WHAT IS SWAZILAND CELEBRATING?

What exactly is Swaziland celebrating on 6 September 2008 when it marks 40 years of independence from colonial rule?

That might sound an obvious question, but as far as I can see nobody in Swaziland: not the monarchy, the government, nor the media have told us. To them we are simply celebrating a date.

What achievements are being celebrated? What improvements in the lives of people can we point to and say ‘independence allowed this to happen?’

I ask the questions because recently I have been looking at newspaper reports from the time of independence in 1968. Anyone looking back at that time cannot fail to be impressed by the optimism that was around. Swaziland was a relatively wealthy country (the wealthiest of Britain’s southern African colonies) at the time.

In the report I reproduce below, the New York Times (4 August 1968) looks forward one month to Swaziland’s independence. The New York Times highlights Swaziland’s booming economy and the relatively peaceful nature of the kingdom. It goes on to praise King Sobhuza II for what the paper sees as his modern outlook, while appreciating his attempts to retain the best of Swaziland’s tradition.

How sad then to look at Swaziland in 2008. The economy is shattered. Four people out of ten of the population face starvation. About 70 percent of the population live in abject poverty earning less than one US dollar a day (E7). Meanwhile, Swaziland’s present king, Mswati III, is estimated by Forbes to have a net worth of 200 million US dollars (about E1.4 billion).

And Sobhuza II? After five years of independence he tore up Swaziland’s constitution because people in Swaziland voted for a political party he did not like. Since then Swaziland has been ruled by royal decree. This decree has not been set aside even though Swaziland has had a new constitution since 2005.

So, I ask again. What exactly is Swaziland celebrating on 6 September 2008?

The sound of the bushback drums will roll through the Ezulweni Valley from Sherba’s Breasts, the twin mountain peaks gracing this rich green country, the fires will blaze. Independence will come to Swaziland Sept. 6.

For Britain, the occasion will be one of nostalgia, and historic significance, for, apart from rebel Rhodesia [now Zimbabwe] Swaziland is Britain’s last colonial possession in Africa.

When the Duke of Kent hands over the articles of independence to King Sobhuza II of Swaziland the gesture will signify a farewell to a colonial past.

To the Swazis, once one of Africa’s great warring tribes, Independence Day is an event for which they have waited with considerable patience.

In natural resources and development potential Swaziland has always been on top of the list of Britain’s three ‘sister’ territories in southern Africa, Basutoland and Bechuanaland, being the other two.

Bechuanaland became independent Botswana in September 1966, and a month later, Basutoland became Lesotho. Swaziland is not planning at this time to change its name when it becomes independent.

The last 10 years have brought Swaziland a multimillion dollar timber and pulp industry; a massive iron-ore mining project; a railway link out of the landlocked country to the sea; tarred roads; hydroelectric power and great strides in agriculture.

Swaziland has the only set of traffic lights among the three ‘sister’ territories.

Since 1965, Swaziland’s exports have almost tripled – from 16.8 million US dollars to more than 45 million US dollars. In the first four months of 1968, Swaziland’s exports to Britain were more than the entire budget figure for Lesotho.

King Sobhuza, a man with a desire for the development of his people, who now must weld their traditions and respect for the monarch with the demands of a modern, multi-racial, constitutional society nominated two whites to the senate and four others to the lower house in the general elections last year.

The Swaziland whites number about 8,000 out of a total population of some 300,000.

‘Take what is good from the white man and drop what is bad. Take what is good from your own traditions and drop what is bad. On this foundation build your future.’

This is the philosophy of Sobhuza. Ngwenyama or King of Swaziland and one of the last of Africa’s select band of monarchs.

HOW MUCH DOES SWAZI KING KNOW?

Twice in one week the Times of Swaziland has said that King Mswati III is ignorant of all the problems in his kingdom because his government isn't telling him.

Today (28 August 2008), The Times in an editorial comment lists a catalogue of problems in Swaziland ranging from poverty to poor schooling through crumbling (if existent at all) health services to a week economy.

The Times blames the outgoing Prime Minister Themba Dlamini for painting a rosy picture of Swaziland to the King.

On Monday (25 August 2008) in another editorial comment the Times blamed the Swazi Cabinet for keeping information from the King about the inappropriateness of spending so lavishly on the forthcoming 40/40 celebrations, which will celebrate the King's 40th birthday.

The Times blames the Government for not defending the King when he subsequently gets blamed in the international community for being out of touch with his subjects.

I don't know what game the Times is playing. I know that in Swaziland censorship and self-censorship is rife in the media, but to say that King Mswati III is incapable of knowing what's going on in his own kingdom because his ministers aren't telling him is wide of the mark.

Even the Swazi newspapers have been reporting on the abject poverty in Swaziland and the 70 percent of the population who earn less than one US dollar a day at a time when the King has an estimated wealth of 200 million US dollars.

The newspapers have been full of complaints about the cost of the 40/40 celebrations and the outrage that eight of the King's wives went on a shopping trip to the Middle East in a chartered aircraft. To add insult to this, people at the Matsapha Airport in Swaziland were forcibly removed when the wives returned from shopping (presumably so they couldn't see all the luxuries the Queens had brought back).

For the Times to suggest that King Mswati III doesn't know any of this because his ministers haven't told him is to insult the intelligence of the King.

He does know. What is more, if the Times insists that the King doesn't know, why doesn't it tell us what would be different if he did. Would the poor be any less poor? Education any better? The health service not crumbling.

I very much doubt it.

The Times also needs to be careful about insulting the intelligence of its readers. The Times' website has many readers' comments attached to today's editorial.

One reader writes that the Times' editor does not write sense.

Another says, 'The media should stop protecting the king by pretending he is being misled by the people around him. He is an adult now and is aware of what is going on.'

Another reader writes, 'If Mswati is mislead that only shows how stupid and gullible he is.'

And so the comments go on.

Let's stop pretending that the problem is that the King doesn't know what is going on. Let's admit that the system that lets the wealth and power remain in a tiny number of hands is rotten. Once we recognise that we can have a grown-up debate about what to do to save Swaziland.

ANGER AT SWAZILAND KING’S WEALTH

Congratulations to the Times of Swaziland for having the courage to tell the Swazi people about the extreme wealth held by their King, Mswati III.

The Times reported the findings of a survey by US-based Forbes into the wealth of the world’s monarchs. Forbes found that King Mswati had a net worth of 200 million US dollars (about E1.4 billion).

Forbes publishes its list of richest royals each year in August. Last year, as I have written previously, the Times, along with the rest of the Swazi media, ignored the news, even though it was published across the world.

According to the Forbes’ report, the amount of King Mswati’s wealth has remained unchanged since last year.

There appears to be a new spirit of openness at the Times. You may not see much of it in the newspaper itself, but it is clearly there on its website. When you consider how restrained the media are in Swaziland when it comes to criticising the monarchy, the fact that the Times has allowed readers to leave comments on its website about the king’s wealth is nothing less than extraordinary.

The report appeared on Monday (25 August 2008) and when I visited the website today (27 August 2008) here are some of the comments I found. It seems to me they express a real anger from readers about the behaviour of King Mswati III.

King Mswati is actually broke. The money he spends belongs to the Swaziland Government which he owns. He has invested most if not all of his money in projects like Millennium Projects, Smart Partnership, Paying a deposit on a plane, Educating his wives and children and also buying beautiful art pieces from Christies Auctions. King Mswati is not yet a failure, but he definitely has not been a success.

ITS HIGH TIME SOMETHING IS DONE ABOUT THIS FOOL OF A KING, HOW CAN HE HAVE SO MUCH WEALTH WHEN EVERYONE ELSE IS SUFFERING IN THAT GODFORSAKEN COUNTRY, WE NEED TO DETHROWN HIM IN SEND HIS ASS PACKING TO THE NEAREST JAIL, THE BLOODY IDIOT.

This is not your king. He is the king of his immediate family and the many hang-oners.

THIS KING OF THEIRS SHOULD BE JAILED FOR THEFT. WHERE IS HE EMPLOYED? HE IS RICH BECAUSE OF HIS DAILY CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES OF STEALING MONEY FROM THE NATIONS COFFERS.

How I wish some of that wealth was used to develop our way underdeveloped country or build a new tertiary institution.

I could comment but they'll [presumably, the Times] just remove my comment like they did last one! Pathetic!

It so sad to see that our King is one the richest monarchs in the world while his people are suffering. Swaziland suffers from a lack of basic services such as free health care, education yet our king is estimated to be worth R1.4billion. What a terrible thing greed can do to a nation...It amazes me that the government is spending millions of emalengeni on a short lived event such as 40/40 yet they cannot pay our doctors, nurses, teachers the salaries they deserve. The government hospital is in a terrible state, yet new BMWs are being bought for Lord knows what... What a lot R1.4billion could do to help our nation... Just a thought...

NOTHING CHANGES IN SWAZILAND

It is uncanny how similar the build up to Swaziland’s independence in 1968 was to the present preparations for the celebrations to mark its 40^th anniversary.

In 1968, Swaziland wanted to put on a good impression for the international community – and to get good media coverage.

Not much has changed. In 1968 the Times of Swaziland reported (22 March 1968) that up to 100 foreign journalists were to be invited to the ceremony in September that year. Someone (perhaps as a joke) had suggested the members of the Press should be expected to pay their own way into the many events that were planned for five days of celebrations. Let them pay for their own meals and drinks, it was suggested.

The Times – a bit po-faced if you ask me – thought this was a very bad idea. In an editorial it moaned, ‘It would be a mistake to underestimate the importance of the visiting press corps or to dismiss the valuable contribution they could make in presenting a fine picture of Swaziland to their readers in other countries.’

Not much has changed as we approach the 40^th anniversary, leaders in Swaziland are still hoping for a ‘good press’, the only problem for them now is that there are so many obvious human rights abuses (just look at the ban on political parties at the election as an example) for them to hide.

The Swazi King, Mswati III has also scored a couple of ‘own goals’ this time around. Allowing eight (or nine depending on which paper you read) of his wives to go on a spending spree ahead of the celebrations has led to a massive street protest in the kingdom and bad media publicity across the world.

A separate decision to allow the Swazi Government to buy 20 top of the range BMW cars for the birthday bash has exposed the King once again as someone who is irresponsible with money.

It hasn’t helped that last week it was revealed that for the second year running that King Mswati has a net worth of 200 million US dollars (about E1.4 billion).

Now, we await the party itself. Today’s Times of Swaziland (27 August 2008) reports that students at the University of Swaziland (UNISWA) have protested about the cost of the celebration, preferring the money to be spent on their scholarships.

Independence in 1968 was also planned as one big party, the Times reported at the time. There would be three days of festivities, followed by a day of ‘national prayer’ and then the actual independence ceremony. Among the festivities was an international soccer competition, a tennis contest, children displaying gymnastic skills and traditional Swazi dancing.

Beacons were to be lit across the kingdom, although the po-faced Times did warn that the beacons might cause unwanted fires because the grass was very dry.

Just as in 2008, the celebrations were organised for the people and not by the people. The Times in an editorial (21 June 1968) asked why the ‘ordinary man’ (no gender equity in those days) was not more involved in planning activities to mark independence.

It said, ‘While it is essential to coordinate festivities at a high and official level, there seems to be no reason why chiefs and societies should not press on with their own celebrations.

‘And there is no reason why individuals should not enjoy parties and get-togethers to toast the great day.

‘We feel that the ordinary man has been asked to do very little so far towards the preparations for independence celebrations.

‘“Independence belongs to you” is a theme and a slogan that should be adopted by us all as we look forward to the great times that are now only a few weeks ahead.’

So why did ‘ordinary men’ boycott the preparations for celebration? I suspect enough of them knew that ‘independence’ offered them very little. And this is how it turned out to be.

I know why today nobody outside of official circles is making preparations for the 40th anniversary. When four in ten of the population, according to a recent United Nations Development Programme report, are facing starvation, and when seven out of ten are so poor they earn less than one US dollar (E7) a day, while at the same time King Mswati III is reported to have a net worth of 200 million US dollars (E1.4 billion) and when the kingdom has the highest rate of HIV infection in the world, there is very little to celebrate.

See also
SWAZI KING SPENDING SPREE
40/40 CELEBRATION
HISTORY

ELECTION SILENCE FROM SWAZI MEDIA

The Swaziland Coalition of Concerned Organisations has issued a press release about the shortcomings of the election held in Swaziland last Saturday (23 August 2008) but it says that it has been completely ignored by the Swazi media.

I’ll leave it to you to work out why ....

Swaziland Coalition of Concerned Civic Organisations Press Statement

For Immediate Release 25 August 2008.

Swaziland Coalition of Concerned Civic Organisations is completely unsurprised at the latest election fiascos. Going by the reports in the press, there are many instances of poorly trained and ill prepared officers following badly thought out instructions, guided by incompetent rules and overseen by people who are obviously completely out of their depth.

The Coalition took its legal case on the unconstitutionality of the Elections and Boundaries Commission on three main fronts. That the EBC is not independent, that it is made up of public servants and that it does not have the relevant experience and demonstrable competence. Last weekend has demonstrated beyond a shadow of a doubt that the experience and competence necessary to run an election is just not there.

These botch-ups are not accidents, they are completely foreseeable, and a direct result of the incompetent, politically compromised, EBC being pressured to act too soon by forces from outside. Why would any independent and competent authority allow the country less than a week for nominations and rush, completely unprepared into a primary election process?

We have seen them choose to ignore sections of the 1992 Elections Order and allow candidates to attempt to bribe voters with gifts. We have seen them act outside the Order to introduce the idea of a Voters Registration Card and to ignore many of the stipulations regarding identity and for new rules to be introduced. Worst of all we have seen a system of registration introduced that allows voters from outside an inkhundla to be registered there. This leads to widespread, legalised abuses, where a candidate can persuade, bribe or bully voters to register in the candidate’s inkhundla whether or not they actually live there. This leads to the nonsensical situation of the candidates choosing the voters, not the other way around.

In light of the poor quality of their preparatory work, their utter disregard for the rights in the Constitution and their obvious lack of both independence, and the appearance of independence, The coalition previously called on the Elections and Boundaries Commissioners to resign. It repeats that call now. Under this system and with these Commissioners, elections cannot be free, fair or credible. In God’s name GO.

The Coalition is not optimistic of the Commissioners showing even the least shred of decency and so we call upon the normal people of Swaziland to support our case. If you know of any examples of elections mis-management, behaviour or administration please contact our office. People of Swaziland, your votes are being stolen from under your nose. If you want them to count for something call 505 5911.

For more information please contact Musa Hlophe

+268 604 8988

+268 505 5911

sccco@swazi.net

NIGHTMARE HOLIDAY IN SWAZILAND

Swaziland Tourist Authority has started an international media campaign to sell the joys of the kingdom abroad.

The Swazi Observer reported (19 August 2008) that journalists from the United Kingdom and South Africa would visit Swaziland in September.

I hope they have a better time than one tourist who visited Swaziland.

The Times newspaper in the UK once ran a competition in which it asked readers to write about the worst holiday they had ever had.

One reader, Moira Rowan, wrote about Swaziland. Anyone who has enjoyed the Swazi concept of ‘customer service’ will instantly recognise Rowan’s story. And is there a woman alive in Swaziland who hasn’t had marriage proposed to her by a builder?

Rowan’s account did not win the competition – I shudder to think what the poor soul who did win had to endure.

A few years ago, I went on holiday to Swaziland. I arranged that the hotel would pick me up from Manzini airport and paid for a transfer. Problems started in Cape Town. The small aircraft to Swaziland had no luggage loading facility, so we lined up on the runway and indicated our bags, which were marked with a white chalk cross.

Among the passengers was a family of four from the USA who had 24 bags between them and they could not identify their luggage easily, which held up the flight. Once ready, another passenger decided he wanted to get off. The hostess tried to calm him down by pushing him into his seat, a fight broke out and the fed up captain stopped the plane at the end of the runway and evicted the passenger.

We arrived 90 minutes late at Manzini: there was no transfer. I phoned the hotel, they seemed stunned that I had arrived. I was left for three hours at the airport: every half an hour I would phone the hotel and ask what was happening. As they were about to close the airport, the hotel said I should get a taxi and they would pay.

I noted that there seemed to be little left of the hotel - I was then told by the taxi driver that it had been destroyed by a fire. He said there was one wing left, so I went inside and they said I could stay in this one room.

I was the only paying guest, the rest of the guests were builders. The following morning I woke with the building vibrating. I formed a truce that they would not start work till I was up.

The promise of tours did not exist, but the foreman felt sorry for me and told his driver to take me out when I wanted. I met some interesting locals, and members of the Royal family.

The foreman also proposed to me, but I decided that this holiday was a disaster and returned home early - Moira Rowan, Wimbledon, London

Times (London) 30 June 2006

SWAZI KING 'SCREWBALL'

Mampara of the week King Mswati III

Published:Aug 24, 2008

Sunday Times, South Africa

Royal Swazi screwball

Even though he has the hormones of a randy teenager, Africa’s lastremaining absolute monarch, King Mswati III of Swaziland, turns 40this year.

Many of his subjects in the poverty-stricken kingdom are not going tobe lucky enough to live to that age.

Nevertheless, ahead of the celebrations, eight of his 13 wives, theirchildren and an entourage to match, went on an international shoppingexpedition, in a chartered jet, so that the queens might look“radiant” for the big day.

When women in Swaziland marched in protest against this waste ofmoney, they were told their actions were “unSwazi”.In recognition of his failing to put his people before his libido, we declare the randy king a right royal Mampara.

Link: http://www.thetimes.co.za/PrintEdition/Insight/Article.aspx?id=828748

SWAZIS MARCH AGAINST MONARCHY

SWAZILAND: "We are dying, they are flying!"

22 Aug 2008 15:40:00 GMT

Source: IRIN

MBABANE, 22 August 2008 (IRIN) - Several hundred Swazis, including people living with HIV, marched on 21 August to highlight the need for government to prioritise funding to alleviate the humanitarian crises in the country.

The protestors had been spurred by reports that eight of King Mswati's 13 wives had taken a trip to the Middle East and Asia. The King's Office at Lozitha Palace, 30km east of the capital, Mbabane, would not reveal the nature of their trip, but the Swazi media noted that the wives were taking advantage of school holidays to travel with their children.

"This is the first time commoners have risen up to say, 'Enough! The country's resources must not just be used by royalty. What about the masses?' said Amanda Dlamini, one of the marchers.

"King Mswati declared AIDS a national emergency, and said if nothing is done there will be no Swaziland. But we are dying, and they [the royal family] are flying."

Two-thirds of Swaziland's people live in chronic poverty, according to the UN Development Programme, and 26 percent of adults are HIV-positive, giving Swaziland the highest HIV prevalence rate in the world.

After the worst ever harvest in 2007, production improved in 2008 but is still below the national requirement, while the global food and fuel crisis has further contributed to the chronic food insecurity affecting more than 20 percent of the population.

"I was dismayed when I learnt that not only had the wives travelled, but their bodyguards, maids and children were flown, too," said protest organiser Siphiwe Hlope, Director of Swazis for Positive Living (SWAPOL), an AIDS support organisation founded by HIV-positive women.

"There are many problems that are engulfing the country and, as we speak, there is a shortage of not only antiretroviral drugs but other drugs in our hospitals. The elderly do not get their pensions, but public funds are used for the queens' travel," said Hlope.
The first-ever march to protest royal activities drew blistering attacks from royal and government officials. Government spokesperson Percy Simelane and traditional Prime Minister Jim Gama condemned the marchers' plan to wear black as an affront to traditional mourning customs.

"Women do not take to the streets! Do they have permission from their husbands to do this?" Gama said to reporters.

Without revealing how the queens' trips were financed, King Mswati's older brother, Prince Jahmnyama Dlamini, said, "People always think that the royalty uses taxpayers' money at all times; the royal family has its own properties and [is wealthy]."

The march moved through the streets of downtown Mbabane at a slow pace to accommodate marchers who were HIV-positive, while some women lay down on the pavement to demonstrate the effects of starvation.

Jan Sithole, Secretary-General of the Swaziland Federation of Trade Unions (SFTU), was detained and questioned by police while the march was taking place and could not participate.

Sithole said a major workers' demonstration was planned for 3 September, three days before King Mswati's 40th birthday celebration, which has been declared a national holiday and will be marked by publicly financed celebrations.

The daily Times of Swaziland newspaper commented on 22 August: "How the king wants to move this country forward, either through power-sharing or absolute control, will determine if the monarchy has another 40 years to celebrate."

Link http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/IRIN/417a3cefed96a18d8aee4564402d5a21.htm

SWAZI UNION LEADER ARRESTED

Swaziland: Country's Police Arrest Trade Union Leader

The Namibian (Windhoek)
22 August 2008

The last remaining absolute monarchy in Africa has again showed its contempt for democratic opposition and dissent by instructing Swazi police to arrest Jan Sithole, the general secretary of the Swaziland Federation of Trade Unions (SFTU).

The Brussels-based International Federation of Trade Union (IFTU) has condemned the arrest and has called for his immediate release.

"The ITUC strongly protests against the arrest of Jan Sithole, secretary general of the Swaziland Federation of Trade Unions (SFTU), by the Swazi authorities," it said on its online news.

According to the information received by the ITUC, Sithole has been subjected to intense harassment following a recent march organized by trade unions and other civil society groups against the participation of Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe and King Mswati III of Swaziland in a meeting of Southern African Development Community (SADC).

In a letter sent to the authorities, the ITUC urged Prime Minister Dlamini to ensure the immediate release of Jan Sithole and guarantee that no charges are made against him.

The ITUC called on the government of Swaziland to respect ILO Convention 87 on freedom of association and the right to organise, which Swaziland has ratified and is therefore obliged to respect.

"Once again, Swaziland's rulers have demonstrated their authoritarian nature by this illegitimate and unacceptable harassment and arrest of a trade union leader in violation of fundamental rights enshrined in international law," said ITUC General Secretary Guy Ryder.



Link http://allafrica.com/stories/200808220557.html



SSN PRESS RELEASE ON THE- ARREST OF JAN SITHOLE/
NOTICE OF PROTESTS
23 August 2008

The Swaziland Solidarity Network Network [SSN] condemns in strongest terms the arrest of general secretary of Swaziland Federation of Trade Unions (SFTU), Jan Sithole. These tactics of harassment, detention and torture are evidence of a tyrant regime – displayed by all similar regimes throughout the history of mankind. Just like many of those undemocratic regimes, the REGIME OF SWAZILAND WILL FALL. No unjust government can continue its rule forever.

The whites of South Africa thought they could suppress and oppressive its people forever – they failed – so will Mswati and his cronies. Recently the regime spokesperson lied when he said that Sobhuza and Mswati were allies of the ANC – they were puppets paid and bought by the apartheid regime and they actively suppressed ANC operatives allowing the apartheid regime a free hand. We in SSN will not forget this betrayal of Mswati. Moreover we will forget the poverty and suffering of the majority of Swazis in the hands of royal family that steals taxpayers money.

It is in this light that Comrade Jan Sithole is arrested and harassed. Comrade Jan stands and fights for everything that is just and democratic, while the regime is unjust and undemocratic. Therefore, they will do anything in their power to weaken and oppress the forces of Goodness and Justice. They will fail! Their arrest only strengthen the democratic forces. Their harassment only makes us all more determined to support the democratic forces of Swaziland.

We condemn SADC's appointment of undemocratic Mswati as chair of the troika. It is indicative of the lack of leadership in Southern Africa. However the days of Mswati's comfort in SADC meetings is coming to end. We will do everything in our power to assist the democratic forces of Swaziland led by PUDEMO, to expose the undemocratic regime.

The Swazi regime is getting ready to waste tax payers money on the 40/40 celebrations – this is the Kings Birthday and Swazi pseudo-independence Day. We condemn such extravagance while the people are hungry and dying of AIDS.

As SSN we will protest against this 40/40 celebrations on Sept 6 and the sham elections on Sept. 19, 2008. We condemn the undemocratic royal "rubber stamp" elections under the conditions of banned political parties and free speech. We condemn such elections under harassment and arrest of our comrades. We condemn such elections that results in a puppet government while Mswati still holds dictatorial powers over the legislature, judiciary, and executive.

Details of Protest:
1. Protest 1: Against the King Birthday/ Independence Celebration 40\40
Date: 6 Sept. 2008
Venue: Swazi Embassy, cnr 715 Government Avenue and Blackwood Street, Arcadia, Pretoria
Time: 10am to 1pm

2. Protest 2: Against the sham elections
Date: 19 Sept 2008
Venue: Swazi Embassy, cnr 715 Government Avenue and Blackwood Street, Arcadia, Pretoria

We want to congratulate PUDEMO on its extra-ordinary congress in Nelspruit, South Africa, because it is banned on its own home soil. We are confident that they will develop a program to bring down the arrogance Mswati and his cronies. The DAYS OF MSWATI ARE NUMBERED!

For more information contact
Lucky Lukhele- SSN spokesperson
Cell: 072 502 4141

SWAZI KING SPENDING SPREE

MBABANE – At least 20 posh BMW 750i sedans, to be used to transport VIPs during the 40/40 celebrations, arrived in the country on Tuesday night.

Each of these vehicles is worth more than E916 000.

This means that for 20 vehicles, government could have parted with at least E22 million (nearly 4 million US dollars).

The vehicles arrived through the Ngwenya Border post, aboard three trucks.

It has been established that the cars will be sold soon after the 40/40 celebration, to be held on September 6, 2008.


For more see the Times of Swaziland
Link http://www.times.co.sz/News/810.html

CENSORSHIP AT SWAZI ‘TIMES’ WEBSITE

Normal service has resumed in Swaziland.

The Times of Swaziland newspaper website has deleted the frank – and frankly outspoken – comments readers left over the past days about what they see as the lack of democracy in the kingdom, the corrupt King Mswati III, and the arrogance of Swazi ‘traditional leaders’.

A news report yesterday (18 August 2008) that attracted most criticism involved the ‘traditional Prime Minister’ Jim Gama who declared it ‘uncultural’ for women to engage in a protest march.

The women were (and still are) demanding answers to why eight of the King’s 13 wives had gone on a trip to the Middle East, along with family, bodyguards, maids and assorted hangers-on. The suspicion is that they are on a huge shopping trip ahead of Swaziland’s 40/40 celebrations early next month (September 2008).

Some people had detected a new openness on the part of the Times newspaper by allowing readers to air honestly-held opinions about life in Swaziland. Personally, I never bought into that. In July 2008 I published research that showed just how much the media in Swaziland are censored (especially by the monarchy) and how they censor themselves to avoid offending monarchy. The Times’ website went against that. I reckon what we saw wasn’t a new spirit of freedom; rather it was poor management at the Times which didn’t realise what was going on, until it was pointed out. The moment managers found out, they pulled the plug.

We must wait and see whether comments are allowed on the website ever again. If they are allowed, I suppose they will be ‘moderated’ (i.e censored) before they appear. One thing is for certain, the comments that have been published on the website from readers show there is a lot of genuine ill feeling out there towards the King, his government, and ‘traditional leaders’. The censors might not want us to read about it, but there is no denying the fact of its existence.

See also
KING ATTACKED ON SWAZI WEBSITE

SWAZILAND KING AND THE PR FIRM

Swaziland’s King Mswati III uses a controversial public relations company to project a positive image of himself to the world.

The King has chosen Eligo International, based in London, UK, for the job. The King’s contract with Eligo is not public knowledge in Swaziland.

The King’s move might come as a surprise to some people, but if you think about it from the King’s point of view you can see why he needs help over the coming month.

Swaziland faces a controversial election, in which political parties have been banned and which is widely seen internationally as a sham because the parliament that is being elected has no powers.

Also taking place over the next month in the kingdom are celebrations of both the King’s 40th birthday and the 40th anniversary of Swaziland’s independence from Britain. The celebrations are expected to cost upwards of E25 million (nearly 4 million US dollars).

These events will almost certainly put Swaziland in the international spotlight, more than it has been since 2004 and 2005 when the world learned that the King was spending lavishly on himself and his wives (remember all those expensive cars and new palaces) while 70 percent of Swaziland’s population lived in abject poverty, earning less than one US dollar a day (E7).

In some respects, Eligo might be a good choice for the King. Eligo, on its website, boasts that it deals in ‘crisis management’ for countries and statesmen. 

The website says, ‘We have also in times of national and international trouble succeeded in defending a country’s image against media and public attack through setting up issues and crisis management systems.’ 

As my report on censorship and self-censorship in the Swazi media published last month (July 2008) demonstrated, King Mswati has a tight control over what is said about him in Swaziland. He doesn’t have such a control of the international media, and that is why (I assume) he has felt the need to take on a public relations company.

Eligo is so proud of its association with King Mswati that on its website it boasts that he is one of its customers.

Other customers include Prince Khalid Al-Faisal of Saudi Arabia (a country with an even worse human rights record than Swaziland).

‘Our clients continue to be international leaders, royalty, cabinet ministers, ambassadors and high commissioners as well as many other public figures,’ Eligo says.

But Eligo has been embroiled in controversy for many years. In 2005, the Sunday Times, London, UK, reported (13 March 2005) that Eligo had tried to give the UK Labour Party a donation of 500,000 British pounds (about E8 million).

The Labour Party, although in debt to the tune of five million British pounds, decided not to take the money after it made background checks on Anthony Bailey, Eligo’s owner.

Bailey is known for his love of litigation, so from here on in everything said in this blogpost about him should be viewed as allegations.

The Sunday Times reported, ‘A senior Labour party source said of Bailey: “Questions have been raised about this man and his wealth. We just weren’t happy to take his money.”’

The Sunday Times continued, ‘Bailey first came to public attention in the mid-1990s. He was arrested for allegedly working alongside Prince Michael of Kent’s then private secretary in an attempt to blackmail a man who claimed to be a Libyan prince. The charges were thrown out by the courts.’

Some of the companies Eligo has worked for are also embroiled in controversy. The Sunday Times reported Eligo.s clients included, ‘BAE Systems, the defence firm under investigation by the [UK] Serious Fraud Office; and businesses owned by Nadhmi Auchi, an Iraqi-born industrialist with legal problems in France.’

According to Eligo’s website, the company has also acted for exiled royals from Libya, Ethiopia and Greece.

I’ll leave it to your imagination to decide why King Mswati III chose this particular company to do his bidding. Any suggestion that it was Eligo’s expertise in working with ‘exiled royals’ is pure speculation.

See also
CENSORSHIP AND THE SWAZI MEDIA

SWAZI WOMEN TOLD ‘DO NOT MARCH’

Constitution? What constitution? This week Swaziland’s ‘traditional’ prime minister (the one people actually take notice of, rather than the one in Parliament) announced that women were not allowed to go on marches, because it was ‘uncultural’.

Jim Gama was quoted by the Times of Swaziland yesterday (18 August 2008) saying, ‘Culturally, a woman does not participate in a march. It is traditionally not allowed. Even if they are aggrieved, they should not march.’

The Times reported, ‘Ludzidzini Governor Jim Gama said it was wrong, uncultural and completely unacceptable for women to march.’

The newspaper went on, ‘Gama said women ought to seek permission from their husbands to see if they could participate in activities of this kind.’

What Gama and ‘traditionalists’ like him have failed to notice is that since 2005 Swaziland has a constitution. This constitution allows for freedom of assembly (i.e. freedom to march) and gender equity (i.e. women can do what they like as long as it is within the law without the permission of anyone, let alone their husbands).

The Times reported that two organisations, the Women's Coalition and the Swaziland Positive Living (SWAPOL), want to march to the Prime Minister’s office (that’s the ‘real’ PM Themba Dlamini, not the ‘traditional’ PM) ‘to seek clarity on where the funds to finance a royal trip late last week had been sourced.

‘These organisations are mainly concerned about the departure of eight of His Majesty King Mswati III’s 13 wives late last week to the Middle East for an undisclosed mission.’

There has been some rude speculation (not carried on the Swazi media) that the wives have gone on a shopping spree ahead of the 40/40 double celebrations to mark the King’s 40th birthday and the 40th anniversary of Swaziland’s independence from Great Britain, which will take place in the first week of September.

The Times reported that Gama ‘said it boggled the mind to cogitate about the reasons that had irked the Women's Coalition particularly because the Emakhosikati's [the wives] trip was a national event, which could benefit the country. However, Gama did not want to delve much on the details of the trip for unspecified reasons.’

The Times reported, ‘The Women's Coalition has planned to meet today to finalise logistics of the march. Their concerns are that the funds used to charter a private jet to fly the king's wives, bodyguards, children and maids to the Middle East should have been used in other ways to benefit needy people in the country.

‘Their observation is that HIV people in the country were struggling to get their medication yet funds are used on projects they do not even understand. They say elderly people sometimes go without grants yet public funds are used to hire a private plane for such a trip.

‘As such, the coalition and SWAPOL’s Director, Siphiwe Hlophe, said they would dress in black to show their grief on this issue when they march to seek clarification from the PM and Sithole on where and how the money for the trip was obtained.’

Personally, I am pleased the women will wear ‘mourning black’. Maybe they are following my suggestion that all Swazi who love democracy wear black until the 40/40 celebrations are over.

The idea of the women wearing black has hit a sore spot as far as Swazi Government spokesperson Percy Simelane is concerned. The Times reported him saying ‘that those gowns symbolise mourning and should not be worn when one marches to the government offices.’

The Times reported, ‘However, SWAPOL’s Director Siphiwe Hlophe said they would certainly wear black clothes because they were mourning for the country's economy part of which they generate through paying tax.’

FOOTNOTE. The Times on its website carries many readers comments on this story, including one that purports to come from King Mswati III himself. In it the ‘King’ says he fully supports the women on the march and he is ‘pissed off’ with the likes of Gama.

Does anybody at the Times read this website?

See also
IN MOURNING FOR SWAZI DEMOCRACY

OPINION TURNING AGAINST SWAZI KING

However much the ruling elite might want to deny it, the fact is that opinion is turning against Swaziland’s King Mswati III.

The more people look at Swaziland the more they can see that it is not a democracy and that King Mswati is an absolute ruler.

The King has been in the spotlight recently because of his role in the South African Development Community (SADC) and the work he and others have been doing to try to get some form of settlement after the Zimbabwean election was stolen by Robert Mugabe.

The Swazi King’s role in all this has come into question because he rules a kingdom that has banned political parties, that has a parliament that is just a rubber stamp for the King’s wishes and where the King himself appoints the Prime Minister. The present Prime Minister Themba Dlamini was appointed by the King even though Dlamini had not been elected to Parliament.

The Times of Swaziland website is increasingly receiving (and publishing) anti-Mswati comments (some of which appear to originate from within Swaziland itself). International opinion is also turning against the King.

Today (18 August 2008) the Mail and Guardian (South Africa) website has a blogpost that in my mind sums up the criticism that King Mswati is getting.

Sentletse Diakanyo writes, ‘I have often wondered whether King Sobhuza II had not sat down his son, King Mswati III, during his formative years and taught him the responsibilities that the monarchy had to its people. Mswati’s early coronation at the tender age of 18 years wrenched him into a premature burden of responsibility; it deprived him of his youth and immediately thrust him into the realm of adulthood and statesmanship.

‘It has become apparent during Mswati’s reign of pillaging the kingdom’s resource that either his father never warned him to the shamefulness of a hand caught in the cookie jar or perchance the young king is only defiant.

‘Mswati’s reign since 1986 in Swaziland has been a tragic affair. More than 40% of a tiny population of just over a million is unemployed and a staggering 70% live below the poverty line; all this while Mswati and his entourage of young wives live an existence of opulent extravagance.

‘Mswati is simply stealing from his people, whom he has subjected to an ignoble and pitiful existence. His people have to contend with dehumanising conditions of abject poverty, often resulting in thousands of half-naked maidens parading themselves and dancing to the drooling monarchy with the hope of marriage to the king extracting them and their family from poverty.’

You can read more of his article by clicking here. It is also possible to add you own comments to the website.

A SLICE OF LIFE IN SWAZILAND

One side for blacks, the other for whites

Times of Swaziland

18 August 2008

EZULWENI- It is common knowledge to regular visitors of The Gables shopping complex here, that there are two hairdressing and beauty salons – one for black people and one for whites.

They are owned by the same person.

Ask any of the tenants or security guards for directions to a salon and they will direct you to the one most suitable for you – or maybe it is the one you are most suitable for.

"The one for black people is on the other side," said a security guard approached by reporters from this newspaper for directions. The reporters had not informed him that they were working for this newspaper. They had simply asked for directions to any hairdressing salon.

Ironically, when the guard was approached, he was patrolling right next to the ‘whites-only’ salon. He said reporters could try their luck in there, but he was not sure if they would be helped. The reporters decided to visit the one said to be for white people only and confirmed that it did not give any assistance to people with curly hair.

"We only help white people here," a black assistant said to a female reporter who posed as a potential client.

She was directed to the other side of the building, where blacks got all the attention they deserved.

It has been established that the beauty parlours, trading under the name The Salon, are run by Ethel Leroux, who is trained to work only on people who have ‘straight’ hair. "I am not racist," she said when she was contacted for comment. "I would not be in Swaziland if I was racist. I am just not qualified to work on curly hair. This is not about race."

She said curly and straight hair required different expertise as well as different chemicals. She said the side of the salon on which she works does not stock chemicals for black people.

She was asked if this would not be possible.

"I get the chemicals from Johannesburg," she responded.

She said she did not stock relaxers, hair extensions and other stuff because "we don’t use them."

Ethel said she would mess up the hair of any black person if she could try to work on it because she was not qualified. She said that would not be fair to the person with curly hair.

She was asked why she did not stock the chemicals within her salon and hire people qualified to work on curly hair to assist her.

"That is why I opened the other salon," was her response.

She said she could not have operated a salon that catered for both black and white people because there was not enough space. "This is a space issue. There is nothing horrible about it. I mean, we are all people, aren’t we?" she said.

She later stated that she was in the process of selling the other salon to a lady she identified as Busi.

"I do my people and she does her people," she said. "It will not be for long that the salon will remain under one name." The issue had been brought to the attention of this newspaper by unhappy customers.

However, Ethel said she had never thought of this as an issue.

SWAZI PROTEST OVER BENT ELECTION

Some Swazi residents are threatening to boycott the national election, claiming they are undemocratic and their democratic right to freely choose their preferred Member of Parliament is being trampled upon.

Both Swaziland’s daily newspapers have been covering a dispute at the Ngudzeni constituency, which could be a small example of what is happening more generally in the kingdom.

The residents are angry because their preferred choice of candidate for MP was not allowed to register as a candidate.

The Times of Swaziland on Friday (15 August 2008) reported, ‘The voters feel that their democratic right to freely choose their preferred Member of Parliament is being trampled upon.

‘More than 150 Ngudzeni residents unanimously agreed that it is either Dumsani Ndlangamandla is allowed to join the election race or none amongst them will cast a vote for any other candidate.

‘“I will simply stay at home and not cast my vote because then I would be betraying my conscience knowing that I am voting for the wrong person,” Lindiwe Mamba said.

‘Her words were echoed by Bongi Dlamini who was adamant in stating that going to vote will not be an option for them as long as their candidate is not part of the nominees.

‘“It’s either Ndlangamandla or no vote for us,” Dlamini briefly said.’

‘Leader of the residents Senzo Mamba said: “the democratic right of the people is being blatantly violated and this needs to be corrected.”

‘“In order to avoid any violent situation, the elections team should allow the people to determine their candidate instead of a situation where it would seem candidates are imposed on the electorate,” Sibusiso Shongwe said.

‘Ndlangamandla was denied nomination by election officials after he failed to produce a letter from his employer giving him permission to take part in the elections.’

The Swazi Observer on the same day (15 August 2008) reported, ‘The residents said they wanted Ndlangamandla because they could relate to him as he had been living with them for years.
‘“We are tired of people who come home during elections and after they go to parliament they never think of us,” said a resident.
‘Ndlangamandla was nominated in Ndushulwini under Ngudzeni.’
The angry residents forced the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC), the discredited organisation that is running the elections, to consider allowing Ndlangamandla to stand, but the Weekend Observer reported (16 August 2008) that the EBC ruled that the time for nominations were over so Ndlangamandla could not stand.
According to the Observer (15 August 2008), other candidates had been allowed to stand even though they had not completed the same formalities required of Ndlangamandla.
I was interested to see a reader left the following comment on the Times’ website. It demonstrates that not everybody in Swaziland believes that the Swazi elections are valid.
You will also note that the writer calls for King Mswati III ‘to get the hell out of politics’. Such criticism of the Swazi monarchy is not a viewpoint that newspapers in Swaziland are supposed to carry.

‘Protests against the undemocratic elections from different sectors of society point to the fact that elections in Swaziland are done as a routine than a way of exercising state power. People in this area who want to boycott the elections are right but for the wrong reasons. We must expose the elections as undemocratic and entrenching the status quo than to boycott based on logistical and operational issues. We must boycott the elections and demand a free and fair democratic elections held under a constitutional monarch not the cosmetic routine that is meant to keep up politically busy. We must demand a government of the people not a government of the king. Let the king get the hell out of politics and allow us to govern ourselves because clearly he has failed. At least for now we still revere and want him. There will come a time where we will say enough is enough he must go.’

KING ATTACKED ON SWAZI WEBSITE

Swaziland’s King Mswati III has come under heavy attack on the Times Sunday website today (17 August 2008).

The newspaper, which last year (2007) was threatened with closure by the King because it published an article that said the King was partly responsible for Swaziland’s economic ills, has been publishing comments from its readers on its website that are overtly critical of King Mswati III.

One reader says King Mswati III ‘alone has done more damage to the country’s political situation and economy. Single-handedly, he has managed to portray Swaziland in a bad light to the whole world.’

The comment on the Times of Swaziland website refers to a report in the Times Sunday today (17 August 2008) from Sandton, South Africa, about a protest march to draw attention to the lack of democracy in Swaziland. The report appeared in both the newspaper’s print edition and also on its website.

The report quotes one participant saying, “I think there comes a time in every person’s life where we must either surrender in cowardice or fight and I think that time has come for me. I have always been afraid to state my views about the situation in Swaziland but when I heard that government was planning a 40-40 bash [to celebrate the King's 40th birthday and also the 40th anniversary of Swaziland's independence from Britain] I said enough is enough. Today I came here to show the world that Swaziland is indeed undemocratic.”

The reader’s comment published by the Times Sunday says, ‘Democracy or no democracy, things are not going well at home. So lets not try to define democracy and then justify the ills that are perpetrated by the government of His Majesty. It would be naive of us Swazis to be covered by blind loyalty to the King and his government. Truth is he alone has done more damage to the country's political situation and economy. Single-handedly, he has managed to portray Swaziland in bad light to the whole world. We might not be in a situation like that of Zimbabwe, but we cannot ignore the glaring similarities in the events that preceded the situation in that country and the situation that we are in right now. We are not far away from a total collapse of the already crumbling economy. The King has to wake up and smell the winds of change and the sweet aura that comes with that. History will judge him either as a failure or the victor that stopped the moral rote, corruption and collapse of the economy. It is up to him to decide how history will judge him. The government and the king in Swaziland should realize that a new breed of Swazis has been born and we will not be fed lies and stupid patronage to the monarchy. We deserve better leadership from our leaders, not the emptiness they are giving us. We will stand up and fight for what is just. Swaziland will be free.”’

In a separate report on the protest the Times Sunday quotes one of the march organisers, Violet Sebone, vice president of the Congress of South Africa Trade Unions (COSATU).

‘“Swaziland has the oldest state of emergency in the region, with all public institutions and decision making the monopoly and sole preserve of the royal family. There are no democratic elections, there is systemic and institutionalised corruption laced with state terror against political and worker activists. All these are founded on the basis of the 1973 King’s decree that concentrated all powers in his (king) hands. Years of convenient silence have promoted a culture of impunity and disregard for the fundamentals of democracy in the whole region.”’

This report also attracted stern criticism of King Mswati III. A reader wrote on the website,

‘There is no peace in Swaziland, but there is quietness. The people are just quiet and that cannot be viewed as peace. They are quiet because they are afraid to voice out their grievances’. The King is oppressing the poor nation by upholding up [a] 35-year-old state of emergency. In Swaziland we need to be freed, politically [and] economically.’

SWAZIS WANT INDEPENDENT RADIO

More than 90 percent of people in Swaziland say they want the state-controlled monopoly of radio in Swaziland abolished.

They want to have radio stations that are independent of government, but under the control of ordinary people. They also want radio to present impartial news and not concentrate on news about the Swazi Government or King Mswati III.

These findings are contained in research undertaken by Sibonginkosi Mamba, a student in Journalism and Mass Communication (JMC) at the University of Swaziland (UNISWA).

Mamba analysed the Swaziland Broadcasting and Information Services (SBIS) news bulletins during March and April 2008 and also interviewed listeners about their attitudes to the radio station.

Of a total of 176 items in the news bulletins, 64 percent were about the Swazi King or the Swazi Government. If a bulletin had as story about the king, it was always the lead item. If there was no story about the King, a story about the Prime Minister came first. If there were no stories about either of them, Cabinet Ministers lead the news bulletin.

The King always came first, according to Mamba, even if the story wasn’t that interesting.

For example, on one bulletin the King and Queen Mother led the news for attending a traditional brew ceremony in one of the royal residences. ‘This story led despite that there was a hot story about a government minister who it was alleged had illegally granted citizenship to foreigners and aided them to set up businesses in the country,’ Mamba said.

The study also found that ordinary people hardly feature in the news at the station (less than 4 percent of news stories were about ordinary people).

A separate study of urban and rural listeners to SBIS, undertaken by UNISWA JMC student Musa Simelane, found that every urban dweller interviewed wanted more radio stations in Swaziland.

Here are some of the main findings of Simelane’s research.

Urban dwellers showed a strong unison by 100 percent that there is a need for other radio stations in Swaziland.

There is strong agreement among urban dwellers that SBIS news is mostly about government and parliamentarians and less about ordinary citizens.

A substantial number of urban dwellers do not see SBIS radio as contributing to development and social welfare, but some agree it does.

Urban dwellers see SBIS radio as a source of educational information more than entertainment.

Urban dwellers are all in agreement that they want an all round improvement in the news content of SBIS radio in areas such as variety, balance, more views of ordinary citizens and community news.

The views of rural dwellers were not markedly different from those who live in towns, but a majority did feel that Swazis were able to freely express their opinions on the radio stations.

Simelane made a revealing note in his research about the fear some respondents had when answering his questions.

‘Some respondents, both urban and rural dwellers feared answering question 7 which asked them to agree, strongly agree or vice versa that SBIS Radio serves only the interest of government, parliamentarians and the monarchy. This fear was [because] the question had mentioned the monarchy (king). There is a fear of expressing one’s true sentiments, especially when they appear to be on the opposite side of the king.’

At the end of his research, Simelane made suggestions for improving the quality of the radio services Swazis presently receive.

He recommends, ‘Create a daily ‘no-holds-barred’ talk channel within SBIS where the public is encouraged to freely express their sentiments and debate on topical issues, especially sensitive areas like politics and leadership.

‘The talks should be coordinated by journalists who have been trained to embrace a completely different ethos, that of serving the public, not government.

‘There should be a policy that obligates government officials to honour invitations to this channel so that they cannot shun it.

‘All this should be done in good faith with the view to empower Swazis with well rounded information.’

He also recommends that to improve the quality its news coverage, SBIS needs to work on balance, variety, impartiality and community news.

‘[SBIS should] make people’s voices and views an important part of its daily broadcast. This means no more giving exclusive airtime only to government officials and parliamentarians. The radio audience should also be allowed to choose topics for discussion on any matters at least three times a week.’

To achieve these changes, Simelane recommends that SBIS should break way from government control. ‘This will free it from abrupt political interference from government officials on news content among other things.

‘It should be made autonomous, raise at least 70 percent of its own funds for operation and rely less on government subsidy.’

See also
THE CASE FOR COMMUNITY MEDIA
SBIS

‘TIMES’ LOOKED TO SWAZI FUTURE

In anticipation of the 40/40 celebrations that take place in Swaziland early next month I have been looking back at newspapers from the time the kingdom gained its independence from Great Britain in 1968.

As readers will already know Swaziland’s present king, Mswati III decided that this year his subjects should not only celebrate the anniversary of independence, but also the king’s own 40^th birthday, which occurred in April this year – hence the ‘40-40’ celebrations.

Reading the newspapers from 1968 at the time of the independence (as far as I know no newspaper reported the birth of the king) one thing that shines through is the optimism of the age. This is true not only from the Times of Swaziland (as to be expected from what was then the only newspaper published in Swaziland) but from newspapers across the world.

The reports make sad reading when you consider what has happened to Swaziland in the 40 years since independence.

I’ll write about some of the local and international coverage at another time, but for now I want to look at what the Times was saying about itself and its own role in the kingdom.

The Times, which only published once a week in those days, had a special edition on 6 September 1968, in which among other articles it wrote about its commitment to ‘the betterment of the kingdom’.

I’d be interested whether today’s journalist at the Times (or any other journalists in Swaziland) recognises themselves from this statement from 1968.

The Times of Swaziland fully supports the king [Sobhuza II] and the Government while reserving the right to offer constructive criticism.

We support all local industry and the advancement of local trade. These are the duties of any free and worthwhile newspaper in a democracy.

The betterment of the Kingdom of Swaziland and improvements in the lot of its inhabitants will always be the priority and we shall not fail in our task of reporting all such legislation and beneficial agreements that will help to achieve that end.

Neither shall we hesitate to report any other views expressed by those outside government, even if they differ from the official viewpoint. The main condition governing the publication of those views will be to answer the vital question: is it good for Swaziland?

Justice must not only be done it must be seen to be done. The courts of Swaziland are famous for their impartiality and wisdom of decision. The Times of Swaziland believes implicitly in a free judiciary and will carry in its columns reports of judgements that are essential to the preservation of the ideals of law and order.

No man, no matter what his rank or position, is free from the rule of law in our kingdom. If a man commits a misdemeanour, and if it is in the public interest that a report shall appear, then it will.

We believe in the future of Swaziland. We believe in the King and in the Cabinet and Government, for we believe they are honest men of integrity who love their country, and who want to do their best for it.

We offer then our support, and pray that with guidance from the Almighty, they will continue to make decisions for the benefit of all the people of Swaziland.