Swaziland
Newsletter No. 777 – 19 May 2023
News from and about Swaziland, compiled by
Global Aktion, Denmark (www.globalaktion.dk)
in collaboration with Swazi Media Commentary (www.swazimedia.blogspot.com),
and sent to all with an interest in Swaziland - free of charge.
Critics targeted ahead of eSwatini elections
By Sambulo Dlamini, CAJ
News, 15 May 2023
MBABANE: THE reopening of traffic
violation charges against an opposition politician is dismissed as a ploy by the
King Mswati III regime to frustrate critics ahead of elections in Eswatini.
Charges
have been resuscitated against Mxolisi Ngcamphalala, Deputy General Secretary
of the Communist Party of Swaziland (CPS).
He is
also the Deputy Secretary General of the Swaziland National Association of
Teachers (SNAT).
Ngcamphalala’s
charges border around allegations of jaywalking, which is defined as crossing
or walking in the street or road unlawfully or without regard for approaching
traffic.
He was
first charged in January 2019, while walking towards a meeting of his union. He
was charged together with another CPS leader, the now late Njabulo Dlamini, who
at the time was the CPS International Secretary.
They were
on their way to a SNAT meeting, which was expected to resolve the question of a
nationwide uprising against the King Mswati III regime.
CPS noted
the resuscitation of the traffic charge takes place in the context of renewed
attacks against the trade union movement.
SNAT
President, Mbongwa Dlamini, is one of the prime targets of the regime for his
trade union work, according to the party.
“The CPS
stands by its Deputy General Secretary, as well as the SNAT President,” Thabo
Kunene, CPS General Secretary stated.
“The
regime has attacked the SNAT leadership intending to suppress and crush the
union,” he added.
Kunene
reiterated that authorities were desperate to hold undemocratic elections,
hence had sought to attack the CPS and the working-class movement by arresting
the movement’s leaders.
The main
targets in this instance are teachers and transport workers, Dlamini alleged.
The House
of Assembly elections are set for September 29. Voter registration is ongoing
until June 14.
Eswatini,
formerly Swaziland, is an absolute monarchy, the only such system existing in Africa.
All
executive, legislative and judicial powers rest with the monarchy.
In 1973,
five years after independence, King Sobhuza II suspended the constitution and
banned all political parties.
The
kingdom has faced its worst protests since 2021.
State security
are accused of killing and assaulting demonstrators.
CPS
remains defiant.
“The CPS
calls for unity among workers – and the working class at large – for the total
overthrow of the tinkhundla autocracy,” Dlamini said.
eSwatini opposition leader urges
activists to register and vote for democracy MPs
News
on Africa, 13 May
2023
The President of
the Swaziland Liberation Movement (SWALIMO), Mduduzi ‘Magawugawu’ Simelane, has
called on all democracy activists to register and vote for pro-democracy
Members of Parliament (MPs) in the upcoming 2023 national elections. Simelane
said SWALIMO intended to participate in the elections and challenge the
Tinkhundla system of governance, which he described as oppressive and
undemocratic.
Simelane made
these remarks during a live interview on the Swaziland Democratic News Facebook
page on Sunday evening, where he discussed the current political situation in
the Kingdom of Eswatini. He said SWALIMO aimed to occupy every space and cover
every corner of the country with its message of liberation and democracy.
He said SWALIMO
wanted to win at least 40 parliamentary seats in 2023 and replace the current
MPs who supported the Tinkhundla system. He said SWALIMO would vet its
potential candidates and ensure that they were committed to the principles and
ideals of social justice, equality, human rights, and dignity for all.
Simelane also
said SWALIMO wanted to take over the local councils and municipalities and use
them as platforms to mobilize and organize the masses for democratic change. He
said SWALIMO wanted to have mayors and councillors who were members of the
movement and who would not hinder its activities and protests.
Simelane said
SWALIMO was not satisfied with the status quo and did not want the 2023
elections to be conducted under the Tinkhundla system. He said SWALIMO was
pushing for a constitutional reform that would allow for a multiparty
democracy, a separation of powers, an independent judiciary, a free media, and
a respect for human rights.
He said SWALIMO
was also lobbying the international community to support its cause and put
pressure on the Eswatini government to implement democratic reforms. He said he
had recently visited Europe and met with various officials and organizations,
including the All Party Human Rights Group in London, to raise awareness about
the situation in Eswatini.
He said SWALIMO
was also working with other pro-democracy forces in Eswatini, such as political
parties, trade unions, civil society groups, students, and religious leaders,
to form a united front against the Tinkhundla system. He said SWALIMO was open
to dialogue and cooperation with anyone who shared its vision of a democratic
Eswatini.
He urged all Eswatini citizens who wanted democracy to join SWALIMO and support its struggle. He said SWALIMO was a non-profit organization that relied on donations from its members and supporters. He said SWALIMO had branches across the country and welcomed anyone who wanted to be part of the movement.
See also
Two-year
imprisonment for telling people not to vote
http://www.times.co.sz/news/140169-2-yr-imprisonment-for-telling-people-not-to-vote.html
Press freedom in Africa: eSwatini ranks low in index
By Waqas Arain
BNN Network, 13 May 2023
The Press Freedom Crisis in eSwatini: In the 2023 World Press
Freedom Index, compiled by Reporters Without Borders, eSwatini and Zimbabwe are
ranked 111th and 126th respectively, indicating a serious problem with press freedom
in these countries. This has significant implications for the free flow of
information and the ability of journalists to report on important issues
without fear of reprisal.
The Challenges of Press Freedom in eSwatini: eSwatini, a small landlocked
country in southern Africa, is ruled by an absolute monarchy, which has a long
history of suppressing dissent and limiting press freedom. The country’s media
landscape is dominated by state-owned media, which are subject to government
control and censorship. Private media outlets also face restrictions on their
reporting, and journalists are often subject to harassment and intimidation
from the authorities.
As a result, the country’s press freedom ranking has consistently been
low in the World Press Freedom Index, and the situation does not appear to be
improving. The government has been accused of using restrictive laws and
regulations to silence critical voices, and journalists who report on sensitive
issues such as corruption or human rights abuses are often targeted for
harassment and intimidation.
eSwatini wants legal cannabis but locals say that’s
bad for business
By Cebelihle Mbuyisa,
Semafor, 14 May 2023
MBABANE: Plans to legalize the lucrative cannabis trade in the southern
African Kingdom of Eswatini by overhauling a 100-year-old colonial drug law are
being slammed by activists and farmers.
The critics say a new bill, which proposes legalizing the substance for
medicinal and research purposes, will undermine a trade which for decades has
provided a meaningful income for many — from grandmothers to young
men — in a small economy with few employment prospects.
Eswatini, which is landlocked by South Africa and Mozambique, has a
population of around 1.2 million people and, according to the World Bank, an unemployment
rate of 24%. It has few industries beyond agriculture, textiles and
sugar-processing.
The new bill, first tabled in parliament by the health ministry in 2020,
will amend sections of a law passed in 1922 by the British who ruled the
kingdom, then Swaziland, as a colony from 1903 to 1968.
But critics say the bill, if passed, will undermine small traders and
likely only benefit the country’s elite.
Eswatini Cannabis Association (ECA) chair Saladin Magagula told Semafor
Africa the bill’s focus is solely on creating a powerful new regulator called
the Medicines Regulatory Authority. There’s particular concern that the MRA
will be able to “import, export and trade in, by wholesale, cannabis and
cannabis products.”
“They cannot be both the referee and the player at the same time,”
Magagula said. “You cannot as an authority give yourself an export and import
license while also issuing the same to people.”
Many cannabis farmers in Eswatini’s northwestern Hhohho region, who sell
their crop locally and in South Africa, are opposed to legislation — despite
police harassment and arrests under the current system. “Lomtsetfo (the
law) might make things worse because the rich companies will become our
competition,” a farmer who asked not to be named told Semafor Africa.
Eswatini cannabis, commonly referred to as “Swazi Gold”, is expensive
and highly sought after in global markets due to its apparent potency. Two documentaries on
Eswatini cannabis have a combined total of over 19 million views on YouTube.
The crop’s reputation means farmers in the Hhohho region sell their harvest at
a premium price to dealers and individuals in neighboring South Africa.
To read more of this report, click here
https://www.semafor.com/article/05/13/2023/eswatini-wants-legal-cannabis-but-locals-protest
King Charles Coronation: Mswati spent
over R50million in accommodation and allowances, UK Swazi diasporas welcomed
him with a protest
MBABANE:
King Mswati and his delegation that include Cabinet Ministers, his children,
security personnel and other members of the royal family allegedly spent over
R50million in allowances, travel costs and accommodation at the United
Kingdom’s Savoy Hotel.
Eswatini,
the tiny Kingdom situated in Southern Africa ruled by the extravagant absolute
Monarch has about 70% of the population living below the poverty line,
political parties are banned from participating in elections and human rights
defenders are arrested or killed for demanding democracy.
When
asked by this Swaziland News to clarify how much Mswati spent on the
whole trip, King’s Spokesperson Percy Simelane said finances for international
trips were handled by Government hence he was not sure of the amount.
“We
don't handle finances and hotel bookings for the King’s travel internationally
but Government. We wouldn’t be sure,” said the King’s Spokesperson.
Information
in our possession suggests that the King travelled with over fifty (50) members
of his delegation and some members of the King’s delegation were accommodated
in rooms that costs more than fifteen thousands Rands (R15,000.00) per-night.
An
online investigation conducted by this publication on the prices at Savoy Hotel
uncovered that currently, ordinary rooms cost at least R15,804.00 per-night.
But
the King, his wife LaMbikiza, children and others booked Very Important Person
(VIP) rooms, standard VIP rooms cost around R30,000.00 per-night.
The
King left the country on Thursday morning to attend the coronation of King
Charles III, he was among the invited Very Important Persons (VIP)guests from
Commonwealth countries.
Members
of the King’s delegation are expected to pocket over one hundred thousand
Rands(R100,000.00) each as traveling allowances and this amount to over
R5million, their accommodation and other additional Hotel bills will cost the
financially struggling taxpayers least over R1million per-night.
Other
monies will cater for the King’s allowance and his private jet traveling costs.
Meanwhile,
eSwatini diasporas based in the United Kingdom (UK) and led by the President of
the Swaziland Liberation Movement (SWALIMO) Mduduzi ‘Magawugawu’ Simelane
welcomed Mswati with a protest.
The
protest was in demand for democracy in eSwatini and justice for the dozens of
civilians who were allegedly killed by Mswati’s regime including human rights
lawyer Thulani Maseko.
The
protesters were singing a song titled “Who is the murderer?, the King of
Swaziland”.
Magawugawu
is among the three (3) eSwatini Members of Parliament (MPs) who were charged
with terrorism for demanding democracy inside Parliament, he was subsequently
forced into exile while the two other incarcerated MPs Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza
and Mthandeni Dube were denied bail by Mswati’s courts.
Speaking
to this Swaziland News on Sunday, SWALIMO President Mduduzi Magawugawu
Simelane who was among the organizers of the protest in the United Kingdom (UK)
thanked Swazi Lives Matter, Global
Afrika Congress, The Republicans, SWALIMO and all the sympathizers of the
struggle for democracy in eSwatini.
“This
coronation afforded us two days of aggressive advocacy and activism. We thank
the mentioned big organisations for embracing and consolidating our program
alongside theirs. It took two days as on the first night our people held a
strong picket at SAVOY Hotel where Mswati was housed and the second day was on
the main day. The message has been sent wide and far and we urge our fellow
democracy loving people to keep up the fight,” said the SWALIMO President when
speaking to this publication on Sunday afternoon.
Reached
for comments, Mandla Hlatswako, the Chairman of Letfu Sonkhe Institute for
Strategic Thinking and Development said the costs of the King’s United Kingdom (UK)trip
could have purchased the much-needed drugs in hospitals.
The
senior member of the People’s United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO) said it was
surprising to see the King traveling to a country where the Monarchy
surrendered Executive powers to the people through Parliament and further submitted
itself to be at the service of the people.
“For
the King to go and witness a democracy in operation, it must be indictment upon
him if you look at how he is ruling his own country, where he wants us as the
society to not just be his subject but, to be his servants. The kind of
expenditure that is involved in the King going to spend the time that he spent,
just that one visit is all that we need to buy the drugs that will run Mbabane
hospital possibly, for more than a month,” said the Letfu Sonkhe Chairman.
Lack of health legislation in eSwatini leading to high
mortality rates from chronic kidney disease
By Waqas Arain,
BNN Network, 13 May 2023
Recent reports compiled during World Kidney Day in March have shed light
on the devastating impact of chronic kidney disease in Eswatini. According to
the reports, 200 people have died within the past 12 months due to this
disease. The majority of these patients were on dialysis, but struggled to
afford the high cost of reaching facilities where the treatment is available.
The lack of health legislation in the country has made it difficult for
patients to access affordable healthcare, resulting in a dire situation.
One of the main challenges faced by those suffering from chronic kidney
disease in Eswatini is the cost of treatment. Many patients cannot afford to
travel to other countries for kidney transplants, such as South Africa, where
treatment is available. Even those who can afford it often struggle to find
donors since the law in the neighbouring country does not allow the donation of
organs to foreigners. This has resulted in a critical shortage of available
kidneys for transplant, further exacerbating the crisis.
It is important to note that chronic kidney disease is a serious and
life-threatening condition that requires immediate attention. Patients
suffering from this disease require timely and appropriate care to ensure that
they have the best possible chance of survival. Unfortunately, the lack of
health legislation in Eswatini has made it difficult for patients to access the
necessary care and treatment, resulting in unnecessary deaths.
In order to address this crisis, there is an urgent need for increased
funding and investment in healthcare infrastructure and legislation. The
government must work to improve access to affordable healthcare for all
citizens, especially those suffering from chronic kidney disease. Additionally,
there is a need to increase public awareness and education about the importance
of early detection and treatment of chronic kidney disease.
The high cost of treatment is one of the main challenges faced by
patients suffering from chronic kidney disease in Eswatini. Many patients are
unable to afford the cost of travelling to other countries for kidney
transplants and struggle to find donors. The lack of health legislation in
neighbouring countries, such as South Africa, further exacerbates the crisis by
preventing the donation of organs to foreigners. This has resulted in a
critical shortage of available kidneys for transplant, leaving patients with
few options for treatment.
To address the crisis of chronic kidney disease in Eswatini, there is an
urgent need for increased funding and investment in healthcare infrastructure
and legislation. The government must work to improve access to affordable
healthcare for all citizens, especially those suffering from chronic kidney
disease. Additionally, public awareness and education about the importance of
early detection and treatment of chronic kidney disease must be increased.
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