the health
system will face the consequences.
Matsebula was speaking at the Hilton
Garden Inn in a meet-and-greet event, with senior managers of the
ministry. He said he would not tolerate corruption, and that all such
elements would have to be removed for the ministry to provide a reliable healthcare
system to the nation. Some of those present at the meeting included the
Health Ministry Principal Secretary (PS) Khanya Mabuza, Under Secretary
Ncamsile Mtshali, Director of Health Services Dr Velephi Okello, Deputy
Director of Public Health Dr Rejoice Nkambule and others.
“You may be aware that I am not new to
politics, as we have had interactions in the 11th Parliament, where I have been
one of the legislators as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Siphocosini
Inkhundla. I am cognisant of the huge successes that this ministry has had in
controlling diseases such as HIV, Malaria, TB and recently COVID-19 and in
reducing the maternal and child mortality. I am also aware of the challenges
that the health sector is facing, which I myself have raised in Parliament and
during Sibaya submissions,” he said.
The minister promised to working closely
with the senior management team on these issues. “I know that together we
can overcome some of the challenges that have burdened the health sector over
the past few years,” he said. PS Mabuza said he was pleased to welcome the
minister and also recalled that he had special interest in health issues, even
before he was assigned to the ministry. “I have also seen his resume,
which details how he worked in the transformation of the Eswatini Revenue Service
(ERS). He is also skilled in forensic audit and compliance,” Mabuza said.
One of the priorities of the minister will
be the establishment of a semi autonomous Central Medical Stores (CMS). He said
this would be done as a means to improve the supply chain management system and
save the country from wasting money on drugs that were either surplus or got
lost before reaching their final destination. “We need to find a lasting
solution to the drug shortage crisis, by attending to all issues raised at all
levels of the supply chain management system; including the establishment of
the semi-autonomous central medical stores,” he said. CMSs in
low-income countries are usually the backbone of public health procurement and
distribution models. However, in practice, CMSs have had inadequate performance
in areas that include procurement, financial and logistical management,
security and storage.
The talk around transforming the CMS to a
semi-autonomous institution started at the sunset of the previous Parliament,
where it was revealed that a total of E40.2 million had been committed by the
World Bank and the Republic of China (Taiwan) towards addressing the persistent
drug crisis in the country. Semi-autonomous public organisations are ones
that operate at arm’s length from the government, usually reporting to a
ministry and mandated to carry out public tasks (e.g. regulation, service delivery,
policy implementation) in a relatively autonomous manner (i.e. with less
hierarchy and political influence in daily operations.)
To read more of this report, click
here
http://www.times.co.sz/news/142703-health-crisis-heads-must-roll-minister-matsebula.html
SWALIMO angry as
royal family deploys dozens of muti men to citizens’ homes
By Pholile Masuku, Swati Newsweek, 23 November, 2023
MANZINI: The Swaziland Liberation Movement (SWALIMO)
women’s league has warned the water party to stop harrassing women as they
invade homesteads as the Incwala ritual begins.
The muti men are led by the
Nxumalo men who were captured by the Dlamini dynasty and turned them into muti
men. These men travel to the Indian ocean for spiritual powers.
They toyi-toyi in the
homesteads of the citizens and grab money and old pieces of clothes. These
items are then taken to witchdoctors who then begin the process of ‘healing the
nation’. Swaziland has been a docile society for ages. The spiritual role played
by these men can’t be taken lightly.
SWALIMO Women’s League
president Liphie Pereira said, “Swaziland Liberation Movement Women’s League
(SWALIMO-YL) challenges the traditional water party (Bemanti) to respect women
and girls as they go about doing their traditional raids (kuhlamahlama).”
The Swaziland Liberation
Women’s League is not against Eswatini cultural practices and traditions but
challenges Bemanti to ensure that women and girls are not abused or harassed
during such raids as the norm.
She added,” In the past, women
and girls were abused, harassed and even beaten during such raids but we
believe that this time around they will ensure not to cause harm to the fairer
sex.”
“Women always become
uncomfortable immediately news of the dispatch of Bemanti are circulated around
the country. This is due to instances wherein girls and women were tortured for
wearing trousers, having their fingers and toenails polished with cutex, not
covering their heads with doeks or carrying their kids on backs without a baby
carrier sling (imbeleko).”
She explained,” We call on all
of them to ensure that women all along their raids passage ways feel
comfortable and as normal citizens without being treated as foreigners or
secondary citizens by being teased by the male dominated water party.”
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