Swaziland Senator Princess Phumelele says woman have duty to give husbands sex on demand

A member of parliament and member of the Royal Family in Swaziland (eSwatini) Senator Princess Phumelele said women had a duty to allow their husbands to have sex with them and they should not refuse.

She also criticised parliament for passing the Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence (SODV) Act in 2018.

The eSwatini Observer (formerly Swazi Observer) reported, ‘She said it was wrong for women to be allowed to refuse their spouses conjugal rights yet it was their responsibility to do so.’

It added, ‘She said she wondered how the Act was passed by Parliament because some of the legislators were against it, seeing that they cause more violence as it would be difficult for men to accept that their wives would sometimes refuse to help them sexually.’

The Observer reported she said if wives wanted to be sexually satisfied, the husbands had to be responsible for that satisfaction. If any of the parties wanted sexual satisfaction, there should be no reason for the other party to refuse.

Later, Women and Law in Southern Africa (WLSA) Director Xolani Hlatjwako said, ‘Women have the right to say no in any circumstance, even if they’re married. We had advocated for the inclusion of marital rape in the SODV for this very reason: so that it may be known that women are not objects for men’s sexual pleasure.’

She told the Observer, ‘Princess Phumelele, for someone in her position, owes the nation an apology and should retract her statement.’

The Princess, along with all other Senators in Swaziland, is not elected but appointed by King Mswati III, sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch.

In April 2018 Princess Phumelele told a consultative meeting with the Senate Deputy Prime Minister’s office portfolio committee that married women who did not want to be raped by their husbands should avoid sleeping in the bedroom.

The Swazi Observer, reported at the time that the Princess, ‘said in the event a wife was not in the mood to engage in sexual activities they should not sleep in the same room as their husbands so that they don’t find themselves in a tricky situation. 

‘She said long ago Swazi women would go back home in the event they were faced with such problems in their marital home.’

The newspaper reported her saying, ‘Do not allow him to touch or play with you because he might think you are playing hard to get.’

In traditional Swazi culture women are treated as children who are owned by their menfolk (usually their husbands or fathers.) They have no legal rights.

In October 2017, four in six married women interviewed by a newspaper in Swaziland said their husbands had the right to rape them. The Swazi News reported some wives said their husbands deserved sex whenever they wanted.

See also

Princess's ‘solution’ to marital rape

https://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2018/04/princesss-solution-to-marital-rape.html

Swaziland Govt. Minister wants to monitor all foreign ambassadors and score their usefulness

The Swaziland (eSwatini) Government will monitor the United States Ambassador to the kingdom and other senior foreign diplomats to see how well they ‘market’ the kingdom, if Senator Thuli Dladla, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, gets her way.

Dladla wants a ‘scorecard’ to be kept for each ambassador based on how many investors they bring into the kingdom.

The Minister made her remarks in the House of Assembly after several members criticised a speech made by Lisa Peterson, the US Ambassador to Swaziland.

Peterson had criticised the absolute monarch King Mswati III for his lavish spending on luxury Rolls-Royce and BMW cars. He had bought at least 15 Rolls-Royce cars for his wives and the government, which he personally appointed, bought a total of 126 BMW cars and motorbikes, for escort duties.

It had earlier been reported by the online newspaper the Swaziland News that Ambassador Peterson and other ambassadors were now under police surveillance.

Dladla told the House all ambassadors accredited to the kingdom would be called in for a meeting, the Times of eSwatini reported.

The Times added, ‘The minister said there would be score cards for ambassadors based on how many investors they managed to bring into the country, including how well they marketed the kingdom from the various stations.’

Later a US Embassy spokesperson said, Ambassador Peterson’s remarks were guided by principles of the eSwatini Constitution that allowed for freedom of expression. 

See also

Threat to censor U.S. Ambassador to Swaziland after criticism of King’s lavish spending

https://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2019/11/threat-to-censor-us-ambassador-to.html

King of impoverished Swaziland takes delivery of 79 luxury BMW cars worth US$6 million

https://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2019/11/king-of-impoverished-swaziland-takes.html
 

U.S. Ambassador calls for repeal of decree that makes Swaziland an absolute monarchy

https://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2018/11/us-ambassador-calls-for-repeal-of.html

Move to call textile workers’ pay strike in Swaziland as firms give gifts to King

A trade union representing textile workers in Swaziland (eSwatini) is planning a strike before Christmas, accusing Taiwanese-owned businesses in the kingdom of colluding with the government to underpay employees.

They say the money the companies save will be presented to absolute monarch King Mswati III as tetfulo (gifts).

The Swaziland News, an online newspaper, reported on Tuesday that such gifts were normally given by people who wanted favours from the King.

The News reported Warnder Mkhonza, the Secretary General of the Amalgamated Trade Union of Swaziland (ATUSWA), said most Taiwanese investors had royal connections. 

It added, ‘Mkhonza said they have noted that Taiwan was now funding government operations through various donations while on the other hand, workers are complaining of low wages.’

The News quoted Mkhonza saying, ‘Our country has become more like a Taiwanese colony and this has negative impact in the lives of the working class particularly the textile workers. The Taiwanese donate millions for social responsibility projects including cultural events like Incwala and Umhlanga. This happens while workers are complaining of low wages and government is staggering in addressing this issue because our authorities are highly connected and personally benefiting from Taiwan.’

The News added, ‘Mkhonza said the Taiwanese might be doing all this because they have since realized that corruption was legitimate in the country and running in the veins of the royal family.’

Mistreatment of workers in the textile industry in Swaziland has been known for many years and workers have staged strikes and other protests to draw attention to the situation.

ATUSWA is campaigning for a minimum wage of at least E3,000 (about US$250) per month. At present, it is reported most textile workers earn between E1,300 and E1,500 per month. They are supported by the Trade Union Congress of Swaziland (TUCOSWA). ATUSWA reported workers had been sacked for trying to join the union.

In July 2014 a survey of the Swazi textile industry undertaken by the Trade Union Congress of Swaziland (TUCOSWA) revealed workers were subjected to harsh and sometimes abusive conditions, many of the kingdom’s labour laws were routinely violated by employers, and union activists were targeted by employers for punishment. More than 90 percent of workers surveyed reported being punished by management for making errors, not meeting quotas or missing shifts. 

More than 70 percent of survey respondents reported witnessing verbal and physical abuse in their workplace by supervisors.

In its report on human rights in Swaziland in 2013, the US State Department said wage arrears, particularly in the garment industry, were a problem. It said, ‘workers complained that wages were low and that procedures for getting sick leave approved were cumbersome in some factories. The minimum monthly wage for a skilled employee in the industry - including sewing machinists and quality checkers - was E1,128 (US$113 at the time). Minimum wage laws did not apply to the informal sector, where many workers were employed.

‘The garment sector also has a standard 48-hour workweek, but workers alleged that working overtime was compulsory because they had to meet unattainable daily and monthly production quotas.’

In September 2014 hundreds of workers at Tex Ray were affected by poisonous chemical fumes at the factory in Matsapha. Many needed hospital treatment and the factory was closed for several days.

In May 2015, it was estimated 3,000 people in the textile industry lost their jobs when the United States withdrew trading benefits under the Africa Growth Opportunities Act (AGOA) because of Swaziland’s poor record on human rights which included workers’ rights.

Swaziland makes a lot of its relationship with Taiwan. It is the only nation in Africa that officially recognises Taiwan. In 2018 Taiwan gave the King US$1.3 million towards the cost of his 50^th birthday celebration. In April 2018 the King called on the United Nations to admit Taiwan to the organisation. Taiwan, which calls itself the Republic of China on Taiwan, is not recognised by the UN because the People’s Republic of China claims the territory as its own.

See also

Exploitation by Taiwan textiles

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2012/04/exploitation-by-taiwan-textiles.html

Swaziland Govt minister is far from truth when she praises media freedom in kingdom

Princess Sikhanyiso, the Minister of Information, Communication and Technology in Swaziland (eSwatini), was just plain misleading when she told a meeting of editors in the kingdom, ‘A free media is not an optional extra. Therefore it is our duty to protect media freedom.’

There is very little media freedom in Swaziland, where one of the only two daily newspapers is owned by King Mswati who rules the kingdom as an absolute monarch.

All broadcast news is controlled by the government, whose members are handpicked by the King.

Princess Sikhanyiso is a daughter of the King and was not elected by the people. In Swaziland, all political parties are banned from taking part in elections and the King appoints all government ministers. He also appoints top public servants and senior judges.

Princess Sikhanyiso made her comment on Wednesday (20 November 2019) at a meeting of the Swaziland Editors Forum.

Her comment is demonstrably false. In its most recent annual report on human rights in Swaziland covering 2018, the United States State Department stated, ‘The constitution and law provide for freedom of expression, including for the press, but the government restricted this right, particularly with respect to press freedom and matters concerning the monarchy. Although no law bans criticism of the monarchy, the prime minister used threats and intimidation to restrict such criticism.

‘The law empowers the government to ban publications if it deems them “prejudicial or potentially prejudicial to the interests of defense, public safety, public order, public morality, or public health.” Many journalists practiced self-censorship. Journalists expressed fear of reporting on matters involving the monarchy.’

The report added, ‘Broadcast media remained firmly under state control. Most persons obtained their news from radio broadcasts. Access to speak on national radio is generally restricted to government officials, although a leader of the Trade Union Congress of Swaziland received an opportunity in September to share trade union frustrations and demands.’

A report compiled by Swazi Media Commentary in May 2019 detailing attacks on journalists in Swaziland during the previous 12 months revealed they had been beaten by state forces and teachers as they tried to cover public events. Two were detained at the Qatar Embassy in Mbabane, the Swazi capital, when they went to question a diplomat. A government minister called for a journalist to be arrested for taking photographs of ministerial cars parked in a public place. A former newspaper editor was questioned by police about allegations he had interviewed members of banned political organisations back in 2011.

In April 2019 it was reported that a journalist on the Swazi Observer needed hospital treatment after he was beaten by family members of a prominent bishop when he was investigating allegations of the bishop’s sexual relationship with a schoolgirl. He needed hospital treatment. Five people were later charged by police.

In July 2018, Health Minister Ndlela-Simelane called on police to arrest a Swazi Observer journalist who was photographing government ministers’ cars outside the Deputy Prime Minister’s office. She demanded that the photographs be deleted which the journalist did. The newspaper had previously published a report about government ministers’ BMW cars being in a bad state of repair. It was checking a government claim that the vehicles had been repaired and were back on the road.

In August 2018, police and prison warders beat up a Times of Swaziland journalist and demanded he delete photographs he took of them attacking and shooting at striking textile workers at Nhlangano. The reporter was treated in hospital. More than 200 paramilitary police and correctional facility warders with riot shields, helmets and batons had been at Nhlangano. It had been the third police attack on workers in a week.

Human rights groups condemned the attack. The Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Zimbabawe chapter called on the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to investigate Swaziland after a series of ‘state-sponsored violations against journalists’.

It called the police attack, ‘an increasingly worrying development involving state security agents’. It pointed out that in February 2018 a photojournalist with the Swazi Observer had also been attacked after he took pictures of a convoy of overcrowded vehicles transporting prison wardens.

MISA called the attacks, ‘a direct attack on the rights to free expression and press freedom as explicitly protected in Section 24 of eSwatini’s Constitution. Yet State security forces continue to attack journalists with impunity.’

It called on SADC to look into ‘these continued state-sponsored violations against journalists. It is high time the regional body condemned the continued use of state security agents to violate fundamental rights such as the right to free expression and the right to access information.’

MISA Swaziland chapter said it was concerned the attacks on journalists were taking place ahead of national elections which were held in September 2018. It stated, ‘The law enforcement agents ought to know that journalists play a public service of disseminating information that emaSwati [Swazi people] need desperately to make informed decisions and choices.’ 

It added, ‘Whosoever attacks journalists in line of duty, stands accused of violating emaSwati’s constitutional right to information.’

Separately, the Panos Institute Southern Africa said the state attacks on journalists were unconstitutional. In a statementit said, ‘Journalism is not a crime, but is a freedom that must be cherished and protected by all who are concerned about the region’s development. Any attack on press freedom is a blow on the implementation of poverty eradication interventions, as the media is a strategic ally in the roll-out of national development programmes.’

In September 2018, a photojournalist with the Swazi Observer was assaulted and had his camera taken while covering  protest march by schoolteachers.  He was hit with open hands and fists and he sustained injuries on the face and body. His camera was taken but later recovered. It happened near the United States Embassy in Mbabane while teachers marched to deliver a petition seeking support in their campaign for higher salaries.

In October 2018, the Qatar embassy in Swaziland detained two journalists from the Times of Swaziland for more than an hour in the kingdom’s capital, Mbabane. The Committee to Protect Journalists reported a senior diplomat tried to make them sign a statement barring them from publishing a report about his alleged involvement in an assault.

The journalists refused to sign, saying the story was in the public interest. They were released and later went to local police to lay a charge of kidnapping. 

Times of Swaziland editor Martin Dlamini told CPJ, ‘We are shocked that our journalists could be subjected to such treatment by an ambassador. This is not just a serious attack on the local media but displays disrespect toward the country.’

In November 2018, Musa Ndlangamandla, a former editor-in-chief of the Swazi Observer and a writer for South Africa’s Mail & Guardian newspaper, was questioned by police for talking to banned political parties for articles he had written in 2011. 

He wrote on his Facebook page, ‘They told me they are building a case against me for interacting (they actually called it advertising) PUDEMO, Umbane and other entities they described as proscribed.’ 

Richard Rooney

See also

Censorship total at Swazi state media

https://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2018/05/censorship-total-at-swazi-state-media.html

Journalists say they are under threat

https://swazimedia.blogspot.co.uk/2018/05/journalists-say-they-are-under-threat.html

Editor wants media freedom inquiry

https://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2018/04/editor-wants-media-freedom-inquiry.html