DOUBTS OVER PROSPECTS FOR AIRPORT

The Swaziland Civil Aviation Authority (SWACAA) is refusing to disclose the names of airlines it says are willing to use the Sikhuphe International Airport when it eventually opens.

This comes amid a disclosure that no agreements have been made with Swaziland’s neighbouring countries about which routes planes will be allowed to use in and out of the new airport. And, it could take at least three years before airlines start using the airport.

SWACAA has been talking up the prospects for the airport, even though it is not yet finished and no completion date has been announced.

Sikhuphe Airport, dubbed King Mswati III’s ‘vanity project’ by critics, is at least two years behind schedule opening. The King himself had confidently announced the airport would open in time for the FIFAWorld Cup in South Africa in 2010, but today two years later the airport is nowhere near ready to open.

SWACAA Marketing and Corporate Affairs Director Sabelo Dlamini told Swazi media that at least three airlines from different countries have ‘shown interest’ in using Sikhuphe, but he declined to name them. He remained optimistic about the prospects for Sikhuphe and said SWACAA was talking to airlines in other countries as well.

But, he also revealed that it could take three years for an airline to actually start using the airport once it has decided to do so. ‘Normally, airline operators need about three years to prepare for such an exercise and we are nursing hopes that those we have approached will consider our proposals. What I can safely say is that we have three potential airlines ready to operate from the airport,’ he told the Swazi Observer.

Although he did not say so, this means it is highly unlikely that any significant air traffic will use Sikhuphe before at least 2016.

Dlamini also revealed that no agreement had been reached with Swaziland’s neighbours South Africa and Mozambique about which routes planes would be allowed to take in and out of Sikhuphe. 

There have been many doubts in the past that there is a need for Sikhuphe. Swaziland’s existing airport at Matsapha is under used and there are many other airports catering for international airlines in South Africa and other nations in southern Africa. The total cost of Sikhuphe by the time it is eventually finished has been estimated by some to be in the region of US$1 billion.

These doubts were renewed this week by former Zombodze Emuva Member of Parliament and businessman Titus Thwala who told SWACAA at a meeting with the Federation of the Swazi Business Community (FESBC) that Sikhuphe was a ‘white elephant’ that  would eventually bring the kingdom’s economy to its knees. 

See also

BROKE SWAZIS PAY FOR KING’S VANITY

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2012/02/broke-swazis-pay-for-kings-vanity.html

KING’S AIRPORT: MORE FALSE CLAIMS

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2011/05/kings-airport-more-false-claims.html

PROOF: KING’S AIRPORT POINTLESS

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2011/02/proof-kings-airport-pointless.html

KING’S AIRPORT BLEEDS SWAZIS DRY

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2009/08/kings-airport-bleeds-swazis-dry.html

ARMY FIRE AT OPPOSITION LEADER'S HOME

Swaziland soldiers sprayed the house of the kingdom’s main opposition leader with bullets in what prodemocracy activist believe was a planned attack.

The home of Mario Masuku, President of the banned People’s United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO), at Makhosini near Nhlangano was hit by bullets fired by members of the kingdom’s army, known as the Umbutfo Swaziland Defence Force.

The bullets riddled the structures but members of Masuku’s family who were inside at the time were not injured. Masuku himself was not at home.

Masuku’s home is situated over 200-300 metres away from a road, but the local Swazi media say the house was reportedly hit by accident. Soldiers were said to have been chasing and firing at car smugglers.

Zakhele Mabuza, spokesperson for PUDEMO, said, ‘We don’t want to believe this was a mistake but it was something done deliberately and those who did this had a motive.’

The Army told the Times of Swaziland it had no record of the incident, but Swazi police confirmed receiving a complaint about the incident.

Masuku has been a target of the Swazi government in the past. In September 2009 he was found innocent of making statements at a rally to incite people to terrorism by the Swaziland High Court after spending 10 months in jail on remand. The court threw out the case in a matter of hours, saying there was no case to answer.

PUDEMO and all other political parties and most opposition groups are banned in Swaziland, where King Mswati III rules as sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch.

See also

SWAZI STATE STAND HUMILIATED

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2009/09/swazi-state-stands-humiliated.html

SWAZI RIOT POLICE SHOOT GIRL, 9

Two Swaziland schoolgirls, one aged nine, have been shot by state police in separate incidents during a teachers’ strike in the kingdom.

The nine-year-old, a grade five pupil from St Andrews Primary in Malkerns, 30 km outside the commercial city of Manzini, was shot and wounded in the leg by state police today (14 June 2012).

The Centre for Human Rights (CHR), Swaziland, reports, ‘The shooting came as hundreds of students from surrounding schools were chased and beaten by state police armed with teargas, guns and batons.’ This was on the second day of a nationwide strike by teachers seeking a 4.5 percent pay rise.

CHR reports, ‘According to students, who declined to be identified, a group of teachers came chanting and toyi-toying into Bosco High School and forced them out of classes. The students claimed even though their teachers were not around, they were continuing with their studies inside their classrooms.

‘A few minutes after the group of teachers had left fully armed members of the riot squad, and personnel from His Majesty’s Correctional Services budged into the school and fired tear gas canisters into classrooms.’

The shooting was confirmed by authorities at the St Andrews Primary School. They also confirmed that the young girl was heavily traumatised and had been admitted at Mankayane Hospital.

In a separate incident, another schoolgirl, whose age is not reported, was shot in the shoulder by police using rubber bullets.

CHR reports the form one pupil, who attends school at St Annes High School, was shot in the left shoulder, and was also injured on the forehead.

Her mother told CHR that after the shooting she took her daughter to the local police station where they were given a police report to enable her to go to hospital. They eventually returned home due to lack of transportation.

CHR reports, ‘Police brutality was also witnessed during the teachers’ protest march in the streets of Manzini. At least two members of the Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT) were interviewed by the Centre soon after their injuries.

‘A marshal, Mr Menzi Tsabedze, who was visibly in pain was injured in the leg during a scuffle that ensued between striking teachers and riot police. Mr Tsabedze believes he was hit on the leg with the butt of a gun whilst he was trying to control the crowd, whilst another female teacher bore a visibly bruised and bleeding knee; an injury she sustained after police tripped her and beat her.

‘At the close of the protest march in Manzini, tear gas canisters were fired, protestors were beaten up by fully armed riot police and personnel from His Majesty’s Correctional Services.’

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DEFIANT TEACHERS DELIVER PETITION

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2012/06/defiant-teachers-deliver-petition.html

DEFIANT TEACHERS DELIVER PETITION

Teachers in Swaziland managed to deliver their petition to the government this afternoon (13 June 2102), despite being blocked by riot police.

Police stopped about 3,000 members of the Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT) marching across Mbabane city centre this morning.

They had wanted to deliver a petition for a 4.5 percent salary increase, but were stopped from doing so.

Eventually they delivered a petition to the Minister of Public Service, Magwebetane Mamba.

The teachers had wanted to march through the city centre but were stopped and eventually allowed to go on an alternative route, far away from the city centre.

The Centre for Human Rights, Swaziland, reports, ‘The march was characterised by threats of violence from security agents. Two workers were unlawfully detained by riot police, and this seemed to anger workers who retaliated by throwing stones at the police vehicles into which the two were taken. They were promptly released and the march continued.’

See also

RIOT POLICE BLOCK TEACHERS’ MARCH

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2012/06/riot-police-block-teachers-march.html

RIOT POLICE BLOCK TEACHERS’ MARCH

Riot police in Swaziland blocked teachers from marching in the kingdom’s capital today (13 June 2012).

Thousands of members of the Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT) had assembled  in Mbabane to protest for a pay increase of 4.5 percent. They wanted to march across the city and deliver a petition at the offices of the Prime Minister, Barnabas Dlamini.

The Centre for Human Rights in the kingdom, ruled by King Mswati III, sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch, reports, ‘The state responded by deploying its riot squad, ordinary police officers from the Royal Swaziland Police Force and personnel from His Majesty’s Correctional Services, who formed a barrier on the main street, ensuring that no protestor penetrated through.

‘The teachers were given a deserted route as an alternative route, and they declined to use it, forcing the state police to reinforce. Workers continued to toyi-toyi on the blocked street. At the time of compiling this report, no incident had been reported, even though the mood was visibly volatile.’