Swaziland Newsletter No. 936– 24 July 2026

 

Swaziland Newsletter No. 936– 24 July 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.

 

 

United States funding cuts have severe impact on eSwatini and other global organizations relying on PEPFAR for HIV treatment

By Musa Mdluli, Swaziland News, 21 July 2026

SOURCE

 

MBABANE: Funding cuts by the United States have had a severe impact on global organisations offering HIV treatment, according to a new report as quoted by Aljazeera.
The report, issued on Tuesday by HIV charity amfAR, found that the cuts in funding by the administration of United States President Donald Trump for PEPFAR (The US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief) had undermined HIV prevention and treatment across dozens of countries.

Organisations in Eswatini and other countries have been forced to shut clinics, cut staff and scale back services, it said, referencing a survey of 166 outfits across 46 countries that relied on PEPFAR funding.

“Disruption was incredibly widespread,” said Elise Lankiewicz, amfAR’s Policy Associate and co-lead author.

No part of the programme escaped unscathed, she said, including areas that the US administration had claimed it would protect.

More than 1,700 clinics closed, and more than 16,000 workers lost their jobs after awards were delayed or cancelled, according to the report.

 

NERCHA survey: Young people still having unprotected sex despite access to condoms

By Bongiwe Dlamini, eSwatini Observer, 22 July 2026

SOURCE 

A recent survey by the National Emergency Response Council on HIV/AIDS (NERCHA) has revealed that many young people in Eswatini continue to engage in unprotected sex despite having access to condoms, with partner pressure and financial hardship identified as key drivers.

The findings were presented during the National HIV Prevention Indaba currently underway at the Royal Villas, where stakeholders are discussing strategies to curb new HIV infections.

The survey also highlighted persistent gaps in HIV prevention knowledge despite years of awareness campaigns.

In addition, people living with HIV continue to face stigma and discrimination, which remains a barrier to prevention, testing and treatment efforts.

Speaking during a panel discussion on “The role of values in HIV prevention,” youth representative Tsidiswa Mhlanga said many parents were failing to spend quality time with their children, making it difficult to have open and honest conversations about sex, relationships and HIV prevention.

She said the lack of parental guidance leaves young people more vulnerable to risky sexual behaviour, increasing their chances of contracting HIV and contributing to further transmission.

Meanwhile, Reverend Johannes Mazibuko said parents could not expect young people to uphold strong moral values if they failed to model those values themselves.

He called for the revival of positive Siswati cultural practices, arguing that they should no longer be viewed as outdated or primitive but embraced as part of Eswatini’s efforts to prevent new HIV infections.

The National HIV Prevention Indaba, attended by Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini, has brought together government officials, legislators, faith leaders, young people and other stakeholders to discuss practical interventions aimed at reducing new HIV infections and strengthening HIV prevention across the country.

 

See also

PM calls for behavioural change as 4 220 new HIV infections hit eSwatini (Eswatini Positive News)

https://eswatinipositivenews.online/pm-calls-for-behavioural-change-as-4-220-new-hiv-infections-hit-eswatini/

 

eSwatini resolves to strengthen national dialogue on promotion, protection of human rights for all

By Themba Zwane, eSwatini Positive News, 23 July 2026

SOURCE 

EZULWINI: Government has indicated Eswatini’s commitment to strengthening national dialogue on the promotion and protection of human rights for everyone, as it prepares to submit its Fourth Cycle Universal Periodic Review (UPR) National Report to the United Nations Human Rights Council.

The Universal Periodic Review is a United Nations mechanism through which member states undergo periodic assessments of their human rights records and implementation of recommendations aimed at improving the protection and promotion of human rights. Eswatini’s Fourth Cycle report will outline the country’s progress, achievements, challenges and commitments in advancing human rights for all citizens.

This was revealed by Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Dorcus Dlamini, during the Validation Meeting of Eswatini’s Draft Fourth Cycle Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Report held at Happy Valley Hotel on Thursday.

Addressing representatives from government ministries and departments, the Commission on Human Rights and Public Administration (CHRPA), development partners and civil society organisations, Dlamini described the validation meeting as a significant milestone in the country’s preparations for the Fourth Cycle UPR process.

She said the exercise demonstrates Eswatini’s commitment not only to fulfilling its international human rights obligations, but also to fostering an inclusive national dialogue on human rights issues affecting the country.

“Today’s meeting marks a significant milestone in the preparation for the Fourth Cycle UPR before the United Nations Human Rights Council. It reflects not only our commitment to fulfilling international human rights obligations but also our resolve to strengthen national dialogue on the promotion and protection of human rights for everyone in the Kingdom of Eswatini,” she said.

Dlamini noted that Eswatini has consistently participated in the Universal Periodic Review process because meaningful engagement with international human rights mechanisms contributes to improved governance, stronger institutions and enhanced service delivery.

She explained that recommendations received under the UPR mechanism continue to serve as an important guide for national reforms while helping government identify areas requiring additional efforts, partnerships and resources.

The Principal Secretary stressed that the validation exercise goes beyond being a procedural requirement, describing it as an essential quality assurance process aimed at ensuring that the national report is accurate, balanced, evidence-based and reflective of the country’s realities.

“This meeting provides stakeholders with an opportunity to verify the information presented, identify omissions, correct inaccuracies, and collectively build a report that represents the country’s achievements, ongoing initiatives, and remaining challenges,” she said.

Dlamini emphasised that a credible national report can only emerge through an inclusive and participatory process, which is why government has brought together key stakeholders from different sectors.

To read more of this report, click here

https://eswatinipositivenews.online/eswatini-resolves-to-strengthen-national-dialogue-on-promotion-protection-of-human-rights-for-all/

 

Over 6 000 jobs ‘lost’ in 3 months

By Stanley Khumalo, Times of eSwatini, 20 July 2026

SOURCE

MBABANE: Government is creating jobs, yet businesses are cutting them, with official reports recording 2 248 employment opportunities against 6 165 workers retrenched or laid off.

Three ministries’ first quarter reports of the 2026/27 financial year state that government authorised recruitment into 1 692 public service positions and supported the creation and sustenance of another 556 private-sector jobs during the past three months.

Over the same period, 599 workers were retrenched and 5 566 employees were laid off.

These statistics are according to the latest reports from the ministries of Public Service, Commerce and Labour.

Taken together, the reports show government expanding recruitment and promoting investment, while the Ministry of Labour recorded an increase in retrenchments and lay-offs in the private sector.

The developments come only weeks after the release of the 2025 Integrated Labour Force Survey, which recorded a net increase of 10 861 jobs between 2023 and 2025.

Employment rose from 260 356 people in 2023 to 271 227 in 2025, while the unemployment rate declined from 35.4 per cent to 33.5 per cent.

Despite that improvement, the survey also found that 136 487 emaSwati remained unemployed in 2025. When discouraged work-seekers were included, the number of people experiencing labour market difficulties increased to 227 810.

To read more of this report, click here

https://times.co.sz/39251/news/over-6-000-jobs-lost-in-3-months/

 

MPs slam govt over ‘wrong’ salary review calculations

By Ntombi Mhlongo, Times of eSwatini, 23 July 2026

SOURCE 

LOBAMBA: “What we have received is 8.5 per cent and not 85 per cent”.

This was a submission that was made by Mahlangatja Member of Parliament, Mgucisi Dlamini during the portfolio committee debate of the Ministry of Public Service First Quarter Performance Report for the Financial Year 2026/2027 yesterday.

During the debate, the MPs mounted a scathing attack on government over the implementation of the 2025 Salary Review, arguing that the much publicised 85 per cent salary adjustment had left many civil servants and public office bearers disappointed after receiving what they described as significantly lower increases than expected.

At the centre of the debate was the contention that the figures communicated to the public did not correspond with the actual amounts reflected in employees’ salaries.

MPs argued that the disparity had created confusion and frustration among civil servants, many of whom had expected a far greater adjustment following government’s announcement on the implementation of the salary review recommendations.

Mahlangatja MP Mgucisi Dlamini said the figures simply did not add up, insisting that what employees had received was nowhere near the 85 per cent that had been communicated.

“There is something that did not go right. We may not be accountants, but there is a difference between 85 per cent and 8.5 per cent. What we have received is 8.5 per cent and I think this should be corrected. There is only one mathematics. The minister must look into this because emaSwati, including us as politicians, are disappointed,” he said.

His sentiments were echoed by several MPs, who said they had received numerous complaints from civil servants in their constituencies questioning how the calculations had been done.

LaMgabhi MP Sicelo Jele said the increases received by many employees were too small to make any meaningful difference, particularly for legislators who were often called upon to assist vulnerable families within their communities.

To read more of this report, click here

https://times.co.sz/39485/news/mps-slam-govt-over-wrong-salary-review-calculations/

 

See also

Civil servants’ extra 10 per cent allowance suspended (Times of eSwatini)

https://times.co.sz/39433/news/civil-servants-extra-10-per-cent-allowance-suspended/

 

eSwatini pushes for 95% child immunization coverage

By Gcwalisile Mhlabane, eSwatini Positive News, 21 July 2026

SOURCE 

MBABANE: Eswatini is stepping up its drive to protect children against vaccine-preventable diseases, with the Ministry of Health pushing to raise childhood immunisation coverage to 95 per cent and urging parents and communities to ensure that no child is left behind.

The renewed push comes as the country reviews its immunisation performance and strengthens outreach programmes aimed at reaching children who have missed routine vaccinations.

The campaign also comes against a global backdrop in which the World Health Organization (WHO) reported that approximately 110 million children, representing 85 per cent of children worldwide, were vaccinated last year.

Speaking on the Eswatini TV Kusile Breakfast Show on July 21, 2026, Thuli Magagula, an Immunization Nurse and Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) officer, said Eswatini had made progress but still had work to do to reach its national target.

According to Magagula, BCG vaccination coverage, which is administered to newborns at birth, stood at 73 per cent, while DPT1 coverage was recorded at 84 per cent. DPT3 coverage reached 85 per cent, while measles-rubella (MR1) vaccination coverage at nine months stood at 89 per cent.

While the country has surpassed the 80 per cent minimum coverage benchmark for some vaccines, Magagula said these figures were still below Eswatini’s national target of 95 per cent.

To read more of this report, click here

https://eswatinipositivenews.online/eswatini-pushes-for-95-child-immunisation-coverage/

 

 

SWAZI MEDIA COMMENTARY

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Swaziland Newsletter No. 929 – 5 June 2026

 

Swaziland Newsletter No. 929 – 5 June 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 braces for refugee influx from South Africa

By Timothy Simelane, Times of eSwatini, 1 June 2026

SOURCE 

One of the marches against illegal foreigners in SA. (Credit: IOL)

MANZINI: Eswatini may be forced to accommodate a high number of illegal immigrants fleeing the discrimination upsurge in neighbouring South Africa.

The illegal immigrants in SA have been given an ultimatum of June 30 to leave the republic or face forced removal which may manifest in the form of violence.

Though some people say they are already seeing a few immigrants in some townships and urban areas of the kingdom, this is yet to be verified. The war against illegal immigrants is being waged by a group that calls itself the March and March, led by Jacinta Ngobe, Phakel’umthakathi and amaBhinca King Ngizwe Mchunu.

Human Rights Lawyer Sipho Gumedze said Eswatini is a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention and have no choice but to accept them.

Gumedze said the country has been dealing with refugees for over 40 years as there are camps at Malindza and Ndzevane. “As signatories of the convention, we’ve no option but to accommodate all those who will have a credible story and recognised by the UNCHR,” Gumedze said.

This follows that there have been comments insinuating that Eswatini could experience an increase in the number of undocumented migrants crossing its borders, should xenophobic violence in South Africa intensify.

Gumedze said people fleeing conflict, persecution or instability often seek safety in neighbouring countries, making Eswatini a potential destination for those displaced by the unrest.

According to the Gumedze, asylum seekers and other vulnerable migrants should be treated in line with humanitarian and international legal principles, particularly where their movement has been driven by circumstances beyond their control.

He further stressed the importance of maintaining a compassionate response to displacement, arguing that regional solidarity has historically played a crucial role in assisting populations affected by political and social crises.

While acknowledging that any significant influx would place pressure on available resources, Gumedze said existing refugee facilities could provide temporary accommodation for some arrivals, should the need arise. Meanwhile, Communications Officer in the Ministry of Home Affairs, Mlandvo Dlamini said the ministry will only accommodate immigrants who have followed all the necessary procedures and have the requisite paperwork.

To read more of this report, click here

https://times.co.sz/news/readmore.php?bhsadjgfoh=Eswatini+braces+for+refugee+influx+from+South+Africa&yiphi=4044&bvhdgsj=News

 

eSwatini’s traditional healers are now first responders for immunisation

By Nokukhanya Musi–Aimienoho, Vaccines Work, 1 June 2026

SOURCE 

Eighty percent of people in Eswatini see traditional healers first. Mahlala Enginini is one of them, and she’s making sure to funnel them to vaccination centres.

In a country where the vast majority of people seek out traditional healers before trained medical providers, people like Mahlala Enginini are a powerful ally to the immunisation system

The healer is one of 107 to have been trained up as a “bridge” to the conventional public health system. In addition to throwing bones to consult ancestors and lighting herbs with purifying powers, she now checks for fevers and consults vaccination records.

It’s a role she’s glad to perform. “I’ve seen families do lose their children too many times,” she told VaccinesWork.

The distant crowing of the cockrel can be heard in the bustling informal settlement of New Village in Eswatini, as 52-year-old traditional healer Gertrude Ginindza kneels down on a grass mat to burn impepho, the Helichrysum herb.

Smoke fills the hut, which is stacked high in every corner with tins and containers: some rusted, some plastic, all filled with ground roots, dried leaves, bark and varying concoctions.

As an immunisation champion, Mahlala Enginini now checks on more than the spirits. She checks health cards for missed doses, foreheads for fever, chests for rattles, arms for BCG scars and more.

This is a typical morning for Ginindza, known in her community as Mahlala Enginini – a name given to her by the ancestors – as she readies herself to receive the first patients of the day. It’ll be a long time yet before the gates at the nearest clinic in Sidvokodvo open.

Most mornings, the majority of her patients are mothers and grandmothers who come with young children for ritual steaming and spiritual cleansing.

However, since last year, her consultations have taken on another purpose.

Mahlala Enginini is one of 107 traditional healers from across Eswatini’s four regions to have been trained up by the Ministry’s Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) to help strengthen vaccine uptake. She now plays a critical role, bridging the gap between families and healthcare facilities – a responsibility she takes seriously.

"When was the child last vaccinated?" Mahlala Enginini asks. It is the most important question, one that crosses the divide from the hut to the clinic, from tradition to modern medicine.

In the tiny Southern African nation, some 45% of all children are classified as orphaned or vulnerable, according to UNICEF’s 2023 Situation Analysis. 84% of children have received all three doses of the basic diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis-containing vaccine, while 85% have received the first of two recommended doses of measles vaccines, per WHO/UNICEF estimates.

As an immunisation champion, Mahlala Enginini now checks on more than the spirits. She checks health cards for missed doses, foreheads for fever, chests for rattles, arms for BCG scars and more.

She doesn’t replace the clinic, but carries it into the huts. Trust follows her: 80% of the 1.2 million Emaswati consult traditional healers first.

Mahlala Enginini

To read more of this report, click here

https://www.gavi.org/vaccineswork/eswatinis-traditional-healers-are-now-first-responders-immunisation

 

May Day mayhem might put eSwatini on ILO agenda

By Nokuphila Haji, eSwatini Observer, 1 June 2026

SOURCE 

Commissioner of Labour Kingdom Mamba says the events leading to the non-commemoration of International Workers’ Day may add weight to the possibility of Eswatini being discussed during the 114th International Labour Conference.

The conference is scheduled to commence today in Geneva, Switzerland. Mamba stated that as per the list issued on April 30, Eswatini was not among the countries scheduled for discussion. However, he stated that the final list of countries to be discussed was expected to be issued during the first week of the conference, which is this week.

This was shared by Mamba yesterday.

On May 1, Shiselweni Regional Administrator Themba Masuku sought an application stopping the Trade Union Congress of Swaziland (TUCOSWA) from hosting its 2026 International Workers’ Day (May Day) celebrations, which were planned for Hlatikhulu, as they did not have permission from the local authorities.

However, the Federation of Eswatini Trade Unions (FESWATU) was able to proceed with its May Day celebration in Nhlangano.

Mamba further confirmed that a delegation from Eswatini was attending the 114th International Labour Conference (ILC), which will be held from June 1 to 12 in Geneva, Switzerland. He said the Eswatini delegation departed on Friday and will return on June 14.

He said the delegation is composed of 12 delegates in total: six government delegates, three employers’ delegates and three workers’ delegates.

Mamba added that Business Eswatini has two delegates due to being the most representative employers’ organisation, and one delegate is from the least representative employers’ organisation.

“TUCOSWA has two delegates due to being the most representative workers’ organisation, and one delegate is from the least representative workers’ organisation,” he said.

 

Over 70 000 disabled emaSwati excluded from schools

By Khaya Simelane, eSwatini News, 30 May 2026

SOURCE 

MBABANE: For years, Eswatini's commitment to inclusive education has largely existed in policy documents, international conventions and ministerial speeches promising that no child would be left behind.

However, inside classrooms across the country, a far harsher reality continues to unfold quietly.

A newly-published study by the University of Eswatini (UNESWA) Associate Professor and Dean of Education, Professor S'lungile Thwala, has revealed deep cracks within the country's education system. The research shows that more than half of emaSwati with disabilities have no formal education, despite years of reforms aimed at promoting inclusion. The study, published on 16 February this year, paints a picture of exclusion, inaccessible schools, underprepared teachers and persistent social stigma that continues to keep thousands of children with disabilities out of classrooms.

According to disability statistics cited in the research and supported by national education reports, persons with disabilities constitute between 13 and 16 per cent of Eswatini's population.

Using the 2017 Population and Housing Census estimates, this translates to between 146 000 and 176 000 people.

Of these, approximately 52 per cent reportedly have no formal education. In practical terms, this means more than 70 000 emaSwati with disabilities may never have meaningfully entered the country's education system.

These figures contrast sharply with the country's commitment to Sustainable Development Goal Four (SDG 4), which promotes equitable and quality education for all.

Thwala's study, titled 'From Policy to Practice: Eswatini Perspective on the Implementation of Inclusive Education Policy', examined policy documents, ministry reports and local research spanning more than two decades.

The research concluded that inclusive education in Eswatini remains largely aspirational, with a widening gap between government policy and classroom realities. Children with disabilities continue to be excluded from schools, hidden from public life or pushed through an education system that is neither designed nor adequately prepared to accommodate them.

At the centre of the problem, Thwala identified what she described as a 'policy–practice gap'. Although the Ministry of Education and Training adopted the Education Sector Policy and the Special Education Policy in 2018 to guarantee equal educational opportunities, implementation remains weak.

 

154 teen pregnancies recorded in Sandleni clinics

By Nokuphila Haji, eSwatini Observer, 3 June 2026

SOURCE 

A total of 154 teenage pregnancies were recorded in two clinics under Sandleni constituency last year.

National Executive Director of the National Emergency Response Council on HIV and AIDS (NERCHA) Dr Nondumiso Ncube urged young people under the inkhundla to abstain.

Ncube made the call while addressing residents during Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini’s tour of government-funded projects in the area.

The director reminded the public that HIV remained a public health threat in the country, thus required everyone’s commitment to strengthen prevention and viral suppression efforts.

She said as an organisation that coordinates HIV response, they had noted trends in Sandleni Inkhundla that could contribute to new infections.

Dr Ncube revealed that data collected in the constituency showed children dropping out of school and teenagers falling pregnant.

She said the 2025 statistics for school dropouts were concerning with 59 pupils having dropped out of primary school, while 41 dropped out of high school.

The director said according to the data from the two health facilities (Jericho and Nhletjeni clinics), 154 children between the ages of 10 and 19 fell pregnant last year.

From these children four of them were between 10 and 14 while 150 were between 15 and 19 years.

To read more of this report, click here

https://www.eswatiniobserver.com/154-teen-pregnancies-recorded-in-sandleni-clinics/

 

SWAZI MEDIA COMMENTARY

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Swaziland Newsletter No. 911 – 23 January 2026

 

Swaziland Newsletter No. 911 – 23 January 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.

 

80% women neglect children for jobs

By Nokuphila Haji, eSwatini Observer, 16 January 2026

SOURCE 

The deputy prime minister’s office has revealed that 80% of the cases handled under the Asibambaneni SibeNgumndeni programme involved women who had neglected their children while seeking employment opportunities.

This is contained in findings from a report compiled by the office, following visits to affected families.

When speaking during an Eswatini TV Programme, Kusile Breakfast Show, Senior Gender Analyst Thandwa Dlamini said the findings showed that many families were experiencing severe economic hardship, forcing caregivers to seek employment away from home.

She said women, who traditionally carry the burden of caregiving, often face difficult choices after childbirth, including leaving children behind in search of work.

She said 80% of the cases involved women neglecting their children, noting that the analysis revealed widespread struggles among women in communities to adequately care for their children.

Dlamini added that, in many cases, this neglect was a survival strategy, as women who lacked the means to support their children often took them to their grandparents, who then became the primary caregivers.

“There is also a gender-based violence component, because in most cases women who are abused run away from perpetrators, leaving the child behind becomes a form of protection for themselves and the child from future abuse,” she said.

To read more of this report, click here

https://eswatiniobserver.com/80-women-neglect-children-for-jobs/

 

eSwatini’s health workers call medical delivery drone network ‘revolutionary’

By Zimkhitha Mbulawa, Gavi, Vaccines Work, 21 January 2026

SOURCE

Health worker receives drone-delivered medications in Eswatini. Credit: Nkwe

Eswatini has joined the growing roster of African countries relying on medical drones for delivery of vaccines and other health commodities to their remotest communities.

But the Nkwe Drone Network comes with an important difference. Rather than dropping their payload by parachute, Nkwe drones land – meaning they can pick up sensitive cargo, such as blood samples, at the last mile.

Representatives of the organisation behind the Nkwe Drone Network say drone flights are typically six times faster than grounded medical transport, at a competitive cost.

Eswatini’s remotest districts are not only under-served in terms of hospital infrastructure: the delivery of vaccines, meds, antivirals and emergency bloodwork samples is constrained too. During the annual flood-prone seasons, things get dire.

That’s where Nkwe Drone Network – the kingdom’s first authorised medical drone network, which did over 600 flights in just its first year – jumps in.

The name “Nkwe” means “sprint” in siSwati, and was conferred upon the unmanned fleet by the kingdom’s health minister, Mduduzi Matsebula, at the official launch ceremony in June 2024.

“[Using] drone deliveries instead of roads has really helped a lot of us as a clinic in the vaccination of kids, adults, treatments, HIV tests, urgent bloodwork,” said Lomalungelo Mavuso, a community health worker who has served at Ngculwini Nazarene Clinic since 2017. Ngculwini is a rural healthcare centre in the northwest of Eswatini.

The people behind the drone initiative are The Luke Commission (TLC), a US-founded non-profit healthcare organisation operating in Eswatini for the last 20 years, and providing everything from cataract surgeries to HIV care.

To read more of this report, click here

https://www.gavi.org/vaccineswork/eswatini-health-workers-call-medical-delivery-drone-network-revolutionary

 

Scramble to seize control of the media is a new ‘political corona virus’ affecting Swazi journalism but, it’s curable

Opinion by Zweli Martin Dlamini, Swaziland News, 18 January, 2026

SOURCE 

It is public knowledge that my journey as a journalist has been going through a rough road of course, with potholes that smooth surfaces but, I’ve learned that “being hated by a dictatorship Government automatically gives one credibility in the eyes of the international community”.

The credibility arose from fact that, most international organizations are fully aware that, any undemocratic Government that strives on secrecy perceives the independent media as an enemy because, sometimes it reports critical news that does not favour the State.

It is for these reasons, the more the independent media is rebuked by the Eswatini Government, the more it gains international recognition and support because, most international organizations wants diversity of news and, those news cannot be disseminated in a more diverse way, if all publications are controlled by the State.

The media is facing challenges not only in Eswatini but within the African continent, it’s just that in Eswatini you find even very stupid people like King’s Interpreter Sihle Dlamini telling the media what to write, these fools think just because they work with King Mswati, then they have all the powers to tell journalists how to do their job.

The media is actually facing a political ‘corona virus’ but it’s curable.

It’s not only Sihle Dlamini, even “Sibutseki from eMalawini nasifake emajobo nje nemhelwane locotfukile” can just invade the newsroom claiming to be there to deliver an order from the King and block a story.

But maybe there’s nothing wrong with these royal lunatics invading Eswatini newsrooms to block stories because some media companies are owned by royalty or the Government, but the problem starts when they demonstrate a political appetite to control even the Swaziland News that is registered and operating in South Africa.

It should be noted that, there was a strategic reason why this publication was registered in the neighboring South Africa, one of the reasons was to force anyone seeking to challenge it in court, to approach the South African independent courts not the Swazi courts and if that person has a genuine case, that matter will be handled by independent Judges.

Eswatini Government lost a case against this publication at the Mpumalanga Court, there’s no way in South Africa where lunatics can just wake-up in the morning and decide to silence the media, maybe in the Spaza Swazi courts.

The Swaziland News will report anything critical about the Eswatini Government and the royal family, lunatics like King’s Interpreter Sihle Dlamini will do absolutely nothing to silence this publication except to read and enjoy critical articles.

Why those who claim to be ignoring this publication are the first ones to know what the Swaziland News has published and, other platforms learn through Sihle Dlamini’s platform that some public figures are responding to this publication.

This means Sihle Dlamini is a loyal reader of this publication, almost every five (5) minutes he is reading this publication.

Now that Facebook has approved Swaziland News to earn money through articles, Sihle Dlamini will contribute to the online revenue generation for this publication. Siyabonga kuMtukulu weMtukulu, we-Mntfwanenkhosi Njebovu.  

 

Why attend? Tariff hike will happen anyway - residents

By Khulile Thwala, Times of eSwatini, 21 January 2026

SOURCE 

NHLANGANO: Poor attendance marked the electricity tariff consultation held at Bethesda Church in Nhlangano, with residents attributing the low turnout to public fatigue.

Despair and a growing belief that tariff hikes are implemented regardless of public submissions were also attributed to the low numbers.

The tariff hike proposal public hearings are being hosted by the Eswatini Electricity Regulatory Authority (ESERA) in conjunction with the Eswatini Electricity Company (EEC).

Nhlangano-stationed Pensioners Association representative Ntombi Dlamini pointed out that it was unfortunate that many people failed to attend a consultation dealing with an issue that directly affected their daily survival.

“When I tried to raise this issue and encouraged people to attend the consultations, many of my colleagues and acquaintances accused me of financially abusing them,” said Ntombi.

She explained that even when she contacted pensioners ahead of the consultation to remind them to attend, the response was largely negative.

“They told me that these consultations are harassment, and by pressuring them to attend I was abusing them because they cannot afford the proposed electricity hike,” she said.

According to Ntombi, this sentiment explained the poor attendance at the meeting.

“I attend these consultations regularly, but today there is an evident poor turnout because people are now shunning these sessions,” she said.

She stressed that pensioners were adamant that they would not cope should the proposed tariff hike be implemented.

Ntombi lamented the meagre monthly income some pensioners received, stating that it was already insufficient to meet basic needs, even before factoring in increased electricity costs.

“If the little we earn is already pinched just to make ends meet, where will we get money for more expensive electricity units?” she asked.

To read more of this report, click here

https://www.times.co.sz/news/readmore.php?bhsadjgfoh=Why+attend%3F+Tariff+hike+will+happen+anyway+-+residents&yiphi=2609&bvhdgsj=News

 

eSwatini records world’s highest cervical cancer death rate

By Sibusiso Dlamini, eSwatini Observer, 18 January 2026

SOURCE

The country’s health system is facing another grave test.

As the kingdom grapples with an acute drug shortage crisis while being named among those with the highest suicide rates globally, new data now places the country at the very top of a far more lethal league table: cervical cancer deaths.

According to statistics drawn from World Population Review figures for 2026, the country records the highest cervical cancer burden in the world, with an incidence rate of 57.8 per 100 000 women.

The country’s crude incidence rate far exceeds that of neighbouring states already considered high-risk.

Lesotho follows at 49.9, Malawi at 42.8, Zimbabwe at 39.2, and Comoros at 38.8. South Africa, by comparison, records 35.6.

Even more alarming is the cumulative risk, as a girl born in the country today faces an 8.6% chance of developing cervical cancer by the age of 74 if current trends persist. This is among the highest lifetime risks recorded globally.

All in all, Southern Africa dominates the list of countries with the highest cervical cancer rates, reflecting shared challenges. Malawi (42.8), Zimbabwe (39.2) and Mozambique (33.1) all feature prominently, as do Zambia and Tanzania further north.

In public health terms, these figures, according to medical doctor and Ekuphileni Clinic Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr Advocate Dlamini, place the country in a category of extreme vulnerability.

Dr Dlamini’s explanation for the country’s alarmingly high cervical cancer death rate is that too many girls are being exposed to sex far too early, when their bodies are not ready to fight the virus that causes the disease.

“Cervical cancer is caused by a sexually transmitted virus known as the human papillomavirus (HPV). Not all HPV types are dangerous, but types 16 and 18 are responsible for most cervical cancer cases worldwide. Once the virus enters the body, it can quietly damage cervical cells over time, eventually turning them cancerous,” he explained.

To read more of this report, click here

https://eswatiniobserver.com/eswatini-records-worlds-highest-cervical-cancer-death-rate/

 

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