Swaziland Newsletter No. 814 – 16
February 2024
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.
eSwatini
pro-democracy MultiStakehokder Forum (MSF) resolved to support United Nations
(UN) call for an international credible investigation into human rights lawyer
Thulani Maseko’s assassination
By
Bongiwe Dlamini, Swaziland News, 12 February, 2024
MBABANE: Sivumelwano Nyembe, the
Spokesperson of the Eswatini MultiStakeholder Forum (MSF) says, the
organization has resolved to support the United Nations (UN) consistent call
for an international, transparent and credible investigation into the
assassination of lawyer Thulani Rudolf Maseko.
A questionnaire was sent to Alpheous
Nxumalo, the Government Spokesperson, however, he had not responded at the time
of compiling this report.
Lawyer Thulani Rudolf Maseko, the
Chairperson of the MSF, a coalition of pro-democracy groups in eSwatini was
killed allegedly by King Mswati’s mercenaries, the Eswatini Government has been
staggering in allowing international investigators to investigate the
politically motivated assassination.
The human rights lawyer was killed at the
time when he was corresponding with the Southern African Development Community
(SADC) and other international organizations in facilitating an all inclusive
political dialogue as part of peaceful means to resolve the political crisis.
The MSF held its Annual Meeting last
weekend at Ermelo, Republic of Africa where the resolution was taken.
“The recently held MSF meeting at Emerlo
is constitutional meeting whereby MSF membership come together to review the
past year and make a plan for the following year. So it was basically a review
and planning meeting. This meeting reflected on the assassination of the first
Chairperson of the organization Comrade Thulani Maseko and the response of the
State in investigating this assassination, and supported the call by the United
Nations (UN) to force or demand that the government of Swaziland institute an
international independent and transparent investigation on the assassination of
Comrade Thulani Maseko. The meeting also made a very critical plan in moving
forward the democratic revolution in Swaziland”, said the MSF Spokesperson when
speaking to this Swaziland News on Monday morning.
Eswatini is ruled by Mswati as an absolute
Monarch, political parties are banned from participating in elections and human
rights defenders are killed for demanding democracy.
As a result of the persecution and the
ongoing killing of human rights defenders, the MSF leadership opted to hold the
Annual Meeting in the neighboring South Africa, security was contracted and
provided by the leadership to ensure the safety of the political activists.
Judge
recuses himself after death threats
By
John Sukati, eSwatini Observer, 14 February 2024
Industrial Court Judge, Muzikayise Motsa,
has recused himself from hearing the medical drugs and procurement case, citing
threats to his safety and his family.
The judge yesterday said when his personal
safety and the security and safety of his family and children, who he endears
so much was now threatened, just because he presided over a particular matter,
it was no longer worth it.
He also cited persuasive misinterpretation
of the true facts in the application, saying these were obviously calculated to
distort the correct version of events to create an eschewed public impression
about the judicial officer.
The judge said those responsible for this
must hang their heads in shame.
This is in the case where government
applied for the judge to recuse himself from presiding over the matter where
Principal Procurement officer in the Ministry of Health, Sincedzile
Dlamini-Magwaza, and Deputy Director Pharmaceutical Services Fortunate Bhembe,
took government to court in a bid to stop the forensic investigation into the
issue of procurement of medical drugs.
The investigation involved Nikilitha
Consultancy and Funduzi Forensic Services (Pty) Ltd.
Ministry of Health Principal Secretary, Khanyakwezwe Mabuza, in his application
calling for the judicial officer to recuse himself, alleged that Judge Motsa
was not regulating the proceedings in a fair manner.
Mabuza alleged that the judge proceeded to
adjudicate the matter and made orders and rulings that were always tellingly in
favour of Magwazwa and Bhembe.
To read more of this report, click
here
http://new.observer.org.sz/details.php?id=22017
Catholic
entity in eSwatini ‘perturbed’ by stockouts of medicine, call for ‘urgent’
action
By
Silas Isenjia, ACIAfrica, 10 February, 2024
Members of the Catholic Parliamentary Liaison Office (CPLO)
in the Kingdom of Eswatini have expressed their concern about persistent
shortage of medicine in the health institutions of Africa’s last absolute
monarch.
In a paper analyzing the possible effects
of medicine stockouts in the country that is also known as Swaziland, CPLO
members weigh in on the situation reportedly caught the attention of the
country’s king, with his spokesperson lamenting that corruption has undermined
efforts to address the challenge.
“As citizens, and/or collaborators in the
provision of healthcare service in the Kingdom of Eswatini, we are perturbed
with unending reports of medicine (stockouts),” CPLO members say in their paper
shared with ACI Africa on Thursday, February 8.
The evidence of the Catholic entity that
exists to update ecclesiastical authorities and the Catholic communities on
parliament issues in Eswatini is based on the fact that “medicine stock outs
have always been something being taken by those frequenting health care
facilities in the Kingdom of Eswatini,” they say.
They add that “in the recent months,
patients nearly went to the street but were prevented by their conditions.”
CPLO members underscore the necessity of
stocking health facilities with medicine, saying, “The availability of
medicines is the basis of any medical or health institution to run
competently.”
Persistent shortage of drugs in health
facilities has far reaching implications and consequences, members of the
Liaison office say, and continue, “Drug shortage is demoralizing healthcare
workers since it impacts negatively on their ability to carry out a treatment
plan in an appropriate manner.”
The shortage also frustrates patients, who
visit health facilities and “do not receive the health care” they need to
address their situations, they say.
To read more of this report, click
here
Malema’s call for democratic reforms in eSwatini
sparks controversy
By Momen Zellmi, BNN, 12 February
2024
Julius
Malema, the charismatic leader of South Africa's Economic Freedom Fighters
(EFF), faces criticism from Eswatini’s government over his calls for democratic
reforms in the neighboring kingdom. Alpheous Nxumalo, a government
spokesperson, has accused Malema of threatening Eswatini’s national security
and undermining regional stability.
During a
recent EFF rally, Malema unveiled six resolutions focused on Eswatini,
including supporting a transition from an absolute monarchy to a more inclusive
governance system. The fiery leader urged democratic reforms, sparking a wave
of reactions from the Eswatini government and its supporters.
Malema’s
resolutions come at a time when Eswatini, Africa’s last absolute monarchy,
faces growing pressure to embrace democratic principles. Protests have erupted,
with citizens demanding political change and an end to King Mswati III’s rule.
In
response to Malema's comments, Nxumalo asserted Eswatini’s sovereignty and
territorial integrity, emphasizing that it was not a subsidiary of any other
country. He criticized Malema for what he perceived as interference in Eswatini’s
internal affairs.
To read more of this report, click here
https://bnnbreaking.com/politics/malemas-call-for-democratic-reforms-in-eswatini-sparks-controversy
PM speaks out against unfair promotions
By Phiwase Phungwayo, Times of eSwatini, 9 February 2024
MATSAPHA: The premier has spoken out against unfair promotions and
unequal opportunities within the police service, saying these demoralise staff
and hinder the service’s ability to carry out its mission.
Prime Minister (PM) Russell Dlamini stressed the need for a culture of
fairness and transparency, where everyone was given a fair chance to advance
and contribute to the success of the organisation. He said this during the
opening of the senior officers and senior civilian support staff members’
conference of the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) at Matsapha Police
Academy yesterday.
He also said corruption should be uprooted within the police
service. “There should be no unfair promotions, and promotions should not
be based on who you know, but only by qualifications,” he said, to the
rapturous applause of the audience.
Dlamini further invited police officers, who had concerns regarding this
issue, to visit his office as he said it was open to whistleblowers. He said
his office aspired to create a motivating environment within the police
service.
The PM said as crucial as it was to empower officers with knowledge and
skills through studies, there should be alternating of opportunities among
police officers and doing away with providing these opportunities to one and
the same people. Likewise, he said this should be done away with among officers
who went on international trips.
“Akungahambi labagangako nalabangati umsebenti,” he reiterated, loosely
translated, ‘the corrupt and lazy should not be afforded opportunities to
travel’.
To read more of this report, click here
http://www.times.co.sz/sports/143821-pm-speaks-out-against-unfair-promotions.html
By
Bongiwe Dlamini, Swaziland News, 15 February, 2024
MBABANE: Eswatini King and the Government
wants South African Judge to rule that exiled journalist Zweli Martin Dlamini
committed terrorism by reporting about the Swaziland International Solidarity
Forces (SISF), News24,
a South African publication reported on Wednesday.
In 2021, Eswatini - the last absolute
monarchy in Africa - was rocked by a series of pro-democracy protests. A
subsequent crackdown killed dozens of civilians.
Now the Eswatini monarchy and its
government have asked the Mpumalanga High Court to rule that an exiled
journalist they accuse of defaming them with dozens of “wildly improbable”
stories is guilty of terrorism.
News24 further reported that, the Eswatini
King and Government also want the court to order that Swaziland News
editor Zweli Martin Dlamini can only publish stories on them after they have
seen the articles and been given seven days to respond to them.
They claim that Swaziland News
editor Zweli Martin Dlamini is guilty of terrorism because he and his
publication “clearly support” the Swaziland International Solidarity Forces
(SISF), a group aligned with an extremist faction of the Eswatini pro-democracy
movement.
“According to Eswatini authorities, the
SISF is guilty of terrorism - and, by extension, Dlamini and the Swaziland
News’ allegedly favourable coverage of them amounts to “acts of terrorism”.
While lawyers for the Eswatini monarchy
and state have slammed dozens of Dlamini's reports as potentially fabricated,
human rights groups have increasingly raised alarm about the alleged violent
repression of the pro-democracy movement in the country, which is Africa's last
absolute monarchy. Three years ago, the tiny region was shaken by pro-democracy
protests, which were followed by a violent crackdown that resulted in the
deaths of dozens of civilians and triggered a political crisis. Two opposition
lawmakers elected in a 2018 election were jailed and a third is in exile”,
reads the News24 report.
According to Eswatini's monarchy and
government, Dlamini and his publication have falsely claimed that King Mswati
III and his allies “shoot and kill dozens of civilians merely for demanding
democratic reforms”.
These claims, they say, are “incendiary
and are published maliciously as advocacy of hatred”.
They further allege that such reporting “constitutes
incitement to cause harm with the intention to incite a violent response, and
to justify the actions of the terrorist organization”.
Because the Swaziland News was
hosted online in South Africa, the Eswatini state argues, Dlamini and his
publication have violated the provisions of South Africa's Protection of
Constitutional Democracy against Terrorism and Related Activities Act Number 33
of 2004 - because they were involved in, among other things, trying to
unlawfully overthrow the Eswatini government.
Dlamini has denied these accusations - and
told the Mpumalanga High Court in Mbombela that the Eswatini government's
litigation against him was driven by a desire to suppress his reporting “on the
killing of civilians in Eswatini”.
To read more of this report, click
here
https://swazilandnews.co.za/fundza.php?nguyiphi=6044
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