Swazi Media Commentary

Swaziland Newsletter No. 942 – 4 September 2026

2026-09-04T01:00:00.000+02:00

Swaziland Newsletter No. 942 – 4 September 2026

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. The newsletter and past editions are also available online on the Swazi Media Commentary blogsite.

COSATU Supports the Global Week of Action for democracy in Swaziland

Statement from COSATU, 1 September 2026

SOURCE

The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) supports the march organised jointly with the Swaziland Democracy Campaign (SDC) and GWOAS Organising Committee, endorsed by many progressive organisations in the country and globally.

The march is taking place in Pretoria on the 4 September, starting at 9am at Mandela Park, next to the Union buildings.

The Global Week of Action for democracy in Swaziland was an initiative of the SDC launched in 2010 by COSATU at the Johannesburg Civic theatre.

It was a global campaign by the international trade union movement in support of the call for workers’ rights and democracy in Swaziland.

It grew to become the world’s biggest campaign for democracy in Swaziland, organised border blockades and called for sanctions against the Swazi royal family for torture of political and trade union activists.

It supported the historic June 2021 uprising in Swaziland and condemned the killing of advocate Thulani Rudolf Maseko. It also supported efforts by Swazi activists for the International Criminal Court to prosecute the monarchy and his government for the crimes against the people.

COSATU welcomes the efforts made by GWOAS to re-launch the SDC and work with all progressive forces towards a much bigger and united movement for solidarity and democracy in Swaziland.

To this end, COSATU appreciates the role and participation of our Alliance partners, the African National Congress and the South African Communist Party together with other components of the Mass Democratic Movement (MDM) in South Africa, working alongside the Swazi MDM forces.

The 15th National Congress of COSATU is taking place from 14 to 17 September and affiliates will be adopting decisive resolutions on various issues, including the issue of the Swazi people’s struggle for democracy.

COSATU calls on its affiliates, youth and student organisations and popular forces to join the march and momentum towards the revitalisation of the Swazi people’s struggle.

COSATU also calls on SATUCC and sister federations in the region and continent to renew support for the Swazi workers struggle for democracy, economic justice and inclusive development.

Issued by COSATU. Zanele Sabela (COSATU Spokesperson)

PUDEMO urges eSwatini to terminate diplomatic ties with Taiwan as China issues statement advising its citizens to leave tiny southern African Kingdom

By Zweli Martin Dlamini, Swaziland News, 31 August 2026

SOURCE

MBABANE: Eswatini’s main liberation movement, the People’s United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO) has urged the tiny Kingdom to terminate diplomatic relations with Chinese Province-Taiwan amid diplomatic tension between China and Eswatini over the violation of the “One China Policy”.

In a statement sent to this Swaziland News on Monday morning, Mlungisi Makhanya, the PUDEMO President said, PUDEMO fully “supports the firm and principled position being demonstrated by the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in response to the continued diplomatic recognition of Taiwan” by the Tinkhundla regime of eSwatini.

“We regard Beijing’s recent advisory urging Chinese citizens and institutions to leave eSwatini amid heightened security concerns as a significant development that underscores the urgent need to resolve the fundamental contradiction of the regime’s self-serving foreign policy that does not align with the economic development interests of the nation at large. PUDEMO, as a movement committed to international solidarity and cooperation with the PRC and the Communist Party of China (CPC), calls for the immediate establishment of full diplomatic relations between eSwatini and the People’s Republic of China, founded
on mutual respect, sovereign equality and the One-China Principle”, he said.

On another note, the PUDEMO President said, the political organization unequivocally and unwaveringly supports the One-China Principle, consistent with United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758 of 25 October 1971, which restored the lawful rights of the People’s Republic of China in the United Nations (UN), and with the established position of the African Union (AU).

“The AU and China reaffirmed in January 2026 that there is but one China, that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory, and that the Government of the People’s Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China. In this context, PUDEMO calls for the complete termination of Taiwan’s official and quasi-official presence in eSwatini and for the establishment of normal diplomatic relations between Mbabane and Beijing without further delay. Eswatini cannot credibly claim an independent and sovereign foreign policy while maintaining a diplomatic relationship that stands in direct contradiction to the overwhelming continental and international recognition of the One-China framework”, said the PUDEMO President.

eSwatini: Union campaign strengthens social dialogue while exposing chronic underinvestment in education

Education International, 1 September 2026

SOURCE

The Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT) Secretary General Lot Vilakati acknowledged that years of campaigning for increased public investment in education are beginning to yield results, with education financing now receiving greater attention from government officials and policymakers. However, the union warns that severe funding gaps, widespread precarious employment and shortages of early childhood education teachers continue to undermine the right to quality education in Eswatini.

With other education unions, SNAT strongly reaffirmed that quality public education begins with quality funding during the Education International (EI) Southern Africa Sub-Regional Workshop on the Go Public! Fund Education campaign, held in Johannesburg, South Africa, from July 23rd-24th, 2026.

For Eswatini, SNAT presented a country report of the implementation of the Go Public! campaign during this event convened by EI Africa and hosted by the South African Democratic Teachers Union (SADTU) and the National Professional Teachers' Organisation of South Africa (NAPTOSA).

According to the union, education workers account for roughly half of Eswatini’s 45,000 civil servants, and 95 per cent of those education workers are teachers. The union estimates that there are nearly 18,000 active teachers in the country, with around 4,000 employed on temporary contracts. Many of these contract educators are young professionals, while others have worked under repeatedly renewed contracts for more than 15 years despite being fully qualified teachers.

While Eswatini has provided free primary education since 2010, SNAT stressed that the resources allocated to schools remain insufficient to meet learners’ needs. The union notes that, despite progress in raising awareness about education financing over the past twelve years, education and health continue to receive a smaller share of public spending than required.

“Our challenges are still the national budget that is still skewed as the big chunk goes to other ministries compared to funds allocated education and health,” said Vilakati. He added that advocating for increased investment remains difficult because of “the political climate and the system of government.”

The union also reported that its advocacy helped draw attention to attempts to privatise a public school, with education officials increasingly engaging in debates around the future of public education.

A central focus of SNAT’s recent advocacy has been the full implementation of Early Childhood Care, Development and Education (ECCDE) across the country’s approximately 700 primary schools. The union is calling for every school to have qualified and permanently employed ECCDE teachers.

Early childhood education remains critically understaffed

To read more of this report, click here

https://www.ei-ie.org/en/item/32880:eswatini-union-campaign-strengthens-social-dialogue-while-exposing-chronic-underinvestment-in-education

Reed Dance maidens reminded to preserve virginity

By Joseph Zulu, Times of eSwatini, 29 August 2026

SOURCE

LOBAMBA: Thousands of maidens participating in the annual Reed Dance have been reminded of the importance of preserving their virginity as they continue to take part in the cultural event.

The reminder came on the fifth day of the Reed Dance, an annual gathering that brings together young maidens from across Eswatini to showcase the country’s rich cultural heritage through traditional song, dance and regalia.

However, organisers and educators emphasised that the event is about more than cultural performances. It also provides an opportunity to educate young people on issues that affect their lives, including health, personal values and education.

One of the key messages delivered to the maidens was the importance of maintaining their virginity.

The message formed part of broader guidance aimed at encouraging young people to uphold values and make responsible decisions as they grow.

The Reed Dance provides a large platform for such messages because it brings together thousands of young people in one place, allowing educators and other stakeholders to engage directly with them.

Celiwe Mohammed, a language inspector in the Ministry of Education and Training, also used the occasion to educate the children on the correct use of the SiSwati language.

To read more of this report, click here

https://times.co.sz/42660/news/reed-dance-maidens-reminded-to-preserve-virginity/

See also

Imbali vows to remain pure (eSwatini Observer)

https://www.eswatiniobserver.com/imbali-vows-to-remain-pure/

eSwatini receives 2 more US deportees under a controversial third-country deal

By Associated Press, 28 August 2026

SOURCE

JOHANNESBURG: Two migrants deported from the United States arrived in Eswatini, authorities in the southern African country said, under an agreement between the two countries that has drawn criticism from rights groups.

The two migrants are from Latin America, according to a statement government late Thursday which described the individuals as “third-party nationals” and said they arrived following consultations and agreements between the U.S. and Eswatini.

The pair are the fifth batch of deportees to be shipped from the U.S. to the landlocked African kingdom of Eswatini since the first group arrived in July 2025.

Some earlier deportees have since been repatriated. A Jamaican man was repatriated to his home country in September, while a Cambodian man was released in March for repatriation after spending five months detained in a maximum-security prison.

Under a series of often-secret agreements, the Trump administration has deported thousands of people to two dozen countries that aren’t their own, as it pushes ahead with its immigration crackdown, advocates say.

Immigration lawyers say the practice is being used as a legal loophole to indirectly return some asylum seekers to countries they fled.

An estimated 11 of those agreements are with African countries, including Rwanda, Ghana, Cameroon, Congo, Uganda, Sierra Leone and the Central African Republic.

The Trump administration’s choice of African countries to strike deportation deals with and pay money to is also under scrutiny because many of the countries, including Eswatini, South Sudan and Equatorial Guinea, have notoriously repressive governments and poor human rights records.

Eswatini’s King Mswati III has long been accused of clamping down on pro-democracy movements, sometimes violently.

To read more of this report, click here

https://mynorthwest.com/world/eswatini-receives-2-more-us-deportees-under-a-controversial-third-country-deal/4270222

See also

Fifth US deportee repatriated to Somalia (eSwatini Observer)

https://www.eswatiniobserver.com/fifth-us-deportee-repatriated-to-somalia/

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Swaziland Newsletter No. 941 – 28 August 2026

2026-08-28T03:00:00.000+02:00

Swaziland Newsletter No. 941 – 28 August 2026

China tells citizens to leave Taiwan-allied eSwatini

By AFP, 26 August 2026

SOURCE

China has told its citizens to immediately leave Eswatini, citing security risks in the African nation that is one of Taiwan’s few remaining diplomatic allies.

China claims Taiwan is part of its territory and opposes the self-governed island’s attempts at international exchange.

Taiwan’s president Lai Ching-te travelled to Eswatini in May, with Taipei accusing Beijing of trying to derail the trip by pressuring nearby countries to revoke overflight permits.

The consular affairs department of China’s foreign ministry said on Tuesday that “Chinese nationals and institutions already in the country should evacuate as soon as possible or relocate to relatively safer areas such as South Africa”.

The ministry cited “rampant cyber fraud and online gambling criminal activities” as among the ongoing security concerns.

It was not immediately clear how many Chinese citizens were working or living in Eswatini.

“Those who insist on travelling to or remaining in the area will face extremely high security risks, and the timeliness of receiving consular assistance may be affected,” the department said in a statement shared to social media platform WeChat.

Eswatini, a small enclave kingdom formerly known as Swaziland, is one of 12 countries that still recognise Taiwan.

China has persuaded other nations to break diplomatic ties with the self-ruled island.

On May 1, China extended a zero-tariff policy to all African countries except Eswatini.

Eswatinians welcoming Taiwan president Lai Ching-te during his visit to the country on 2 May 2026. Photo: Wang Yu Ching/Office of the President, via Flickr

See also

Govt defends eSwatini sovereignty, rejects China’s security claims (Times of eSwatini)

https://times.co.sz/42401/news/govt-defends-eswatini-sovereignty-rejects-chinas-security-claims/

Chinese nationals safe in eSwatini (eSwatini Observer)

https://www.eswatiniobserver.com/chinese-nationals-safe-in-eswatini/

6.85% secondary school dropouts last year

By Nokuphila Haji, eSwatini Observer, 24 August 2026

SOURCE

At least 6.85% of pupils in secondary schools dropped out last year, with pregnancy being the leading reason affecting both females and males.

This is according to responses from Minister of Education and Training Owen Nxumalo that were tabled and adopted in the Senate.

The minister stated that currently there are only 2025 statistics available because data is collected annually.

The minister was responding to a question posed by Senator Celumusa Mndvoti, who had asked how many learners dropped out of school this quarter at both primary and secondary school levels, and what the reasons for their dropout were.

This is despite the country having adopted the Eswatini Education and Training Sector Policy (EDSEC) in 2011, which guarantees pregnant learners the right to continue their education and to return to school after giving birth. The policy is supported by the country’s National Gender Policy and explicitly states that schools must not permanently expel learners due to pregnancy.

Instead, school administrators are required to allow pregnant pupils to take time off to care for their babies and then return to the classroom to complete their studies. Government directives issued in 2020 further reinforced the policy by instructing schools to ensure that pregnant learners are allowed to return to class, particularly to sit for examinations and complete their academic programmes.

The policy is rooted in the recognition of education as a fundamental human right, as outlined in the United Nations (UN) human rights framework, to which Eswatini is a signatory.

Despite the policy, pupils are still dropping out of school due to pregnancy or after impregnating others.

To read more of this report, click here

https://www.eswatiniobserver.com/6-85-secondary-school-dropouts-last-year/

Low wages push textile workers into sex for E20

By Mlondzi Nkambule, Times of eSwatini, 26 August 2026

SOURCE

MBABANE: The need to meet monthly bills results in some textile workers offering their bodies for a mere E20.

This is one of the findings of the HIV Prevention Indaba study, which explored barriers and enablers to HIV prevention among different population groups across the country.

The study was presented to the Editors’ Forum yesterday at Emafini Conference Centre by the National Emergency Response Council on HIV and AIDS (NERCHA).

It was said during the study that some textile workers say their remuneration is very low and does not meet all their needs. They reportedly said at times they become in danger of contracting HIV due to sleeping around.

This, they reportedly said, is because they want money to fulfil their needs.

Among those who were interviewed during the study, one woman recommended an important aspect that government should intervene and ensure that textile firms remunerate their employees better.

“If we may ask the government, where can it increase the money? This is the reality we face. You find us in kombis with conductors who steal E20 from employers and spend it on us. When a conductor tells you, ‘With the E20, let’s go to the forest,’ you are forced to choose between your dignity and survival. You need that E20 for electricity or bread, because if you are absent from work, you do not get paid,” a textile worker reportedly recommended.

For workers who are paid according to attendance, the pressure is compounded by the fear of losing income if they leave work. The study participant described situations where a woman could need even a small amount of money to buy bread or pay for electricity, making an immediate financial offer difficult to refuse.

The issue is not presented by the study as a justification for risky sexual behaviour, but as a structural factor that HIV prevention programmes need to address.

To read more of this report, click here

https://times.co.sz/42338/news/low-wages-push-textile-workers-into-sex-for-e20/

See also

‘Bring new HIV fight approaches’ (eSwatini Observer)

https://www.eswatiniobserver.com/bring-new-hiv-fight-approaches/

Prime Minister meets World Food Programme to discuss ways of strengthening eSwatini food security

By Musa Mdluli, Swaziland News, 24 August 2026

SOURCE

MBABANE: Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini met with the Country Representative of the World Food Programme (WFP) in Eswatini Nanga Kaye at the Private and Cabinet Office, Government online platforms reported on Monday.

It has been reported that, the discussions focused on the existing strategic partnership between Eswatini and the WFP, as well as opportunities for further cooperation.

The Prime Minister shared Eswatini’s vision of attaining food sovereignty and sought the WFP’s support in the establishment of the country’s grain reserves, as well as in the development of a concept to strengthen the national school feeding programme.

Also discussed was the country’s El Niño response plan and the WFP’s anticipated role in supporting its implementation.

The Prime Minister urged the WFP to work closely with Government in supporting high-impact projects and to utilise locally available capacity in the food distribution programme, thereby creating employment opportunities for emaSwati. He further encouraged the organisation to consider training emaSwati in the implementation of the Cash Transfer Programme, in anticipation of the need for such a facility should El Niño affect the country.

See also

PM seeks WFP help to build grain reserves (Times of eSwatini)

https://times.co.sz/42212/news/pm-seeks-wfp-help-to-build-grain-reserves/

eSwatini puts agriculture at centre of economic growth, job creation

By Gcwalisile Mhlabane, eSwatini Positive News, 22 August 2026

SOURCE

MANZINI: Eswatini is placing agriculture at the centre of its economic transformation with billions of Emalangeni being invested in food production irrigation livestock development and youth empowerment as Government seeks to turn the sector into a major engine of economic growth and job creation.

The agriculture sector has been allocated between E2.02 billion and E2.24 billion in the 2026 national budget representing about 6.2 per cent of the national budget.

The investment is being channelled towards food sovereignty water security commercial farming agricultural financing livestock development and critical infrastructure with the broader goal of increasing productivity while creating sustainable economic opportunities for EmaSwati.

A major pillar of the strategy is the E432 million Eswatini Youth Empowerment Opportunities Project (EYEOP) under the Ministry of Economic Planning and Development.

The project is targeting 30000 young people aged between 18 and 35 with about 20000 expected to benefit from agriculture and agriculture-related opportunities.

EYEOP is set to be rolled out at community level bringing opportunities closer to young people particularly those in rural communities where agriculture remains a major source of livelihoods.

The project is expected to open pathways into farming livestock production agro-processing agricultural services and other businesses across the agricultural value chain.

To read more of this report, click here

https://eswatinipositivenews.online/eswatini-puts-agriculture-at-centre-of-economic-growth-job-creation/

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Swaziland Newsletter No. 940 – 21 August 2026

2026-08-21T03:30:00.000+02:00

Swaziland Newsletter No. 940 – 21 August 2026

eSwatini steps up efforts to get children off streets

By Phumelele Gamedze, eSwatini Positive News, 18 August 2026

SOURCE

MBABANE: Key stakeholders gathered yesterday at Hilton Garden Inn to find lasting solutions for children living and working on the streets, with plans focusing on immediate support and long-term family care.

The meeting was convened by the Deputy Prime Minister’s Office through the National Children Services Department, bringing together municipalities, the Royal Eswatini Police Service and the Social Welfare Department.

In Eswatini’s major towns and cities, children can increasingly be seen on the streets, some selling goods or asking members of the public for money. Behind every child on the street, however, is a story that may involve family circumstances, poverty, lack of support or other challenges.

The meeting therefore sought to look beyond the presence of children on the streets and understand what can be done to change their circumstances.

The stakeholders are working towards a short-, medium and long term plan that will guide how children and their families can be supported. The intention is to create a coordinated response where children are identified, their individual situations understood and appropriate assistance provided.

This is important because prolonged exposure to street life can put children at risk of losing opportunities to attend school and may expose them to situations that threaten their safety, health and development.

To read more of this report, click here

https://eswatinipositivenews.online/eswatini-steps-up-efforts-to-get-children-off-streets/

eSwatini signs $195m US health funding deal

Associated Press, 20 August 2026

SOURCE

Eswatini has signed a health funding agreement with the United States worth more than 3.24 billion emalangeni ($195 million) amid concerns the deal will expose the kingdom to abuse of its biological resources and health data in exchange for aid.

The memorandum of understanding was announced Tuesday during a courtesy call on Prime Minister Russell Dlamini by senior US State Department official Clinton Brown, who praised Eswatini’s “successful negotiation” under King Mswati III’s guidance.

Brown said the agreement would “benefit the health of Emaswati”, citing expanded support for HIV programmes and epidemic preparedness.

The deal forms part of Washington’s America First Global Health Strategy, which has replaced traditional aid channels such as USAID and scaled back President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).

Under the scheme, the US provides funding for health systems in exchange for access to pathogen samples, surveillance data and sometimes critical minerals.

More than 18 African countries – including Nigeria, Botswana and the Democratic Republic of Congo – have signed similar agreements.

...

Critics describe the agreements as “transactional” and “imbalanced”, arguing they externalise US health responsibilities while undermining African autonomy.

Pathogen sequencing data is vital for biosecurity, pharmaceutical innovation and vaccine development, giving Washington a competitive edge.

See also

US credits PM leadership for e3.24 billion health deal (eSwatini Positive News)

https://eswatinipositivenews.online/us-credits-pm-leadership-for-e3-24-billion-health-deal/

One in three learners bullied as violence takes multiple forms

eSwatini Observer, 16 August 2026

SOURCE

One in three school-going adolescents in the country reported being bullied on school property while almost one in five experienced cyberbullying.

The country’s latest national adolescent health survey paints a picture of pupils facing violence both inside and outside the school environment.

It found that 33.2% of learners aged 13 to 17 had been bullied on school property during the month preceding the survey. Girls were slightly more affected, with 35.1% reporting that they had been bullied compared with 31.3% of boys.

The findings also show that bullying is no longer confined to the school grounds.

A further 17.3% of learners reported being cyberbullied, with girls again recording a higher prevalence at 18.1% compared with 16.3% among boys. Cyberbullying also increased with age, rising from 16.5% among learners aged 13 to 15 to 18.6% among those aged 16 to 17.

The survey does not establish which digital platforms were involved, who was responsible for the harassment or what form the cyberbullying took. It also does not establish whether learners who experienced bullying at school were the same learners who reported cyberbullying. However, the findings point to an increasingly complex environment in which harassment can extend beyond the school gates and continue through phones and digital platforms after learners have left school.

The wider findings indicate that bullying forms part of a broader concern around violence and injury among adolescents.

To read more of this report, click here

https://www.eswatiniobserver.com/one-in-three-learners-bullied-as-violence-takes-multiple-forms/

eSwatini eyes curbing children’s social media access

By Mlondzi Nkambule, Times of eSwatini, 19 August 2026

SOURCE

MBABANE: Government is examining measures to shield children from harmful social media content as countries tighten age restrictions on young users.

The issue came under scrutiny in Senate last week when Senator Isaac Magagula asked what was being done to prevent minors from accessing social media platforms that expose them to harmful content. Magagula sought to know what mitigating measures were in place to combat what he described as a scourge affecting children.

Responding on behalf of the Ministry of Tourism and Environmental Affairs during the Senate debate on the Deputy Prime Minister’s Office First-Quarter Performance Report, the DPM’s Office said it was working with the Ministry of Information, Communications and Technology (ICT) on the regulation of online content.

“On the issue of regulating content on social media platforms, the office works in close collaboration with the Ministry of ICT to ensure that contents on certain social media platforms are censored, as per the practice globally, to ensure that children are protected from accessing harmful social media sites,” the DPM’s Office stated.

It further pointed to the regulatory framework administered through the Eswatini Communications Commission (ESCCOM), saying it was intended to ensure compliance with cyber laws and protect children from harmful and inappropriate online content. The response, however, did not announce a specific minimum age for social media use in Eswatini or indicate that government had adopted a blanket restriction on under-16 accounts.

Instead, it signals that the protection of children online is increasingly being treated as a regulatory issue involving content control, cybersecurity, data protection and cooperation between government agencies.

Eswatini already has legislation dealing with a range of online harms.

To read more of this report, click here

https://times.co.sz/41773/news/eswatini-eyes-curbing-childrens-social-media-access/

Govt eyes incentives to grow eSwatini to 2 million

By Sifiso Nhlabatsi, eSwatini Positive News, 14 August 2026

SOURCE

LOBAMBA: Government could consider introducing incentives to encourage population growth in Eswatini, with a Cabinet minister suggesting that the country should set a long-term target of growing its population to two million people.

This was disclosed by Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Senator Pholile Shakantu, who was representing Minister of Home Affairs Princess Lindiwe during the Senate Portfolio Committee debate on the Ministry of Home Affairs’ First Quarter Performance Report for 2026/27.

Shakantu was responding to a question raised by Senate President Senator Lindiwe Dlamini on the country’s population growth.

The minister said Eswatini’s relatively slow population growth was an issue that deserved attention, suggesting that Government could explore incentives aimed at encouraging families to have more children.

She cited examples of other countries where governments provide financial allowances and other forms of support to families with children as part of efforts to stimulate population growth.

According to the minister, Eswatini could similarly examine what incentives would be appropriate and sustainable to encourage population growth.

She noted that for many years, the country’s population has remained within the region of 1.1 million to 1.2 million people, arguing that a clear long-term national population target could help shape future policy.

To read more of this report, click here

https://eswatinipositivenews.online/govt-eyes-incentives-to-grow-eswatini-to-2-million/

See also

73 % of eSwatini’s population is under age 35 (eSwatini Positive News)

https://eswatinipositivenews.online/73-of-eswatinis-population-is-under-age-35/

The King’s Emperor is naked as Judiciary and Cabinet fight

Comment by Wandile Dludlu, Swaziland News, 16 August 2026

SOURCE

King Mswati III (Pic: via TimesLive)

After the 2021 unrest, the State is working overtime to sell a story, through State media, royal events, and curated optics, Emaswati and the world are told that the Monarchy is strong, united, in charge, efficient, and loved by the people.

But the numbers tell a different story, the fiscus is bleeding, debt is climbing. Unemployment and poverty are at crisis levels, the Judiciary and Cabinet are at war with themselves, the clothes are gone, the Emperor is naked.

The cash flow crisis in Government has reached unprecedented proportions, for 2025/26, total expenditure is projected to grow by 8.5% to E32.61 billion, driven by security wages and infrastructure.

The fiscal deficit is projected to widen to E2.88 billion, or 3% of GDP.

The World Bank is even bleaker, projecting a deficit of 6.3% of GDP in 2026-among the largest in Africa and nearly double the Sub-Saharan average of 3.5%.

Public debt has followed. It rose to 40.3% of GDP by June 2025, up from 38.6% a year earlier. The IMF projects it will hit 42.9% owing to the regularization of arrears.
Borrowing is now expensive, with government securities trading 3.75 percentage points above South African instruments.

The result on the ground is collapse. Departments operate at a bare minimum. Local service providers remain unpaid, with government arrears still at 3.2% of GDP despite E1.05 billion in “clearance”. Clinics lack drugs. Schools lack books. Yet the pageantry continues.
The economy is not just failing. It is failing the majority by design. Unemployment sits at 34%, with youth unemployment at 58% in 2023. Poverty is at 59%. Income inequality is among the highest in sub-Saharan Africa.

Growth projections of 4% to 4.6% for 2026 mean little. Economists warn this is “largely cyclical, driven by consumption” and “insufficient to fundamentally alter the country’s high levels of unemployment, poverty and inequality”. Without structural reform, “this momentum risks fading, leaving the economy trapped in a familiar pattern of stagnation, limited job creation and persistent social pressure”.

Social security provisions are buckling under the same pressure.

With deficits eroding contingency buffers and financing costs rising, the state has less capacity to protect the 59% living in poverty. Grants, health, and education — the bare minimum of a social contract — are being sacrificed to keep the system afloat. Governance has collapsed inward, the Judiciary is once again at odds with the executive.

The Master’s Report released by the Chief Justice a week ago depicts a Government that is coy and evasive of accountability to the poor — the victims of malfeasance, corruption and maladministration.

The deplorable saga of the United States detainees has been yet another emblematic reminder of a system in jeopardy, one that has compromised the integrity of His Majesty’s Correctional Services together with the judiciary. It exposes a chronic political disease.

The Head of State has failed once more to intervene and restore confidence, the King is failing to provide leadership when it is most needed. In the Tinkhundla system, no one can evaluate the performance of the most expensive public officer.

Yet for the sake of the nation, one person must urgently pull the different organs of state in one direction.

Instead of removing deployed officials presiding over looting, there is a clear pattern of protecting mediocrity and maladministration.

In Cabinet, endless political wrestling between the Prime Minister and ministers exposes the rot at the top.

The appointing authority appears either unwilling or unable to enforce unity and cohesion. If the Cabinet cannot agree among itself, how can it deliver national goods and services to Emaswati?

The optics cannot hide the reality and the maths on the ground anymore.

6.3% deficit. 40%+ debt. 34% unemployment. 58% youth unemployment. 59% poverty.

A Government that cannot pay its bills, cannot keep its house in order, and cannot account to its people.

The post-unrest narrative of strength and stability is a misdiagnosis, it is propaganda to cover a regime in total dire straits.

Eswatini does not need more pageantry, we need accountability, jobs, and a Government that serves the people and is democratic now!

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Swaziland Newsletter No. 939 – 14 August 2026

2026-08-14T03:30:00.000+02:00

Swaziland Newsletter No. 939 – 14 August 2026

Dangerous criminals dumped in eSwatini by United States Donald Trump administration secretly released

By Musa Mdluli, Swaziland News, 12 August 2026

SOURCE

MBABANE: The dangerous criminals some who were previously convicted of child rape, robbery and murder and were subsequently dumped in Eswatini by the United States (US) Donald Trump administration as per an agreement signed with the tiny Kingdom, has been released.

The deportees were recently seen embarking on a shopping spree this week in the densely populated Matsapha where the country’s Correctional Facility is situated but, even though some are dangerous ex-convicts, it has been disclosed that some are law abiding deportees dumped in the Kingdom of Eswatini merely for allegedly being in the United States illegally.
Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister Prince Simelane told Parliament that these deportees are not dangerous.

“They are not dangerous it’s just that they don’t want them in the United States,” the Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister told Parliament last week.

It has been disclosed that, some of the deportees have been released after applying for asylum in the Kingdom of Eswatini while some are still residing at the Matsapha Correctional Facility pending repatriation to their respective countries.

The United States signed an agreement with the Kingdom of Eswatini and subsequently paid about R100million for dumping dangerous criminals in the southern African country.

Reached for comments by this Swaziland News, Wandile Dludlu, the Deputy President of Eswatini’s main and largest liberation movement, the People’s United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO) described the dumping of the dangerous criminals in Eswatini as a political hoax.

“The whole deportees saga is a political hoax nothing legal nor due process. Tinkhundla, for money will remove their clothes for the funder to enjoy”, said the PUDEMO Deputy President.

Swaziland Newsletter No. 938 – 7 August 2026

2026-08-07T02:00:00.000+02:00

New regulations to crack whip on online media

By Ntombi Mhlongo, Times of eSwatini, 4 August 2026

SOURCE

MBABANE: For some time, government has struggled with creating a fair, ethical and accountable digital media environment while addressing growing concerns over unregulated online publishing platforms.

With each passing year, there are concerns in the media industry that the absence of a registration and licensing framework for online media platforms has created an uneven playing field.

The argument is that digital publishers are able to compete for audiences and advertising without incurring the statutory permit and licensing costs borne by mainstream media.

The argument is that mainstream media is required to obtain statutory permits and licences, pay the associated fees and comply with regulatory obligations.

These requirements increase their operating costs and subject them to formal oversight.

Many online media platforms, if they are not currently subject to the same licensing and registration requirements, avoid those costs while competing for the same audience, advertising revenue and influence.

As a result, there is now a feeling that traditional media organisations are competing on unequal terms because they bear regulatory and financial obligations that some online publishers do not. In particular, the argument is that there is a creation of an uneven regulatory landscape within Eswatini’s media industry.

The Ministry of Information, Communication and Technology (ICT), was recently called to provide answers in Parliament on what is being done to regulate the mushrooming online news platforms.

The minister was particularly asked to state the legal frameworks that are in place to regulate such platforms.

….

The ministry revealed that it has completed the development of the Online Media Publishing Guidelines 2026, which introduce a registration requirement for online publishers and require them to adhere to established journalistic and ethical standards.

According to the ministry, the Guidelines form part of broader efforts to strengthen accountability within the online media sector while ensuring that digital publishers are subject to professional standards similar to those expected of traditional media organisations.

The ministry stated that the guidelines provide for several important requirements intended to improve the quality and integrity of online publishing.

These include provisions dealing with the verification and accuracy of news content, procedures for corrections and retractions where inaccurate information has been published, the protection of personal privacy, safeguards for children and other vulnerable persons, prohibited conduct and the responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI) in publishing.

It explained that the overall objective of the Guidelines is to foster greater accountability and professionalism within the online media sector while creating a more balanced regulatory environment for all publishers.

The ministry indicated that the framework is intended to respond directly to concerns that the current regulatory landscape has become skewed as digital platforms continue to grow in number and influence.

To read more of this report, click here

https://times.co.sz/40740/news/new-regulations-to-crack-whip-on-online-media/

See also

High licence fee kills local tv dreams (Times of eSwatini)

https://times.co.sz/40566/news/high-licence-fee-kills-local-tv-dreams/

Agriculture must create jobs wealth for youth – Minister Tshawuka

By Sifiso Nhlabatsi, eSwatini Positive News, 5 August 2026

SOURCE

EZULWINI: Agriculture must create jobs and wealth for young people.

This was the central message from Minister of Agriculture Mandla Tshawuka during the official launch of the Agriculture Sector Review (ASR) and the Agricultural Solutions Marketplace held as part of the National Strategic Dialogue on Transforming Agriculture and Agribusiness in Eswatini at Happy Valley Hotel yesterday.

The minister said government was determined to transform the country’s agricultural sector into one that is commercially competitive, climate-resilient, innovative and driven by technology. He said agriculture should no longer be viewed merely as a means of subsistence but as a modern business capable of creating employment, improving household incomes and making a greater contribution to national economic growth.

“We want agriculture to create decent jobs for our youth, generate wealth for farmers, improve household incomes and contribute significantly to national economic growth,” Tshawuka said.

To read more of this report, click here

https://eswatinipositivenews.online/agriculture-must-create-jobs-wealth-for-youth-minister-tshawuka/

Persons with disabilities highlight barriers faced while shopping

By Phiwase Phungwayo, eSwatini Observer, 4 August 2026

SOURCE

Persons with disabilities have called for greater accessibility and improved customer service in retail stores, highlighting the daily challenges they face when shopping.

The concerns were raised during the DPM Trolley Dash Drive at Pick n Pay Mashayitafula yesterday, where beneficiaries shared their experiences of navigating retail spaces.

Victor Mpila, who represented people with hearing impairments, said communication remained a major challenge, as shop assistants often assumed that customers with hearing impairments could hear normally.

He said the situation becomes even more difficult when assistants are unable to communicate using sign language, leaving people with hearing impairments struggling to access assistance while shopping.

Wheelchair users also raised concerns about inaccessible store layouts, particularly shelves positioned beyond their reach.

One beneficiary said wheelchair users were often overtaken by other shoppers, while products placed on high shelves were difficult or impossible for them to access independently.

Nelisiwe Shiba, who has albinism, said people often assumed that because persons with albinism appeared able-bodied, they had no visual difficulties.

She said the small size of numbers and words on price tags made it difficult for people with albinism to see prices, potentially affecting their ability to compare products and make informed purchasing decisions.

Sibusiso Maziya, who has a visual impairment, said shopping could be particularly challenging because assistants sometimes simply point customers towards products without explaining what was available.

He said this means that shoppers with visual impairments could miss out on cheaper alternatives and ultimately spend more money than they could afford.

The beneficiaries called for retailers to improve accessibility, train staff on disability inclusion and ensure that all customers can shop with dignity and independence.

Meanwhile, DPM Thulisile Dladla yesterday launched the country’s first-ever trolley dash competition specifically targeting unemployed people with disabilities, in a move aimed at promoting inclusion and challenging businesses to make their services more accessible.

The E30 000 trolley dash drive saw nine beneficiaries given the opportunity to shop for basic groceries worth up to E2 000 each at Pick n Pay Mashayitafula yesterday.

Sibongile Khumalo smiles alongside Siphocosini MP Mduduzi Matsebula, who is also minister of health after doing her shopping during the first-ever Trolley Dash Competition for Persons with Disabilities

To read more of this report, click here

https://www.eswatiniobserver.com/persons-with-disabilities-highlight-barriers-faced-while-shopping/

U.S., eSwatini strengthen E4 billion health partnership for the future

By Gcwalisile Mhlabane, eSwatini Positive News, 5 August 2026

SOURCE

MANZINI: The United States and the Kingdom of Eswatini are deepening a multi-billion-emalangeni health partnership that will strengthen the country’s healthcare system, protect communities from future disease outbreaks and build a more resilient health sector for generations to come.

The long-term collaboration was highlighted during the 16th East, Central and Southern Africa Health Community (ECSA-HC) Best Practices Forum held at The George Hotel in Manzini, where health leaders from across the region gathered to share successful healthcare solutions and strengthen regional cooperation.

Speaking during the forum, Kristine Clark, Team Lead for the Office of Foreign Assistance at the U.S. Embassy in Eswatini, said the partnership demonstrates the United States’ continued confidence in Eswatini’s healthcare achievements and its commitment to supporting the country’s next phase of health sector development.

Clark revealed that the two countries signed a five-year bilateral health Memorandum of Understanding in December 2025 worth between E3.48 billion and E4 billion, including a US$205 million contribution from the United States Government.

The agreement, which runs from 2026 to 2030, introduces a co-investment approach that promotes shared responsibility, accountability and increased national ownership of healthcare programmes, positioning Eswatini to sustain its health gains well into the future.

“The United States is proud to continue deepening this partnership between our two governments,” Clark said.

The investment will support critical health priorities, including expanding HIV prevention, treatment and care services, strengthening tuberculosis control programmes, improving health information systems, enhancing laboratory detection capacity and reinforcing disease surveillance across the country.

To read more of this report, click here

https://eswatinipositivenews.online/u-s-eswatini-strengthen-e4-billion-health-partnership-for-the-future/

eSwatini growth to slow after strong 2025 performance: IMF

By Lesego Lebuso, Channel Africa, 5 August 2026

SOURCE

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) says eSwatini’s economic growth is expected to moderate in 2026 despite strong expansion last year, as fiscal and external risks remain elevated.

An IMF team led by Xiangming Li visited Mbabane from July 23 to August 5 for discussions on the 2026 Article IV Consultation with the Kingdom of eSwatini.

Li said real gross domestic product (GDP) growth accelerated to 4.9% in 2025, supported by large public and private investment projects. However, unemployment remains high at 33.5%.

Growth is expected to slow in 2026 because of higher fuel costs, weaker global demand, tighter financing conditions, weather-related disruptions and easing investment activity.

Inflation moderated in 2025 and continued to decline in early 2026 before rising to 2.6% in June. The IMF expects higher fuel prices to push up average inflation for the year. “The outlook is subject to significant downside risks,” Li said.

Li said a prolonged conflict in the Middle East could raise fuel and fertiliser prices, weaken external demand and increase fiscal pressures. Climate shocks, particularly drought and erratic rainfall, could also disrupt agriculture, increase food prices and worsen poverty.

eSwatini’s external position improved modestly in 2025, with the current account surplus widening from 2.1% of GDP in 2024 to 2.4%. However, gross international reserves remained low at 2.5 months of imports at the end of 2025.

The IMF said the current account surplus is expected to narrow because of higher fuel costs and strong investment-related imports.

To read more of this report, click here

https://www.channelafrica.co.za/channelafrica/news/eswatini-growth-to-slow-after-strong-2025-performance-imf/

Our lives are in danger – Psychiatric orderlies

By Bongiwe Dlamini, eSwatini Observer, 6 August 2026

SOURCE

Orderlies at the National Psychiatric Referral Hospital in Manzini have accused the administration of placing their lives at risk by refusing to implement a two-shift system.

They said the current three-shift arrangement left them overworked, exposed to violent patients and without adequate support.

The aggrieved workers yesterday picketed outside the hospital before presenting a petition to the administrator, detailing what they described as unsafe working conditions and a lack of engagement by management.

They said the three-shift system left only one orderly to care for more than 60 patients in each ward, increasing the risk of assault while attending to violent psychiatric patients.

According to the workers, several orderlies had sustained serious injuries over the years, with some losing fingers, parts of their ears and suffering other physical assaults while on duty.

They alleged that despite reporting these incidents to management, the only assistance they received was pain medication and verbal apologies.

The workers further claimed that although government provides for overtime payments where applicable, the administrator allegedly refuses to approve their overtime claims.

They also said they did not receive hardship allowances despite the hazardous nature of their work.

The orderlies argued that physically handling violent psychiatric patients was not part of their original job description.

They said their core responsibilities were cleaning hospital wards, floors, surfaces and ablution facilities, requisitioning cleaning materials, and collecting and washing laundry.

However, they said their duties had expanded significantly due to the nature of the patients at the hospital.

They said their current duties included responsibilities that went far beyond housekeeping.

According to the workers, they were required to receive and manage violent psychiatric patients upon admission, provide security to patients around the clock, physically restrain aggressive patients, separate patients involved in fights and ensure patients remained safely confined within the facility.

To read more of this report, click here

https://www.eswatiniobserver.com/our-lives-are-in-danger-psychiatric-orderlies/

SWAZI MEDIA COMMENTARY

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Swaziland Newsletter No. 937– 31 July 2026

2026-07-31T02:30:00.000+02:00

Swaziland Newsletter No. 937– 31 July 2026

‘We’re not asking for new rights’: eSwatini LGBTQ+ rights group continues registration court battle

By Luiz De Barros, Mamba Online (South Africa), 30 July 2026

SOURCE

Years after a landmark Supreme Court victory, Eswatini LGBTQ+ group ESGM says the government is still refusing to recognise its right to exist.

Eswatini’s leading LGBTQ+ rights organisation has taken another step in its years-long legal battle for official recognition after filing a reply in the High Court challenging the government’s continued refusal to register the group.

Eswatini Sexual and Gender Minorities (ESGM) announced on Thursday that it had submitted its replying affidavit in the case of Simelane (N.O.) & Others v Minister of Commerce, Industry and Trade & Others, paving the way for the matter to be set down for hearing.

The latest development comes despite a unanimous 2023 Supreme Court ruling that declared the original refusal to register ESGM unconstitutional and ordered the decision to be reconsidered. Instead, the Minister of Commerce again rejected the application, prompting the current court challenge.

In court papers, the Minister has defended the decision by arguing that ESGM has an unlawful purpose, that its name is misleading or morally offensive, and that it promotes conduct criminalised under Eswatini’s laws. The Minister also contends that customary law does not recognise same-sex relationships.

ESGM rejects those arguments, describing the refusal as irrational and unrelated to the purpose of the Companies Act.

The organisation argues that it exists to promote and protect the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people in Eswatini and notes that sexual orientation itself is not a criminal offence in the country.

According to the applicants, advocating for people who experience discrimination is entirely lawful, while customary law has no bearing on a constitutional right to form an association representing a shared community interest.

ESGM further argues that refusing registration reinforces stigma by signalling that LGBTQ+ people are not entitled to organise, advocate or express themselves on equal terms with other citizens.

“We are not asking for special treatment”

Melusi Simelane, founder and Board Chairperson of ESGM, said the organisation’s struggle has always been about equal constitutional rights rather than special privileges.

“When we founded ESGM, it was because LGBTI emaSwati had nowhere to turn — no organisation that could stand up for them openly and lawfully. Seven years and a unanimous Supreme Court judgment later, we are still being asked to justify our existence.”

To read more of this report, click here

https://www.mambaonline.com/2026/07/30/were-not-asking-for-new-rights-eswatini-lgbtq-rights-group-continues-registration-court-battle/

Health Minister flags obesity surge

By Sifiso Nhlabatsi. eSwatini Positive News, 29 July 2026

SOURCE

MBABANE: Minister of Health Mduduzi Matsebula has raised concern over the rapid increase in overweight, obesity and diet-related non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Eswatini.

The minister has warned that poor nutrition is becoming one of the country’s biggest public health threats.

Speaking during the official opening of the Eswatini Food and Nutrition Policy and Nutrition Bill Validation Workshop at the Hilton Garden Inn Hotel in Mbabane on Wednesday, the minister said while the country continues to battle undernutrition and stunting among children, it is also experiencing a worrying surge in overweight and obesity across all age groups.

He said the increase in obesity has been accompanied by a rise in diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular conditions, placing additional pressure on the country’s healthcare system.

“Our country faces a complex triple burden of malnutrition,” Matsebula said. “On one hand, we continue to combat undernutrition and stunting, particularly among our young children, which quietly robs them of their physical and cognitive potential. On the other hand, we are witnessing a rapid rise in overweight, obesity and diet-related non-communicable diseases across all age groups.”

The minister said the growing burden of malnutrition requires urgent and coordinated action beyond the health sector. He noted that nutrition is closely linked to agriculture, education, social protection and economic development, making it a national development issue rather than solely a health concern.

He said food and nutrition are fundamental to human dignity, economic prosperity and sustainable development, adding that a healthy and well-nourished population is essential if Eswatini is to achieve its long-term development aspirations.

To read more of this report, click here

https://eswatinipositivenews.online/are-we-a-fat-nation/

Crime rate up by 4.6% in first quarter

By Nokuphila Haji, eSwatini Observer, 27 July 2026

SOURCE

The country recorded a 4.6 per cent increase in crime during the first quarter of the 2026/27 financial year, with police expressing concern over rising cases of murder, robbery, copper theft and housebreaking.

According to the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) first-quarter performance report, covering the period from April to June, the overall crime volume increased from 13 604 cases recorded during the same period last year to 14 237 cases this year.

The report indicates that murder cases increased from 31 to 34, representing a 9.7 per cent rise.

Armed robbery also increased significantly, with 52 cases recorded compared to 44 during the corresponding period last year, reflecting an 18.2 per cent increase.

Robbery cases rose slightly from 486 to 500, an increase of 2.9 per cent, while copper theft increased by 4.1 per cent, from 418 cases to 435.

Housebreaking and theft cases also increased, with 1 570 incidents reported compared to 1 530 during the same period last year, representing a 2.6 per cent increase.

Despite the overall increase in crime, the police reported declines in several offences, including fraud, stock theft, motor vehicle theft and car robbery.

The service attributed the reductions to intensified policing strategies, including visible policing, public education campaigns and strengthened partnerships with stakeholders.

The report, however, indicated that murder, copper wire theft, robbery and housebreaking remained areas of concern, with police pledging to intensify interventions to curb the crimes.

To read more of this report, click here

https://www.eswatiniobserver.com/crime-rate-up-by-4-6-in-first-quarter/

Chief Justice Bheki Maphalala says Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) will never succeed in securing warrants of arrest as long as Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini other politicians interfere with its independence

By Musa Mdluli, Swaziland News, 27 July 2026

SOURCE

MBABANE: Chief Justice Bheki Maphalala has stated categorically clear that, the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) will never succeed in securing warrants of arrest for as long as Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini and other politicians “interfere with it’s independence”.

The Head of the Judiciary was addressing a press conference on Monday in Mbabane after the Prime Minister told Parliament that efforts to fight corruption are being undermined by the CJ’s refusal to sign warrants of arrest.

But the Chief Justice said “it’s not true that efforts to fight corruption are undermined by him instead, he blamed the PM and other politicians for interfering with the independence” of the ACC.

“Politicians must stay away from the ACC, that Commission will never function properly for as long as politicians are interfering with its independence”, said the Chief Justice.

On another note, the CJ emphasized the importance of respecting the Constitution and fundamental human rights, he said people cannot be jailed without sufficient evidence.

Justice Bheki Maphalala

See also

Political interference in ACC fuelling corruption – CJ (eSwatini Observer)

https://www.eswatiniobserver.com/political-interference-in-acc-fuelling-corruption-cj/

Govt denies interfering with Judiciary (eSwatini Observer)

https://www.eswatiniobserver.com/govt-denies-interfering-with-judiciary/

Until when will emaSwati suffer from brutal land evictions?

Comment by Emmanuel Ndlangamandla, Times of eSwatini, 27 July 2026

SOURCE

Once again, we woke up to the devastating news of another family eviction. The heartbreaking demolition of a family homestead valued at E450 000 at KaNcesi serves as yet another painful reminder of the deep-seated crisis of land tenure and forced evictions plaguing our nation.

Overnight, life savings, sweat and hard-earned security were reduced to rubble. A family has been left homeless, exposed to harsh weather conditions, insecure about their belongings; children face an uncertain future, which will bear deeper psychological scars way into their adulthood, and families are stripped of their human dignity, which is assured in the national Constitution.

Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident; it is part of a recurring pattern where ordinary emaSwati are systematically dispossessed, displaced and cast into severe poverty under the shadow of heavy machinery and police enforcement of court orders.

A nation built on fragile ground cannot stand. For far too long, the people of Eswatini in Swazi Nation Land have lived under constant anxiety.

Despite customary allocations and substantial investments made by citizens to build homes for their families, the lack of formal, legally protected security of tenure leaves everyday families vulnerable to sudden court orders, elite land grabs and ruthless bulldozing.

When a E450000 home can be flattened in a single morning without alternative accommodation provided, we must confront the urgent question facing our society: Until when will emaSwati suffer this brutal injustice?

While the deputy prime minister (DPM) and government are busy restoring the dignity of some emaSwati who lack decent shelter, a family that has used all its savings to build a decent home now joins thousands of emaSwati who are hoping for the housing project initiative by the DPM’s Office to reach them.

This action is indeed counterproductive. It further undermines the country’s commitment to Sustainable Development Goals, where global leaders, including Eswatini, committed to ‘leave no one behind’.

Let us recall that Eswatini is a constitutional State, with a Bill of Rights. Under the Bill of Rights, Section 19 guarantees every person the right to own property, either alone or in association with others. The Constitution protects from compulsory deprivation of property, meaning government cannot seize land or property interests unless:

It is necessary for public use, defence, safety, order or health.

The acquisition is made under a law that provides for the prompt payment of fair and adequate compensation.

The affected person is granted access to a court of law.

The Constitution unveiled by the King at Sibaya, the sacred institution in our cultural and traditional context, was a promissory note that emaSwati rights from henceforth will be guaranteed and protected.

The Constitution has been in place for over 20 years now, but emaSwati continue to suffer the pain of evictions, which leaves families with loss of many years of investment in constructing a house.

No development, administrative process, or private dispute justifies rendering human beings homeless. In alignment with fundamental human rights and international standards, we call for:

An immediate moratorium on forced evictions is required, where there would be a complete freeze on all land evictions and home demolitions across Eswatini until comprehensive legal and procedural safeguards are enacted.

Also critical is urgent legal land reforms where Parliament and relevant authorities must urgently reform land tenure laws to grant secure, enforceable title rights to ordinary citizens living on both Swazi Nation Land and peri-urban areas.

To read more of this commentary, click here

https://times.co.sz/39748/opinions/until-when-will-emaswati-suffer-from-brutal-land-evictions/

SWAZI MEDIA COMMENTARY

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Swaziland Newsletter No. 936– 24 July 2026

2026-07-24T09:28:43.509+02:00

Swaziland Newsletter No. 936– 24 July 2026

United States funding cuts have severe impact on eSwatini and other global organizations relying on PEPFAR for HIV treatment

By Musa Mdluli, Swaziland News, 21 July 2026

SOURCE

MBABANE: Funding cuts by the United States have had a severe impact on global organisations offering HIV treatment, according to a new report as quoted by Aljazeera.
The report, issued on Tuesday by HIV charity amfAR, found that the cuts in funding by the administration of United States President Donald Trump for PEPFAR (The US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief) had undermined HIV prevention and treatment across dozens of countries.

Organisations in Eswatini and other countries have been forced to shut clinics, cut staff and scale back services, it said, referencing a survey of 166 outfits across 46 countries that relied on PEPFAR funding.

“Disruption was incredibly widespread,” said Elise Lankiewicz, amfAR’s Policy Associate and co-lead author.

No part of the programme escaped unscathed, she said, including areas that the US administration had claimed it would protect.

More than 1,700 clinics closed, and more than 16,000 workers lost their jobs after awards were delayed or cancelled, according to the report.

NERCHA survey: Young people still having unprotected sex despite access to condoms

By Bongiwe Dlamini, eSwatini Observer, 22 July 2026

SOURCE

A recent survey by the National Emergency Response Council on HIV/AIDS (NERCHA) has revealed that many young people in Eswatini continue to engage in unprotected sex despite having access to condoms, with partner pressure and financial hardship identified as key drivers.

The findings were presented during the National HIV Prevention Indaba currently underway at the Royal Villas, where stakeholders are discussing strategies to curb new HIV infections.

The survey also highlighted persistent gaps in HIV prevention knowledge despite years of awareness campaigns.

In addition, people living with HIV continue to face stigma and discrimination, which remains a barrier to prevention, testing and treatment efforts.

Speaking during a panel discussion on “The role of values in HIV prevention,” youth representative Tsidiswa Mhlanga said many parents were failing to spend quality time with their children, making it difficult to have open and honest conversations about sex, relationships and HIV prevention.

She said the lack of parental guidance leaves young people more vulnerable to risky sexual behaviour, increasing their chances of contracting HIV and contributing to further transmission.

Meanwhile, Reverend Johannes Mazibuko said parents could not expect young people to uphold strong moral values if they failed to model those values themselves.

He called for the revival of positive Siswati cultural practices, arguing that they should no longer be viewed as outdated or primitive but embraced as part of Eswatini’s efforts to prevent new HIV infections.

The National HIV Prevention Indaba, attended by Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini, has brought together government officials, legislators, faith leaders, young people and other stakeholders to discuss practical interventions aimed at reducing new HIV infections and strengthening HIV prevention across the country.

See also

PM calls for behavioural change as 4 220 new HIV infections hit eSwatini (Eswatini Positive News)

https://eswatinipositivenews.online/pm-calls-for-behavioural-change-as-4-220-new-hiv-infections-hit-eswatini/

eSwatini resolves to strengthen national dialogue on promotion, protection of human rights for all

By Themba Zwane, eSwatini Positive News, 23 July 2026

SOURCE

EZULWINI: Government has indicated Eswatini’s commitment to strengthening national dialogue on the promotion and protection of human rights for everyone, as it prepares to submit its Fourth Cycle Universal Periodic Review (UPR) National Report to the United Nations Human Rights Council.

The Universal Periodic Review is a United Nations mechanism through which member states undergo periodic assessments of their human rights records and implementation of recommendations aimed at improving the protection and promotion of human rights. Eswatini’s Fourth Cycle report will outline the country’s progress, achievements, challenges and commitments in advancing human rights for all citizens.

This was revealed by Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Dorcus Dlamini, during the Validation Meeting of Eswatini’s Draft Fourth Cycle Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Report held at Happy Valley Hotel on Thursday.

Addressing representatives from government ministries and departments, the Commission on Human Rights and Public Administration (CHRPA), development partners and civil society organisations, Dlamini described the validation meeting as a significant milestone in the country’s preparations for the Fourth Cycle UPR process.

She said the exercise demonstrates Eswatini’s commitment not only to fulfilling its international human rights obligations, but also to fostering an inclusive national dialogue on human rights issues affecting the country.

“Today’s meeting marks a significant milestone in the preparation for the Fourth Cycle UPR before the United Nations Human Rights Council. It reflects not only our commitment to fulfilling international human rights obligations but also our resolve to strengthen national dialogue on the promotion and protection of human rights for everyone in the Kingdom of Eswatini,” she said.

Dlamini noted that Eswatini has consistently participated in the Universal Periodic Review process because meaningful engagement with international human rights mechanisms contributes to improved governance, stronger institutions and enhanced service delivery.

She explained that recommendations received under the UPR mechanism continue to serve as an important guide for national reforms while helping government identify areas requiring additional efforts, partnerships and resources.

The Principal Secretary stressed that the validation exercise goes beyond being a procedural requirement, describing it as an essential quality assurance process aimed at ensuring that the national report is accurate, balanced, evidence-based and reflective of the country’s realities.

“This meeting provides stakeholders with an opportunity to verify the information presented, identify omissions, correct inaccuracies, and collectively build a report that represents the country’s achievements, ongoing initiatives, and remaining challenges,” she said.

Dlamini emphasised that a credible national report can only emerge through an inclusive and participatory process, which is why government has brought together key stakeholders from different sectors.

To read more of this report, click here

https://eswatinipositivenews.online/eswatini-resolves-to-strengthen-national-dialogue-on-promotion-protection-of-human-rights-for-all/

Over 6 000 jobs ‘lost’ in 3 months

By Stanley Khumalo, Times of eSwatini, 20 July 2026

SOURCE

MBABANE: Government is creating jobs, yet businesses are cutting them, with official reports recording 2 248 employment opportunities against 6 165 workers retrenched or laid off.

Three ministries’ first quarter reports of the 2026/27 financial year state that government authorised recruitment into 1 692 public service positions and supported the creation and sustenance of another 556 private-sector jobs during the past three months.

Over the same period, 599 workers were retrenched and 5 566 employees were laid off.

These statistics are according to the latest reports from the ministries of Public Service, Commerce and Labour.

Taken together, the reports show government expanding recruitment and promoting investment, while the Ministry of Labour recorded an increase in retrenchments and lay-offs in the private sector.

The developments come only weeks after the release of the 2025 Integrated Labour Force Survey, which recorded a net increase of 10 861 jobs between 2023 and 2025.

Employment rose from 260 356 people in 2023 to 271 227 in 2025, while the unemployment rate declined from 35.4 per cent to 33.5 per cent.

Despite that improvement, the survey also found that 136 487 emaSwati remained unemployed in 2025. When discouraged work-seekers were included, the number of people experiencing labour market difficulties increased to 227 810.

To read more of this report, click here

https://times.co.sz/39251/news/over-6-000-jobs-lost-in-3-months/

MPs slam govt over ‘wrong’ salary review calculations

By Ntombi Mhlongo, Times of eSwatini, 23 July 2026

SOURCE

LOBAMBA: “What we have received is 8.5 per cent and not 85 per cent”.

This was a submission that was made by Mahlangatja Member of Parliament, Mgucisi Dlamini during the portfolio committee debate of the Ministry of Public Service First Quarter Performance Report for the Financial Year 2026/2027 yesterday.

During the debate, the MPs mounted a scathing attack on government over the implementation of the 2025 Salary Review, arguing that the much publicised 85 per cent salary adjustment had left many civil servants and public office bearers disappointed after receiving what they described as significantly lower increases than expected.

At the centre of the debate was the contention that the figures communicated to the public did not correspond with the actual amounts reflected in employees’ salaries.

MPs argued that the disparity had created confusion and frustration among civil servants, many of whom had expected a far greater adjustment following government’s announcement on the implementation of the salary review recommendations.

Mahlangatja MP Mgucisi Dlamini said the figures simply did not add up, insisting that what employees had received was nowhere near the 85 per cent that had been communicated.

“There is something that did not go right. We may not be accountants, but there is a difference between 85 per cent and 8.5 per cent. What we have received is 8.5 per cent and I think this should be corrected. There is only one mathematics. The minister must look into this because emaSwati, including us as politicians, are disappointed,” he said.

His sentiments were echoed by several MPs, who said they had received numerous complaints from civil servants in their constituencies questioning how the calculations had been done.

LaMgabhi MP Sicelo Jele said the increases received by many employees were too small to make any meaningful difference, particularly for legislators who were often called upon to assist vulnerable families within their communities.

To read more of this report, click here

https://times.co.sz/39485/news/mps-slam-govt-over-wrong-salary-review-calculations/

See also

Civil servants’ extra 10 per cent allowance suspended (Times of eSwatini)

https://times.co.sz/39433/news/civil-servants-extra-10-per-cent-allowance-suspended/

eSwatini pushes for 95% child immunization coverage

By Gcwalisile Mhlabane, eSwatini Positive News, 21 July 2026

SOURCE

MBABANE: Eswatini is stepping up its drive to protect children against vaccine-preventable diseases, with the Ministry of Health pushing to raise childhood immunisation coverage to 95 per cent and urging parents and communities to ensure that no child is left behind.

The renewed push comes as the country reviews its immunisation performance and strengthens outreach programmes aimed at reaching children who have missed routine vaccinations.

The campaign also comes against a global backdrop in which the World Health Organization (WHO) reported that approximately 110 million children, representing 85 per cent of children worldwide, were vaccinated last year.

Speaking on the Eswatini TV Kusile Breakfast Show on July 21, 2026, Thuli Magagula, an Immunization Nurse and Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) officer, said Eswatini had made progress but still had work to do to reach its national target.

According to Magagula, BCG vaccination coverage, which is administered to newborns at birth, stood at 73 per cent, while DPT1 coverage was recorded at 84 per cent. DPT3 coverage reached 85 per cent, while measles-rubella (MR1) vaccination coverage at nine months stood at 89 per cent.

While the country has surpassed the 80 per cent minimum coverage benchmark for some vaccines, Magagula said these figures were still below Eswatini’s national target of 95 per cent.

To read more of this report, click here

https://eswatinipositivenews.online/eswatini-pushes-for-95-child-immunisation-coverage/

SWAZI MEDIA COMMENTARY

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Swaziland Newsletter No. 935 – 17 July 2026

2026-07-17T03:00:00.000+02:00

Swaziland Newsletter No. 935 – 17 July 2026

MPs back changes to election laws over ‘discrimination’ concerns

By Sifiso Nhlabatsi, eSwatini Positive News, 15 July 2026

SOURCE

LOBAMBA: The House of Assembly has unanimously adopted a motion calling on Government to amend Eswatini’s electoral laws to align them with the Constitution, following concerns that the current legal framework discriminates against male candidates while failing to clearly define the role and accountability of Regional Women Members of Parliament.

The motion, moved by Kubuta MP Masiphula Mamba during Private Members’ Motions and seconded by Mbabane East MP Welcome Dlamini, paves the way for the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs to table legislation before Parliament.

Mamba’s motion calls on the minister to introduce a Bill amending the Elections Act, 2013 (Act No. 10 of 2013), the Election of Women Members of the House of Assembly Act, 2018 (Act No. 9 of 2018), and related provisions of the Senate (Elections) Act, 2013 (Act No. 7 of 2013).

The proposed amendments seek to ensure full alignment with the principles of equality before the law and non-discrimination enshrined in Section 20 of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Eswatini Act, 2005, particularly regarding the electoral processes and eligibility criteria for Regional Women Members of Parliament.

Motivating the motion, Mamba said the current legal framework creates unequal treatment between male and female candidates who contest constituency elections.

“What happens now is that when a male candidate loses an election, that is the end of the road. However, women who lose constituency elections can still become Members of Parliament through the regional women’s election process. If that opportunity exists, then the law should apply equally, or the legislation should clearly justify the distinction,” he said.

Mamba argued that Parliament has a constitutional duty to ensure all citizens are treated equally before the law. He further said the legislation should explicitly define the mandate, responsibilities and reporting lines of Regional Women MPs.

According to him, the absence of clear provisions has created uncertainty regarding their role, accountability and constitutional status.

Supporting the motion, Mbabane East MP Welcome Dlamini said the issue has affected parliamentary candidates for years and deserves urgent attention.

He remarked that it was unfortunate Lobamba MP Michael Masilela, whom he described as one of those affected by the current arrangement, was not present in the House when the debate began.

“They told him he could not have a second bite of the cherry,” Dlamini said.

He argued that Parliament has only two options if it wishes to eliminate what he views as discrimination.

“The first option is to allow male candidates the same second opportunity, or alternatively remove the second opportunity for women. The law must apply equally,” he said.

Dlamini also questioned the legal position of Regional Women MPs, saying their responsibilities remain inadequately defined.

He said he had been informed that some Regional Women MPs struggle to access certain public resources, including the Regional Development Fund (RDF), because legislation does not clearly outline their status and functions.

“Their role must be clearly defined so they know exactly how to execute their duties and access the resources necessary to serve their communities,” he said.

Regional Women MPs who participated in the debate supported the motion, acknowledging that uncertainty surrounding their mandate has created practical challenges.

However, they cautioned against framing the issue as a contest between male and female legislators.

To read more of this report, click here

https://eswatinipositivenews.online/mps-back-changes-to-election-laws-over-discrimination-concerns/

More US deportees arrive in eSwatini

Legalbrief Africa, 13 July 2026

SOURCE

Eleven more migrants deported from the US have arrived in eSwatini as part of President Donald Trump's wide-ranging immigration crackdown. A US immigration attorney said the group includes at least two who have legal protection that advocates say should shield them from deportation.

Africanews says it is the latest expulsion in line with the Trump administration’s unprecedented ‘third-country’ deal that has already seen 19 people sent to eSwatini since July 2025. Two of them – a Jamaican and Cambodian – have been repatriated, but 17 remain in a high-security prison, held without charge.

It is not yet clear what are the nationalities of the 11 who arrived in eSwatini on Wednesday. Eswatini confirmed last year it had received around $5.1m from the US to accept the deportees. King Mswati III’s Government has been accused of human rights violations and Amnesty International has called the deportation scheme ‘deeply abusive’. While nations like eSwatini have held most US deportees indefinitely, other nations such as Ghana, have quickly sent them back to their home countries.

To read more, click here

https://www.africanews.com/2026/07/08/fourth-group-of-deportees-from-us-arrive-in-eswatini/

See also

Eleven more Trump deportees arrive in eSwatini from the United States, lawyer says (Reuters)

https://www.businessghana.com/site/news/Politics/351853/Eleven-more-Trump-deportees-arrive-in-Eswatini-from-the-United-States,-lawyer-says

Amnesty International calls for the release of individuals detained under the US-eSwatini arrangement (Channel Africa)

https://www.channelafrica.co.za/channelafrica/news/amnesty-international-calls-for-the-release-of-individuals-detained-under-the-us-eswatini-arrangement/

DNA plan could swallow E126m of Home Affairs budget

By Sibusiso Shange, Times of eSwatini, 15 July 2026

SOURCE

MBABANE: Making DNA testing compulsory before issuing birth certificates could cost taxpayers about E126 million annually, enough to fund free Grade I education for nearly 188 000 children.

An analysis by the Times of Eswatini, based on the country’s average of between 29 200 and 29 600 births annually, according to the population census 2025, shows that universal DNA testing would cost government between E125.5 million and E127.3 million each year if outsourced to private laboratories charging about E4 300 per test.

DNA, which stands for deoxyribonucleic acid, is the molecule that carries the genetic instructions for the development, functioning, growth and reproduction of all known living organisms and many viruses.

The projected expenditure would consume almost 46 per cent of the Ministry of Home Affairs’ annual budget of E274.5 million, exceed government’s E98 million allocation for the School Feeding Programme and cost almost as much as Parliament’s entire annual budget of E157 million.

It would also come at a time when government is projecting expenditure of E36.9 billion, revenue of E31.9 billion and a fiscal deficit equivalent to 4.9 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP).

Under Eswatini’s Free Primary Education Act of 2010, government provides E672 per Grade I learner annually for tuition and stationery. Based on that grant, the estimated DNA bill could finance free Grade I education for about 187 500 children for one year.

The estimated E4 300 required for one DNA test is equivalent to the annual Grade I grant for approximately six children.

The financial implications have intensified debate over whether compulsory DNA testing represents the best use of limited public resources, particularly as government continues investing heavily in education, healthcare, infrastructure and social protection while servicing rising public debt.

To read more of this report, click here

https://times.co.sz/38899/news/dna-plan-could-swallow-e126m-of-home-affairs-budget/

See also

Men push for compulsory DNA tests (eSwatini Observer)

https://www.eswatiniobserver.com/men-push-for-compulsory-dna-tests/

Maloma Mine workers protesting in demand for salary increment

By Bongiwe Dlamini, Swaziland News, 16 July 2026

SOURCE

MBABANE: The Industrial Court of Eswatini has stopped a ‘strike’ at Maloma Colliery as workers demand a salary increment and that, Inyatsi Group Chairman Michello Shakantu must personally address them.

The workers have been protesting this week only for the Management to run to court’ police were subsequently deployed on Wednesday afternoon to disperse the Maloma Colliery employees.

But after the court order stopping the strike, the Management addressed the workers on Thursday and an agreement was reached that they will go back to work pending negotiations.

Swaziland Newsletter No. 934 – 10 July 2026

2026-07-10T03:00:00.000+02:00

Swaziland Newsletter No. 934 – 10 July 2026

93% girls in rural areas already moms

By Kwanele Sibiya, eSwatini Observer, 6 July 2026

SOURCE

An estimated 93% of girls under the age of 18 living in rural communities are already mothers.

This has raised alarm over the prevalence of teenage pregnancy and the vulnerability of young girls across the country.

The figures were revealed by Colani Hlatjwako, the Africa Regional Coordinator of the One Billion Rising Campaign on Thursday during the closing session of the three-day Chiefs’ Summit held at Esibayeni Lodge.

Hlatjwako said the One Billion Rising Campaign, which is active in 42 tinkhundla centres across the country, was working closely with chiefs and women community support groups to address gender-based violence, teenage pregnancy and unsafe abortions, amongst others.

She said the organisation recently conducted research in the Manzini region to establish the underlying causes of teenage pregnancies and abortions.

She said according to the findings, men were identified as the primary drivers of unintended pregnancies, with many women indicating that they have little control over reproductive decisions within relationships.

“The women we interviewed told us their partners decide whether they should have children or not,” Hlatjwako said.

She added that the research also found that many women remain financially dependent because of high unemployment, making it difficult for them to negotiate issues relating to contraception and family planning.

She said according to the research, about 93% of young girls under the age of 18 already have children in the rural areas.

Hlatjwako expressed concern that, despite the law criminalising sexual relations with anyone under the age of 18, very few perpetrators were ever brought before the courts.

“Having sexual intercourse with a child under the age of 18 is a criminal offence, yet our research found that no one is arrested for such,” she said.

She attributed this largely to fear among victims, saying many children lack confidence in the justice system and believe the law did not adequately protect them.

She further noted that while legislation permits survivors of rape to access lawful termination of pregnancy, many girls encounter delays in accessing the service.

“Our findings show that some children only receive these services when the pregnancy is well advanced, making the process even more traumatic while others would give birth without accessing the services,” she said.

To read more of this report, click here

https://www.eswatiniobserver.com/93-girls-in-rural-areas-already-moms/

From assassination target to refugee — the heavy price of defending eSwatini human rights

By Timothy Fish Hodgson and Kaajal-Ramjathan Keogh, The Daily Maverick (South Africa) republished from The Nation (eSwatini), 6 July 2026

SOURCE

Prominent Eswatini human rights lawyer Maxwell Nkambule has been granted asylum in France, highlighting the escalating state-sponsored terror, violence, and assassinations targeting the kingdom’s legal professionals.

On 11 May, after a long and arduous process, the French authorities recognised Maxwell Nkambule, a well-known Eswatini human rights lawyer, as a refugee.

Nkambule’s asylum application included information about an assassination attempt made on his life, documented in the International Commission of Jurists’ 2025 report “No Situation is Permanent: Repression, Intimidation, Harassment and Killing of Lawyers in Eswatini”. Relying on this report, as well as information provided by a range of other international and local organizations, and on a communication to the Eswatini authorities by the UN Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, he told the French authorities that his life — and that of others in a similar position — was at risk simply for providing legal representation in cases considered political and/or controversial by the Swazi authorities.

The Eswatini government has yet to respond to the communication issued by the Special Rapporteur (dated 7 April 2025), nor did it engage with her during her visit to the country for the purpose of holding dialogues with Eswatini human rights lawyers later the same month.

In a letter responding to questions raised to the minister of justice and constitutional affairs by the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) before the publication of its report, the minister said, “Eswatini endeavours to provide a safe and respectful environment for everyone to exercise their human rights in the ambit of the law.”

Seemingly responding directly to the case of Nkambule, the minister continued: “However, there was once a report to the police by a lawyer that he was allegedly followed by an unknown foreign-registered motor vehicle and felt his life was under threat. Subsequent to that, investigations were instituted, but unfortunately nothing came out due to insufficient facts.”

The letter concluded: “To be precise [there is] no repression and harassment of lawyers in the Kingdom of Eswatini.”

The minister’s response provided cold comfort for human rights lawyers in the country. It flies in the face of the evidence documented by the ICJ, accepted by the UN Special Rapporteur as credible, and relied upon by the French authorities in Nkambule’s asylum application.

Lawyer Maxwell Nkambule. (Photo: International Observatory of Lawyers / Wikipedia)

To read more of this report, click here

https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026-07-06-from-assassination-target-to-refugee-the-heavy-price-of-defending-eswatini-human-rights/

One Billion Rising eSwatini calls upon all emaSwati to unite against GBV

By Gcwalisile Mhlabane, eSwatini Positive News, 8 July 2026

SOURCE

MBABANE: As the Kingdom of Eswatini continues to experience a troubling increase in gender-based violence (GBV) cases, with reports of domestic abuse, sexual violence and killings dominating headlines over the past few weeks, One Billion Rising Eswatini has called upon all emaSwati to unite in confronting the scourge and building safer communities.

The call was made by Colani Hlatshwayo, the Africa Regional Coordinator for One Billion Rising and National Director of Women and Law in Southern Africa (WLSA) – Eswatini, who said ending violence requires a collective commitment from families, communities, men, institutions and leaders.

Speaking on Kusile Breakfast on July 8, 2026, Hlatshwayo said the continued reports of abuse highlight the need for society to strengthen efforts aimed at protecting vulnerable people and creating environments where everyone feels safe.

She said the current situation should encourage emaSwati to work together in finding lasting solutions to GBV through prevention, awareness, support systems and accountability.

“These numbers and the cases we continue to witness in Eswatini are deeply concerning. As a nation, it places us in a position where we must ask ourselves what more we can do to strengthen our programmes and ensure we are effectively fighting this scourge,” Hlatshwayo said.

The GBV advocate said one of the major challenges in addressing violence is that many cases happen within homes, involving people who are known and trusted by victims.

She said this makes it important for communities to strengthen protection networks and ensure that victims are supported when they seek help.

“This violence is mostly perpetrated by people who live together with the victims, meaning it largely happens within homes. We are talking about people who are supposed to protect them, but instead become the source of harm,” she said.

Hlatshwayo noted that GBV affects not only survivors but also families, children and communities that are left to deal with the emotional and social consequences of abuse.

She called for stronger mechanisms to ensure that victims who report abuse receive the necessary protection and support.

To read more of this report, click here

https://eswatinipositivenews.online/one-billion-rising-eswatini-calls-upon-all-emaswati-to-unite-against-gbv/

An emotional wait for water nears its end for communities in eSwatini's Manzini region

African Development Bank, 2 July 2026

SOURCE

For generations, the scarcity of water has dictated the rhythm of daily life across Eswatini’s Manzini Region.

In Nhlambeni, Manzini South, Mthongwaneni, Mafutseni, and Manzini North, thousands of families have built their daily routines around the absence of reliable water. Daily life has meant: long treks to rivers and seasonal springs, harvesting rainwater, waiting for water tankers, rationing the water received, and quietly negotiating for late-night borehole access.

In some areas, families have had to share water sources with livestock - a daily compromise between necessity and health.

That long routine of hardship is now drawing to a close.

In March 2024, the Government of the Kingdom of Eswatini launched the construction of the Manzini Region Water Supply and Sanitation Project backed by financing from the African Development Bank Group.

The project includes a modern water treatment plant with a capacity of 25 million litres per day, supported by transmission mains and reservoirs capable of storing 21 million litres. Crews are also laying more than 350 kilometres of distribution networks, along with up to 14 water kiosks and 20 public sanitation facilities, to bring clean water closer to communities. The initiative supports Eswatini’s broader goal of achieving universal access to water and sanitation by 2030.

Access to at least basic drinking water services in Eswatini is 80.4 per cent, while access to safely managed drinking water services is 38.2 per cent. Access to at least basic sanitation services is 64.5 per cent, compared with 60.8 per cent for safely managed sanitation services. These stark figures highlight why the Manzini expansion is critical to bridging the gap.

With construction now 92% complete, the transformation is already visible. Water supply hours have been extended, and pressure has surged across several neighbourhoods due to interconnections bridging the old and new supply networks. When the project launches later this year, it will provide clean, reliable water services to approximately 35,000 people, transforming daily life for families across the project footprint.

To read more of this report, click here

https://www.afdb.org/en/news-and-events/emotional-wait-water-nears-its-end-communities-eswatinis-manzini-region-95149

Public calls for background checks on church leaders

By Phiwase Phungwayo, Saturday Observer (eSwatini), 4 July 2026

SOURCE

Members of the public have called for the introduction of mandatory, regular background checks on religious leaders in the country, following the arrest of a pastor accused of murdering multiple women.

Community members, civil society voices and social commentators say the case involving Pastor Nkosingiphile Zwane has raised urgent questions about accountability within religious institutions, particularly where leaders occupy positions of trust and moral influence over congregants.

The calls come after police confirmed that Zwane, a pastor and community police member from Mfabantfu, was arrested by Sigodvweni Police and has been charged with rape and murder.

Investigators allege that he lured some of the victims through Facebook, reportedly promising them money and employment opportunities.

Authorities from the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) said four women were recently recovered from a water canal at Mfabantfu in Matsapha. Police confirmed that all the victims had been strangled before their bodies were dumped in the canal, adding that investigations are ongoing and the matter is now before the courts.

Members of the public on this publication’s social media platform, including users Thando Maseko and Sipho Dlamini, have also contributed to the growing debate, calling for stricter vetting processes for individuals who lead congregations or hold positions of moral authority.

They said background checks should not only be conducted at the point of appointment but should also be repeated periodically to ensure continued suitability for such roles. Some social media users argued that religious institutions should not rely solely on initial screening processes, saying that ongoing monitoring could help prevent individuals with criminal intent from remaining in positions of influence.

They added that churches and faith-based organisations must take greater responsibility in ensuring the safety of their congregants, particularly vulnerable women and young people.

To read more of this report, click here

https://www.eswatiniobserver.com/public-calls-for-background-checks-on-church-leaders/

See also

Church distances itself from shamed pastor (eSwatini Observer)

https://www.eswatiniobserver.com/church-distances-itself-from-shamed-pastor/

SWAZI MEDIA COMMENTARY

Find us:

Blog: https://swazimedia.blogspot.com/

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Swaziland Newsletter No. 933 – 3 July 2026

2026-07-03T02:30:00.000+02:00

Swaziland Newsletter No. 933 – 3 July 2026

Compulsory DNA testing motion must go to constituencies for public views before adoption – Marwick

BY Mfanufikile Khathwane, eSwatini Positive News, 1 July 2026

SOURCE

LOBAMBA: Lomdzala Member of Parliament Marwick Khumalo has called for emaSwati to be consulted before Parliament decides on the motion seeking to make DNA testing compulsory before the issuance of birth certificates.

Speaking during debate in the House of Assembly, Marwick Khumalo said the issue should first be taken to constituencies across the country so that citizens can express their views before Parliament adopts any resolution.

He said the proposal had far-reaching social, legal and financial implications and should not be decided without consulting the people. Khumalo added that compulsory DNA testing could help address cases where the identity of a child’s biological father is unknown, reducing the burden on Government in supporting children whose fathers cannot be traced. He said the matter would generate significant public interest and deserved national consultation.

The call for constituency consultations was, however, challenged by some Members of Parliament.

Sandile Nxumalo opposed compulsory DNA testing, arguing that forcing every parent to undergo the process would make everyone a suspect despite having done nothing wrong. He questioned how citizens’ constitutional right to privacy would be protected and maintained that DNA testing should remain a personal choice rather than a legal requirement. He also disagreed with taking the matter to constituencies.

Ndzingeni Member of Parliament Mduduzi Magagula also rejected the proposal for constituency consultations, saying Members of Parliament were elected because the people trusted them to make decisions on their behalf. He further opposed the motion, warning that compulsory DNA testing could result in some children failing to obtain birth certificates where their fathers are unknown, potentially affecting their access to essential services.

His views were supported by the Mhlume Member of Parliament and the Manzini Regional Member of Parliament, who also opposed the motion. They argued that implementing mandatory DNA testing would place an additional financial burden on Government.

Earlier in the debate, Mangcongco Member of Parliament Lomalanga Dlamini cautioned that making DNA testing compulsory could have unintended consequences, including an increase in divorce cases and family disputes.

Supporting the motion, Mtfongwaneni Member of Parliament Nathi Hlophe said it was emotionally devastating for people to discover later in life that they did not belong to the family that raised them. He said some women falsely identify men as fathers of their children, causing emotional pain and financial hardship. Hlophe argued that mandatory DNA testing would establish the truth from birth and help resolve cases where one child is being supported by multiple men claiming or being made to believe they are the father.

The parliamentary debate follows concerns previously raised by the Minister for Home Affairs, Princess Lindiwe, who opposed the proposal when it was first introduced. The Minister argued that making DNA testing compulsory for every birth would be costly for Government, could create unnecessary public conflict and would not align with some of Eswatini’s cultural values.

She also noted that only a small percentage of births involve disputed paternity and called for extensive public consultations before any legislative changes are considered.

The proposal remains under parliamentary consideration and has not become law.

See also

Compulsory DNA testing could trigger divorces, MPs warn (Times of eSwatini)

https://www.times.co.sz/news/readmore.php?bhsadjgfoh=Compulsory+DNA+testing+could+trigger+divorces%2C+MPs+warn&yiphi=4409&bvhdgsj=News

Compulsory DNA testing proposal sparks debate (Saturday Observer, eSwatini)

https://www.eswatiniobserver.com/mens-symposium-compulsory-dna-testing-proposal-sparks-debate/

Five years later: eSwatini still awaits truth, justice and accountability

Opinion by Abigail Jele, Swaziland News, 29 June 2026

SOURCE

Today, 29 June 2026, marks five years since one of the darkest chapters in Eswatini’s modern history.

The political uprising of June 2021 left families shattered, communities traumatized, and a nation searching for answers that have yet to come.

During those days, scores of emaSwati lost their lives amid widespread unrest and the security response that followed.

Among those remembered today were fathers, mothers, sons, daughters, students, workers, community leaders, and individuals who had dedicated themselves to defending the rights and dignity of others.

Many families continue to live with the pain of losing loved ones, while survivors continue to bear the physical and psychological scars of the violence.

Five years have passed, yet many questions remain unanswered.

Families who buried their loved ones are still waiting for justice. Many continue to seek independent investigations into the deaths and injuries that occurred during the June 2021 events.

For them, remembrance is not only about honouring those who died—it is also about demanding truth, accountability, and guarantees that such events will never happen again.

The legacy of June 2021 extends beyond those who lost their lives. In the years that followed, Eswatini continued to experience restrictions on civic space, arrests of activists, attacks on journalists and human rights defenders, and an environment where many citizens have expressed fear about exercising their constitutional rights to freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly.
The memory of those who died reminds us that human rights are not abstract ideals. They are about the right to live, to speak freely, to participate in public life, and to hold differing opinions without fear of violence or repression.

As we light candles and remember the lives lost, we must also remember the families left behind the children who grew up without parents, the parents who buried their children, and the communities forever changed by those tragic days.

Justice delayed continues to deepen wounds. Accountability is not about revenge; it is about acknowledging harm, establishing the truth, providing remedies to victims, and rebuilding public trust in institutions. Without accountability, reconciliation becomes difficult, and the cycle of pain continues.

Five years later, the names of those who lost their lives have not been forgotten. Their memories live on in the calls for justice, dignity, democracy, and respect for human rights. Their families deserve answers.

The nation deserves the truth. As Eswatini reflects on this solemn anniversary, may we honour every life lost by renewing our commitment to peace, dialogue, justice, and the protection of fundamental human rights for all.

May those who lost their lives in June 2021 never be forgotten. May truth prevail. May justice finally be served.

See also

PUDEMO Youth League remembers emaSwati killed during June 2021 political unrest (Swaziland News)

https://swazilandnews.co.za/articles/36306

Mental Health for Men: Women leaders abuse male employees

By Kwanele Sibiya, eSwatini Observer, 1 July 2026

SOURCE

Some women in positions of authority are using their power to abuse male employees in the workplace.

This was revealed by prominent South African relationship therapist, motivational speaker and television personality Thabang Mashego during the second annual Build Him Men’s Symposium 2026 held on Friday at the Mavuso Exhibition and Trade Centre.

With the theme being ‘Mental Health for Men: Stress, Depression and Burnout,’ Mashego made the intervention during an interactive question-and-answer session, where discussions centred on the challenges men face both at home and in the workplace.

She said while significant efforts had been made to educate men about gender-based violence and abuse, there was an equally pressing need to educate women, particularly those in positions of authority, on the misuse of power.

According to Mashego, some female managers were abusing male subordinates by taking advantage of their senior positions, creating unhealthy and exploitative working environments.

Supporting Mashego’s sentiments, Sergeant Thobeka Mathunjwa from the Manzini Regional Police Headquarters said cases of abuse against men were real and should not be dismissed.

Presenting on ‘Understanding Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence in the Workplace,’ Mathunjwa said men experienced verbal, physical and sexual abuse, but many chose to remain silent due to fear of stigma.

He said verbal abuse often had devastating psychological consequences, including stress, depression and, in some instances, sexual dysfunction among male victims.

Mathunjwa observed that despite the country having only one female correctional facility, many men remained victims of abuse because they were generally reluctant to report offences committed against them.

He explained that many male victims internalised their trauma, which sometimes manifested as anger and violent behaviour.

“There is no shame in reporting abuse. Men must come forward and seek justice instead of suffering in silence,” he urged.

On the other hand, Mathunjwa also warned that workplace sexual exploitation constituted a criminal offence under the Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence (SODV) Act of 2018.

To read more of this report, click here

https://www.eswatiniobserver.com/women-leaders-abuse-male-employees/

‘Pastors among biggest clients of sex workers’

By Phiwase Phungwayo, Sunday Observer (eSwatini), 28 June 2026

SOURCE

Pastors are among the country’s biggest clients of sex workers, a trend that reflects deeper identity and mental health struggles that many men silently battle.

This was revealed by Pastor and Counsellor Clement Dlamini. Dlamini made the remarks during a men’s mental health discussion held as part of The Clinic Group’s Annual Family Fun Day – Father’s Day Edition at Manzini Clinic yesterday. Held under the theme, ‘Strong families start with healthy men’, the event promoted family wellness and mental health awareness by offering health talks, access to mental health professionals, family activities and health education.

Addressing attendees during the Esangweni Health Talks, Dlamini said many men sought validation through unhealthy means because they had never developed a secure sense of identity.

He said one of the greatest misconceptions among men was believing that their worth was determined by the number of women they slept with, instead of recognising that their value was inherent.

According to Dlamini, this distorted understanding of masculinity often persisted even after marriage, leaving some men dissatisfied and searching for fulfilment elsewhere.

Drawing from his experience as both a pastor and counsellor, he revealed that he had counselled pastors who had become involved with other women despite being married.

“I have counselled pastors, who have come to me after becoming involved with other women. Some even end up buying sex,” he said.

Dlamini further claimed that available data placed pastors among the largest consumers of sex work in the country.

To read more of this report, click here

https://www.eswatiniobserver.com/pastors-among-biggest-clients-of-sex-workers/

eSwatini strengthens safeguards against sexual harassment in higher education institutions

By Gcwalisile Mhlabane, eSwatini Positive News, 1 July 2026

SOURCE

MBABANE: The Kingdom of Eswatini continues to strengthen efforts to combat the growing incidence of sexual harassment and gender-based violence in higher education institutions as Government, universities and civil society organisations intensify collaboration to create safer learning environments for students.

According to research findings, one in four women aged 19 to 24 in Eswatini has experienced sexual violence in their lifetime, while students in higher education institutions are four times more likely to experience sexual assault than their non-student peers. These findings were revealed during a Dialogue on Violence Prevention in Higher Education, held at the Hilton Garden Inn in Mbabane on June 30, 2026, under the Litsemba Rising initiative.

The dialogue was convened to share findings and lessons from the Litsemba Rising initiative while strengthening collaboration among Government, higher education institutions, civil society organisations and the media to prevent sexual harassment and gender-based violence in institutions of higher learning. It also sought to promote stronger institutional safeguarding policies, improve reporting and response mechanisms, build the capacity of staff and students, and encourage responsible media reporting that supports survivors while helping to change harmful social norms.

The engagement brought together representatives from Women Unlimited Eswatini, Bantwana Initiative Eswatini, the University of Eswatini (UNESWA), the Ministry of Education and Training, the Deputy Prime Minister’s Office, the Eswatini Media Editors’ Forum and other stakeholders committed to advancing safer learning spaces.

Speaking during the dialogue, Women Unlimited Eswatini Founder and Executive Director Vimbai Kapurura said the Litsemba Rising initiative was established to address sexual harassment in higher education institutions through evidence-based interventions, research and strategic partnerships.

She said the initiative, which has been implemented since 2024 in partnership with Bantwana Initiative Eswatini, is supported by the Deputy Prime Minister’s Office, the Ministry of Education and Training, UNESCO, university management and a research team led by Dr Shabalala.

To read more of this report, click here

https://eswatinipositivenews.online/eswatini-strengthens-safeguards-against-sexual-harassment-in-higher-education-institutions/

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Swaziland Newsletter No. 932 – 26 June 2026

2026-06-26T02:00:00.000+02:00

Swaziland Newsletter No. 932 – 26 June 2026

eSwatini unemployment falls to 33.5 percent

APA, 23 June 2026

SOURCE

Eswatini has recorded a decline in unemployment over the past two years, with the 2025 Labour Force Survey showing joblessness easing from 35.4 percent in 2023 to 33.5 percent in 2025, signalling a modest improvement in the country’s labour market.

Labour and Social Security Minister Phila Buthelezi released the survey findings on Monday, noting that the latest data reflects progress in efforts to expand economic opportunities and strengthen livelihoods.

Youth unemployment dropped from 56 percent to 52.2 percent while female unemployment declined from 37.6 percent to 36.4 percent, offering what officials described as early signs of recovery in a labour market still under pressure.

Officials say the findings will guide evidence‑based policies aimed at accelerating job creation and reducing vulnerabilities that can fuel social unrest.

eSwatini’s civic freedoms on trial in landmark LGBTI rights legal battle

By Khanyo Farisè, Daily Maverick (South Africa), 22 June 2026

SOURCE

For seven years the Eswatini Sexual and Gender Minorities group has fought the Swazi government for its citizens to have the right to freedom of association. But this is a hard fight against a government and king who believe LGBTI people have no place in the kingdom and who are trying to restrict the power of civil society organisations.

In Eswatini’s second biggest city of Manzini, Sisanda Mavimbela is once again preparing for court.

As the Co-Director of Programmes and Advocacy for Eswatini Sexual and Gender Minorities (ESGM), a group which works to advance LGBTI rights, Sisanda has become all too familiar with the ritual of gathering documents, revisiting judgments, speaking to lawyers and asking the courts, again, to affirm what should never have been in dispute: that everyone has a right to freedom of association.

ESGM has been fighting in the courts for this constitutional right since 2019, when its application to register as a non-profit organisation was first rejected. After challenging the decision in the high court, ESGM eventually secured a landmark Supreme Court ruling in 2023 which declared that the registrar’s approach was unconstitutional and ordered the relevant minister to reconsider the application.

In his reconsideration, the minister of commerce, industry and trade in September 2024 declined ESGM’s application on the basis that Swazi “customary law does not recognise same-sex relationships”.

In August 2025, ESGM again approached the courts challenging the minister’s grounds for rejecting its application. The matter is still before the courts, but ESGM has made it clear that it has no intention of backing down.

Under international human rights law, the right to freedom of association guarantees the rights of all individuals, without discrimination, to form associations and to jointly carry out activities or pursue common goals. Restricting this right is a repressive tactic that undermines human rights in general and, in this case, with a discriminatory impact. The government in Eswatini has used such tactics to restrict civil society organisations which play a vital role in scrutinising state power, documenting abuses, and mobilising public debate.

In Eswatini, the struggle for LGBTI rights is also a struggle for civic freedom. As the government intensifies its attacks on civic space, LGBTI groups are once again being presented as a threat to culture and national identity. King Mswati III and other senior officials have repeatedly denounced LGBTI people in the name of preserving “Swazi culture”.

To read more of this report, click here

https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026-06-22-eswatinis-civic-freedoms-on-trial-in-landmark-lgbti-rights-legal-battle/

See also

eSwatini’s civic freedoms on trial in landmark LGBTI rights legal battle (Daily Maverick)

https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026-06-22-eswatinis-civic-freedoms-on-trial-in-landmark-lgbti-rights-legal-battle/

Alleged illegal foreigners fleeing to eSwatini ahead of June 30 ‘March and March’ protests in South Africa

By Musa Mdluli, Swaziland News, 20 June 2026

SOURCE

MBABANE: State security officers working and patrolling the Eswatini border with South Africa are reportedly arresting more foreigners trying to cross over to the tiny Kingdom ahead of the “June 30 March and March” deadline.

As a result, Eswatini might face yet another influx of foreigners crisis a few weeks after the police arrested about two hundred (200) Chinese nationals who entered the country illegally and engaged in illegal gambling and extortion.

According to sources within the Army, this coming week, more arrested foreigners will appear in court after being caught crossing the border illegally to the Kingdom of Eswatini.
Acting Government Spokesperson Thabile Mdluli was not immediately available for a comment.

Eswatini has been facing the influx of foreigners for some time now and recently, about 200 Chinese nationals appeared in court, they were charged and subsequently convicted for entering the country illegally.

See also

First group of foreign nationals deported (Times of eSwatini)

https://times.co.sz/news/readmore.php?bhsadjgfoh=First+group+of+foreign+nationals+deported&yiphi=4291&bvhdgsj=News

FPE grant delays push primary schools into crisis

By Mnelisi Dlamini, Times of eSwatini, 19 June 2026

SOURCE

MBABANE: Public primary schools across Eswatini are facing a severe financial crisis following the Ministry of Education and Training’s prolonged delay in disbursing free primary education (FPE) grants specifically designated for Grade 1 pupils.

The ongoing funding hitch has left head teachers stranded midway through the 2026 academic calendar. Compounding the crisis is government’s crackdown on top-up fees, leaving school administrators barred from requesting emergency contributions from parents, yet they lack the funds required to keep their institutions running.

Under the Free Primary Education Act of 2010, government is constitutionally mandated to cover tuition, stationery and learning materials for all primary school pupils. While the ministry recently announced successful FPE rollout for higher grades, Grade I disbursements have faced systemic delays, starving schools of critical early-year operational capital.

Speaking on condition of anonymity in fear of professional reprisal, one head teacher said: “We are effectively running on empty. Grade I represent our largest intake this year. Without their FPE grants, we cannot buy fundamental items like exercise books, chalk, or even basic cleaning detergents. I have had to beg local suppliers to give us cleaning chemicals on credit just so we can maintain proper hygiene in the ablution blocks.”

The financial squeeze is felt just as acutely in rural communities, where alternative resources are non-existent. A head teacher from a community school in northern Hhohho explained how the funding delay has crippled daily operations.

“The ministry expects us to run schools like standard businesses, but they have cut off our working capital. We cannot pay our electricity bills or maintain our school feeding programme kitchen properly. When we try to explain this to the regional education office (REO), we are simply told to wait. But the children cannot wait to learn, and the bills certainly do not wait.”

To read more of this report, click here

https://www.times.co.sz/news/readmore.php?bhsadjgfoh=FPE+grant+delays+push+primary+schools+into+crisis&yiphi=4258&bvhdgsj=News

Correctional facilities overcrowded, there’s shortage of officers – Minister

By Melisa Msweli, eSwatini Observer, 20 June 2026

SOURCE

Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs Prince Simelane has reported that the country’s correctional facilities remain overcrowded and in a dilapidated state, adding that the cramped conditions could easily facilitate the spread of airborne diseases should an outbreak occur.

Reporting to His Majesty King Mswati III during the Correctional Services Day celebrations held at His Majesty Correctional Services Staff College, Prince Simelane said the correctional system continued to face a number of challenges, chief among them being inadequate infrastructure and a shortage of correctional officers.

He said the shortage of officers was a matter of concern, describing correctional officers as ‘the fence of the country’ and emphasising that they were critical to maintaining safety and security within correctional institutions.

The minister further reported a shortage of staff housing for correctional officers, saying this remained one of the issues requiring urgent attention.

Despite these challenges, Prince Simelane expressed gratitude for the peace prevailing in the country, noting that national events such as the Correctional Services Day were possible because of the stability enjoyed by the country.

To read more of this report, click here

https://www.eswatiniobserver.com/correctional-facilities-overcrowded-theres-shortage-of-officers-minister/

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Swaziland Newsletter No. 931 – 19 June 2026

2026-06-19T02:30:00.000+02:00

Swaziland Newsletter No. 931 – 19 June 2026

Govt calls for united action to end gender-based violence as cases rise

By Gcwalisile Mhlabane, eSwatini Positive News, 17 June 2026

SOURCE

SIDVOKODVO: The Kingdom of Eswatini is stepping up national efforts to address the growing challenge of gender-based violence, as government and stakeholders call for stronger coordination and collective action to protect vulnerable groups. With cases continuing to rise, leaders have emphasized the need for urgent and sustained intervention across all sectors of society.

This call was made during the two-day National Gender-Based Violence Symposium/Indaba held on June 17–18, 2026 at the TLC Auditorium in Sidvokodvo, where government leaders, law enforcement officials, development partners, civil society organisations, and community representatives gathered to strengthen coordinated responses and improve national protection systems.

The symposium is focused on reinforcing prevention strategies, improving survivor support services, and enhancing institutional coordination to ensure a more effective and long-term response to gender-based violence.

Opening the engagement, Deputy Prime Minister Senator Thulisile Dladla called for collective responsibility across all sectors of society, emphasizing that ending gender-based violence requires courage, accountability, and sustained action.

She urged government institutions, traditional leaders, families, faith-based organisations, men, and young people to work together in protecting vulnerable groups and supporting survivors.

“Building safe communities requires more than condemnation of violence; it requires action. It requires courage to speak out, commitment to intervene, and determination to hold perpetrators accountable. It requires us to create environments where survivors are believed, supported, protected, and empowered to rebuild their lives,” she said.

A key highlight of the symposium was the presentation of national statistics by the National Commissioner of Police, Vusie Manoma Masango, who described the situation as a national emergency requiring urgent and united action.

To read more of this report, click here

https://eswatinipositivenews.online/govt-calls-for-united-action-to-end-gender-based-violence-as-cases-rise/

See also

GBV claims 22 lives in 3 months (Times of eSwatini)

https://www.times.co.sz/news/readmore.php?bhsadjgfoh=GBV+claims+22+lives+in+3+months&yiphi=4244&bvhdgsj=News

eSwatini marks Day of the African Child with WASH progress

Statement, Deputy Prime Minister’s Office, eSwatini, 16 June 2026

SOURCE

The Government of Eswatini has made significant strides in Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), providing access to basic water services to 80% of the population, while 58% now have access to basic sanitation.

The Deputy Prime Minister Thulisile Dladla revealed these achievements during her address to the media in commemoration of the Day of the African Child, held under the theme: “Ensuring Universal Access to Water, Sanitation and Hygiene for Every Child in Eswatini.”

“From 2024 to date, we have constructed at least 300 houses with decent toilets and 5000-litre water tanks for child-headed homesteads and vulnerable families under the government’s decent shelter programme. Coordination of WASH programmes across communities, schools, and health facilities has also improved to ensure children have services where they need them most,” said the DPM.

Despite progress, challenges remain. In rural areas, 11% of households still practice open defecation, and poor handwashing practices persist. Inadequate sanitation facilities continue to pose serious health risks, particularly for children under five who are most vulnerable to waterborne diseases. Facilities suitable for children with disabilities are also lacking, while child-headed households and those in remote chiefdoms bear the heaviest burden of WASH deprivation.

The DPM emphasized that the theme aims to accelerate progress toward universal access to safe water, appropriate sanitation, and hygiene for children in Eswatini. It also contributes to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 6 — ensuring the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all by 2030. This includes improving water quality, increasing water-use efficiency, and protecting water-related ecosystems.

“As the Government we reaffirm our unwavering commitment to the well-being and holistic development of every child. Achieving universal WASH requires government, communities, and partners to work together. We are therefore accelerating multi-sectoral efforts to improve WASH access as part of our broader mandate on community development," the DPM said.

King Mswati selling one of his private jets for over R40million as Government confirms in Parliament plans to purchase another plane

By Zweli Martin Dlamini, Swaziland News, 15 June 2026

SOURCE

MBABANE: King Mswati is allegedly selling one of his private jets for over R40million but, struggling to secure interested buyers.

The King owns two (2) private jets and the other one, has been listed in aircraft sales online platforms for sometime now, King’s Office Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Chief Mgwagwa Gamedze was mentioned as the contact person.

Reached for comments by this Swaziland News, King Mswati’s Spokesperson Percy Simelane said he was not aware of the notice of sale, he then referred comments to King’s Office Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Chief Mgwagwa Gamedze.

“I am not aware. The Chief Officer, Mr Mgwagwa Gamedze should be able to assist as he is alleged to be the face of the sale in question”, said the King’s Spokesperson.

But efforts by this publication to reach the King’s Office CEO proved unsuccessful at the time of compiling this report.

On another note, a Government insider told this publication that, the sale was first facilitated by the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, it remains unclear if a buyer has been secured but, the Ministry of Public Works recently told Parliament that, “Government is planning to buy another jet”.

King Mswati III

No ILO Special Paragraph threats against eSwatini

By Mfanukhona Nkambule, Times of eSwatini, 12 June 2026

SOURCE

MBABANE: It is a notable shift in the longstanding industrial relations narrative of the Kingdom of Eswatini that, as the International Labour Conference convenes in 2026, the nation is not subject to the intense scrutiny of a Special Paragraph.

An ILO Special Paragraph is a highly publicised mechanism used by ILO.

It serves as a tool of "naming and shaming" within the ILO's supervisory system, specifically deployed when a member country commits continuous, systematic or mass violations of ratified ILO Conventions

This development marks a significant departure from previous decades, particularly the turbulent era under the leadership of the late Jan Sithole of the Swaziland Federation of Trade Unions (SFTU), and even the more recent challenges faced during the tenure of current Secretary General Mduduzi Gina.

In an interview last night, Gina and Minister for Labour and Social Security Phila Buthelezi said there was not much about Eswatini in this year’s annual ILO conference in Geneva, Switzerland.

“We are attending the conference without anything particular to Eswatini,” Gina said.

The minister said: “There’s nothing much about the Kingdom, besides updating committees through reports on progress made regarding issues discussed before.”

While the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and the Trade Union Congress of Swaziland (TUCOSWA) have submitted observations, the overall disposition of the Committee of Experts indicates a government that is increasingly engaging with technical assistance and procedural mechanisms to address long-standing labour disputes.

To read more of this report, click here

https://www.times.co.sz/news/readmore.php?bhsadjgfoh=No+ILO+Special+Paragraph+Threats+Against+Eswatini&yiphi=4186&bvhdgsj=News

UN presence in eSwatini not shrinking – Wachira

By Musa Simelane, Sunday Observer (eSwatini) 14 June 2026

SOURCE

UN Resident Coordinator in Eswatini, George Wachira, has dismissed perceptions that the United Nations is scaling down or withdrawing from the kingdom.

Instead, he said its presence is being strengthened under a restructured operating model.

He pointed to the conclusion of the 2021–2025 UN Cooperation Framework in December 2025, noting that 17 UN agencies had been implementing the framework over the previous five years.

“For the 2021 to 2025 cycle, we had 17 agencies signing the agreement to implement it, while the newly launched framework now includes 21 agencies, an increase of four,” said Wachira.

“So that is the true story; it is not that the United Nation’s presence is reducing or withdrawing, but rather it depends on where each entity is located while still covering Eswatini.”

He explained that globally, some UN agencies are relocating from expensive duty stations such as New York, to more cost-efficient locations closer to the regions they serve.

This shift has also led to the establishment of multi-country offices, where a single representative may cover several countries within a region.

For example, UNFPA has its accredited representative based in Pretoria, South Africa, covering Eswatini, Lesotho, and Botswana under one arrangement.

While the representative is based in another country, he said staff members remain in Eswatini and continue to implement programmes locally.

“What changes is where the representative is located and how many countries they cover as one representative,” he said.

Wachira stressed that the UN is not withdrawing from Eswatini. “It is not like the United Nations is walking away. In fact, it will not walk away, but what is changing is the mode of organisation and ofcourse, as a way of reducing operational costs,” he said.

He explained that in some cases, rather than having a representative in every country, the UN appoints one representative to cover multiple countries while staff remains on the ground.

However, he confirmed that Eswatini will continue to host the UN resident coordinator office to ensure national coordination of UN activities. Wachira also acknowledged that staffing levels could fluctuate depending on funding availability.

“Of course, as you know, resources diminish, we have had instances where staff was downsized because some programmes they were implementing were not funded anymore,” he said.

“So at that point, the staff would have to leave and as soon as new projects open, there is likelihood of those staff members being called back.”

Asked to name a UN agency locally that had undergone such a situation, he pointed out the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), noting that a specific project had ended and led to reduced staffing, though he could not recall the project name.

“But UNICEF remains in the Kingdom of Eswatini. No entity has actually left. Instead, we have more entities that are implementing the new cooperation framework,” he said.

He further noted that under the new arrangement, agencies such as UNFPA, whose representative is based in Pretoria, and UNICEF, which also has its country representative based in South Africa, will continue to support Eswatini.

Wachira emphasised that these changes reflect broader UN reforms aimed at improving efficiency, coordination, and impact in delivering sustainable development goals, rather than a reduction in presence.

He reiterated that despite structural adjustments, the UN’s commitment to Eswatini remained unchanged and its development partnership with government continued to guide all programmes.

Overall, he said the changes should not be interpreted as withdrawal, but as an evolution in how the UN operates to better serve countries in the region

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Swaziland Newsletter No. 930 – 12 June 2026

2026-06-12T02:30:00.000+02:00

Swaziland Newsletter No. 930 – 12 June 2026

E10 item sold to govt for E1500 as auditor-general exposes tender abuse

By Mbongeni Ndlela, Eswatini Positive News, 11 June 2026

SOURCE

LOBAMBA: A shocking revelation that products worth as little as E10 were allegedly sold to Government for as much as E1500 has triggered fresh concerns over the management of public funds, with the Auditor-General warning that millions of Emalangeni continue to disappear through weaknesses in the country's procurement system.

The alarming disclosure was made by Auditor-General Timothy Matsebula during a Public Accounts Committee (PAC) sitting with the Ministry of Finance on Wednesday, where lawmakers launched a scathing attack on procurement practices they believe are bleeding taxpayers dry.

Matsebula told Members of Parliament that Government continues to lose substantial amounts of money through emergency procurement processes, which are increasingly being used to purchase goods and services at highly inflated prices.

In one of the most startling examples presented before the committee, he revealed that products valued at around E10 had, in some instances, been procured by Government for up to E1500 through emergency orders.

The revelation left legislators questioning whether emergency procurement is being abused at the expense of taxpayers.

“There is no value for money. Millions are being lost through tendering processes,” Matsebula told the committee.

The Auditor-General warned that despite laws designed to ensure fairness, transparency and accountability in public procurement, Government continues to face serious challenges that result in excessive spending and poor value for money.

The issue sparked heated debate among PAC members, who argued that the procurement system appears unable to prevent wasteful expenditure.

Deputy Speaker Madala Mhlanga said the E10-to-E1500 example was evidence of deeper problems within the country's tendering framework. He questioned how such transactions could pass through procurement structures without raising red flags.

Mhlanga further recalled concerns surrounding a controversial E263 million digitalisation tender that came before Parliament during the 11th Parliament. He alleged that the company awarded the contract did not possess a valid tax clearance certificate, was not registered as a taxpayer and allegedly lacked a valid trading licence when the tender process closed.

“There is something wrong in the Tender Board. Millions and millions of taxpayers' money are being lost,” said Mhlanga.

PAC member Hon. Tsembeni Magongo also expressed frustration over what she described as a recurring pattern where Government continues awarding emergency contracts to suppliers who have previously failed to deliver.

Public Accounts Committee

To read more of this report, click here

https://www.facebook.com/eswatinipositivenews/posts/pfbid01HWVEiDB2mn4WbZcZto7Rjr5dPqqSdrjxWN3So1upidBNvtijT3S9Z14uzwWwMkYl

Police tortured suspect to get confession – Judge

By Sibusiso Tsabedze, eSwatini Observer, 8 June 2026

SOURCE

The High Court has found two police officers responsible for torturing a Lubombo mechanic who was accused of stealing tractor parts from his former employer.

This was contained in a judgment delivered by Justice Sabelo Masuku who ruled that Sandile William Hlongwane was unlawfully arrested, detained, assaulted and tortured by police officers investigating a theft complaint that later unravelled when the allegedly stolen tractor parts were found at the complainant’s own workshop.

Hlongwane had instituted action against the National Commissioner of Police and Eswatini Government for civil damages in the sum of E2 million.

Court records revealed that he was tied to a bench, handcuffed beneath it and suffocated with a plastic bag by police officers who were trying to force a confession.

The court declared Hlongwane’s arrest and detention unlawful and found that Detective Constable Siyabonga Shiba and Constable Dumsani Tsabedze assaulted and tortured him while acting within the course and scope of their employment with the Royal Eswatini Police Service.

Justice Masuku further ruled that Hlongwane was entitled to claim damages for unlawful arrest, detention, assault and torture, with the amount to be determined during a future hearing.

The judgment stems from events of August 15 and 16, 2020 when Hlongwane, a mechanic who had worked for Moneni businessman Cedric Ngwenya since 2014, was summoned to Manzini Police Station over allegations that he had stolen tractor parts from Ngwenya’s workshop.

According to evidence accepted by the court, Hlongwane reported to the station after receiving a call from Detective Shiba.

Upon arrival, he was questioned by Shiba and Tsabedze about tractor parts allegedly stolen from Ngwenya. Hlongwane denied stealing anything and repeatedly asked police to produce a list of the parts he was accused of taking.

The officers allegedly refused and insisted that he already knew what he had stolen. The court heard that matters quickly escalated.

Hlongwane testified that Tsabedze slapped him and threatened him with further violence unless he confessed. He told the court that officers then showed him a wooden bench they called a “donkey”, forced him to lie on it facing upwards, tied his body and legs to the bench with ropes and handcuffed his hands beneath it. A plastic bag was then pulled over his head and mouth, making it difficult for him to breathe.

He said the officers left him in the interrogation room and instructed him to strike the bench with his handcuffs when he was ready to reveal where the parts were.

Desperate to end the ordeal, Hlongwane said he eventually asked to call his family and tell them to surrender tractor parts kept at his home even though they belonged to customers and family members.

He testified that the torture continued until a female police officer entered the room and questioned why he was being treated that way when there were no exhibits linking him to the alleged crime.

To read more of this report, click here

https://www.eswatiniobserver.com/police-tortured-suspect-to-get-confession-judge/

Minister appoints ‘terrorist group member’

By Mfanukhona Nkambule, Times Sunday, 7 June 2026

SOURCE

MBABANE: Did Minister for Public Works and Transport Chief Ndlaluhlaza Ndwandwe breach the Suppression of Terrorism Act of 2008?

This follows the minister’s appointment of a member of an organisation that was specified as a terrorist entity to the Eswatini Road Safety Council. It has been observed that the appointment of Nontsetselelo Nkambule, the Treasurer General of the proscribed Swaziland Youth Congress (SWAYOCO) has sparked significant legal and political controversy.

Adding fuel to fire is the recent police statement seeking public assistance in locating Nkambule to help the law enforcers in determining the authenticity of a reported kidnapping and attempted murder case. The appointment, which was announced on November 25, 2025, is understood to be a direct violation of the Suppression of Terrorism Act, 2008.

This is understood to be raising serious questions about the alignment between government’s administrative actions and its national security legislation.

While the minister announced the Board with the intention of ushering in a renewed mandate for the 2025–2028 term, a closer examination of Nkambule’s profile reveals a conflict with the country’s laws. She serves as the treasurer general of SWAYOCO, the youth wing of the People’s United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO).

In its profile, SWAYOCO describes itself as a militant wing of PUDEMO.

It must be said that both organisations and two others were proscribed as terrorist entities by the Eswatini Government, a pronouncement originally made by the late Prime Minister Sibusiso Barnabas Dlamini.

To read more of this report click here

https://times.co.sz/news/readmore.php?bhsadjgfoh=Minister+appoints+terrorist+group+member&yiphi=4114&bvhdgsj=News

Ten Cabinet Ministers constitutionally not eligible for re-appointment

By Zweli Martin Dlamini, Swaziland News, June 8, 2026

SOURCE

MBABANE: Princess Lindiwe, the Minister of Home Affairs and nine (9) other Cabinet Ministers are constitutionally not eligible for re-appointment in the 2028-2033 Government term.

Constitutionally, the King cannot appoint Parliamentarians as Cabinet Ministers for two (2) consecutive terms, other Ministers who are not eligible include Finance Minister Neal Rijikernberg, Economic Planning and Development Minister Dr. Thambo Gina, Commerce Minister Mancoba Khumalo, Public Service Minister Mabulala Maseko, Justice Minister Prince Simelane, Labour Minister Phila Buthelezi, Public Works and Transport Minister Chief Ndlaluhlaza Ndwandwe, Foreign Affairs Minister Pholile Dlamini-Shakantu and Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) Thulisile Dladla.

Acting Government Spokesperson Thabile Mdluli was not immediately available for a comment.

Reached for comments by this Swaziland News on Monday evening, lawyer Sibusiso Nhlabatsi confirmed that, constitutionally, Cabinet Ministers cannot serve for two (2) consecutive terms.

“It’s Section 68 (6) of the Constitution, some Ministers have served for two consecutive terms and therefore, will not come back in 2028”, said the lawyer when asked to interpret the Constitution.

Education and Training Minister Owen Nxumalo who served as the Minister of Public Service during the 2013-2018 term is eligible for re-appointment, he was not a Parliamentarian during the 2018-2023 term and therefore, was not in Cabinet for two (2) consecutive terms.

It has been disclosed that, some Cabinet Ministers who are not eligible for re-appointment have embarked on massive looting of public funds so that they could leave with “Ingcamu” in the event life “forces them to take a long journey to the political wilderness”.

Home Affairs Minister Princess Lindiwe and her JC religious alleged corrupt cartel, was exposed by this publication for allegedly stealing about R100million through African Drums Events Management (Pty) Ltd, this was during the recently held King Mswati’s forty (40) years on the Throne and birthday double celebration.

Ousted by the Trump Administration, U.S. immigrants remain locked up in African kingdom

By Kate Morrissey, Capital & Main (U.S.), 9 June 2026

SOURCE

Held indefinitely, immigrants imprisoned in Eswatini lack medical attention, food and clothing, according to complaint.

A military plane carrying five U.S. immigrants took off from Djibouti in July 2025.

Its destination was Eswatini, a small country nestled on the border between South Africa and Mozambique. Ruled by a king, Eswatini had made a deal with the Trump administration to receive up to 160 people removed from the United States in exchange for $5.1 million.

According to a complaint filed with the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights, the men didn’t know where they were going until the plane had almost landed.

As with the Venezuelan men sent to El Salvador last year by the Trump administration, when the Eswatini-bound flight arrived, the government there placed the new arrivals in a maximum security prison, where most remain today with no way to challenge their detention. Unlike the case for the Venezuelan men in El Salvador, Congress and the media have spent little time looking into the ongoing imprisonment of the men in Eswatini.

But for the family members of the people sent there, the separation has been devastating.

“He’s suffering some major depression there as I suffer silently here,” said the life partner of a Cuban man sent to Eswatini who asked not to be fully identified for fear of retaliation.

She said she’s working two jobs to take care of their family now that he’s gone.

When asked about the situation, the Department of Homeland Security, through an unnamed spokesperson, deferred to the State Department regarding the agreement with Eswatini.

“The Trump Administration is utilizing all lawful options to carry out the largest deportation operation in history, just as President Trump promised,” the spokesperson said. “Anyone who has been deported received full due process.”

The Eswatini government and the U.S. State Department did not respond to requests for comment. When the first flight landed in Eswatini, the Trump administration disparaged the men because of their criminal records.

Since July, two more flights have landed in Eswatini, most recently in March, bringing the total number of immigrants removed from the United States and then imprisoned there to 19 people. A couple of them have since been deported to their home countries.

Beatrice Njeri, regional litigator for Africa at Global Strategic Litigation Council and a lawyer representing several of the men in the complaint with the commission, called the conditions the men have been living in inhumane.

“We are seeing African states being complicit to human rights violations committed by the U.S.,” Njeri said.

Eswatini is among at least eight African countries that have received people removed from the U.S. who do not have any ties to the receiving country under agreements with the Trump administration, according to reporting from journalist Gillian Brockell, who tracks Immigration and Customs Enforcement flights. The U.S. government has also made agreements with countries in Asia, Europe and the Western Hemisphere.

A team of lawyers including Njeri is working to combat those removals by filing complaints with regional human rights commissions.

To read more of this report, click here

https://capitalandmain.com/ousted-by-the-trump-administration-u-s-immigrants-remain-locked-up-in-african-kingdom

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Swaziland Newsletter No. 929 – 5 June 2026

2026-06-05T03:00:00.000+02:00

Swaziland Newsletter No. 929 – 5 June 2026

eSwatini braces for refugee influx from South Africa

By Timothy Simelane, Times of eSwatini, 1 June 2026

SOURCE

One of the marches against illegal foreigners in SA. (Credit: IOL)

MANZINI: Eswatini may be forced to accommodate a high number of illegal immigrants fleeing the discrimination upsurge in neighbouring South Africa.

The illegal immigrants in SA have been given an ultimatum of June 30 to leave the republic or face forced removal which may manifest in the form of violence.

Though some people say they are already seeing a few immigrants in some townships and urban areas of the kingdom, this is yet to be verified. The war against illegal immigrants is being waged by a group that calls itself the March and March, led by Jacinta Ngobe, Phakel’umthakathi and amaBhinca King Ngizwe Mchunu.

Human Rights Lawyer Sipho Gumedze said Eswatini is a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention and have no choice but to accept them.

Gumedze said the country has been dealing with refugees for over 40 years as there are camps at Malindza and Ndzevane. “As signatories of the convention, we’ve no option but to accommodate all those who will have a credible story and recognised by the UNCHR,” Gumedze said.

This follows that there have been comments insinuating that Eswatini could experience an increase in the number of undocumented migrants crossing its borders, should xenophobic violence in South Africa intensify.

Gumedze said people fleeing conflict, persecution or instability often seek safety in neighbouring countries, making Eswatini a potential destination for those displaced by the unrest.

According to the Gumedze, asylum seekers and other vulnerable migrants should be treated in line with humanitarian and international legal principles, particularly where their movement has been driven by circumstances beyond their control.

He further stressed the importance of maintaining a compassionate response to displacement, arguing that regional solidarity has historically played a crucial role in assisting populations affected by political and social crises.

While acknowledging that any significant influx would place pressure on available resources, Gumedze said existing refugee facilities could provide temporary accommodation for some arrivals, should the need arise. Meanwhile, Communications Officer in the Ministry of Home Affairs, Mlandvo Dlamini said the ministry will only accommodate immigrants who have followed all the necessary procedures and have the requisite paperwork.

To read more of this report, click here

https://times.co.sz/news/readmore.php?bhsadjgfoh=Eswatini+braces+for+refugee+influx+from+South+Africa&yiphi=4044&bvhdgsj=News

eSwatini’s traditional healers are now first responders for immunisation

By Nokukhanya Musi–Aimienoho, Vaccines Work, 1 June 2026

SOURCE

Eighty percent of people in Eswatini see traditional healers first. Mahlala Enginini is one of them, and she’s making sure to funnel them to vaccination centres.

In a country where the vast majority of people seek out traditional healers before trained medical providers, people like Mahlala Enginini are a powerful ally to the immunisation system

The healer is one of 107 to have been trained up as a “bridge” to the conventional public health system. In addition to throwing bones to consult ancestors and lighting herbs with purifying powers, she now checks for fevers and consults vaccination records.

It’s a role she’s glad to perform. “I’ve seen families do lose their children too many times,” she told VaccinesWork.

The distant crowing of the cockrel can be heard in the bustling informal settlement of New Village in Eswatini, as 52-year-old traditional healer Gertrude Ginindza kneels down on a grass mat to burn impepho, the Helichrysum herb.

Smoke fills the hut, which is stacked high in every corner with tins and containers: some rusted, some plastic, all filled with ground roots, dried leaves, bark and varying concoctions.

As an immunisation champion, Mahlala Enginini now checks on more than the spirits. She checks health cards for missed doses, foreheads for fever, chests for rattles, arms for BCG scars and more.

This is a typical morning for Ginindza, known in her community as Mahlala Enginini – a name given to her by the ancestors – as she readies herself to receive the first patients of the day. It’ll be a long time yet before the gates at the nearest clinic in Sidvokodvo open.

Most mornings, the majority of her patients are mothers and grandmothers who come with young children for ritual steaming and spiritual cleansing.

However, since last year, her consultations have taken on another purpose.

Mahlala Enginini is one of 107 traditional healers from across Eswatini’s four regions to have been trained up by the Ministry’s Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) to help strengthen vaccine uptake. She now plays a critical role, bridging the gap between families and healthcare facilities – a responsibility she takes seriously.

"When was the child last vaccinated?" Mahlala Enginini asks. It is the most important question, one that crosses the divide from the hut to the clinic, from tradition to modern medicine.

In the tiny Southern African nation, some 45% of all children are classified as orphaned or vulnerable, according to UNICEF’s 2023 Situation Analysis. 84% of children have received all three doses of the basic diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis-containing vaccine, while 85% have received the first of two recommended doses of measles vaccines, per WHO/UNICEF estimates.

As an immunisation champion, Mahlala Enginini now checks on more than the spirits. She checks health cards for missed doses, foreheads for fever, chests for rattles, arms for BCG scars and more.

She doesn’t replace the clinic, but carries it into the huts. Trust follows her: 80% of the 1.2 million Emaswati consult traditional healers first.

Mahlala Enginini

To read more of this report, click here

https://www.gavi.org/vaccineswork/eswatinis-traditional-healers-are-now-first-responders-immunisation

May Day mayhem might put eSwatini on ILO agenda

By Nokuphila Haji, eSwatini Observer, 1 June 2026

SOURCE

Commissioner of Labour Kingdom Mamba says the events leading to the non-commemoration of International Workers’ Day may add weight to the possibility of Eswatini being discussed during the 114th International Labour Conference.

The conference is scheduled to commence today in Geneva, Switzerland. Mamba stated that as per the list issued on April 30, Eswatini was not among the countries scheduled for discussion. However, he stated that the final list of countries to be discussed was expected to be issued during the first week of the conference, which is this week.

This was shared by Mamba yesterday.

On May 1, Shiselweni Regional Administrator Themba Masuku sought an application stopping the Trade Union Congress of Swaziland (TUCOSWA) from hosting its 2026 International Workers’ Day (May Day) celebrations, which were planned for Hlatikhulu, as they did not have permission from the local authorities.

However, the Federation of Eswatini Trade Unions (FESWATU) was able to proceed with its May Day celebration in Nhlangano.

Mamba further confirmed that a delegation from Eswatini was attending the 114th International Labour Conference (ILC), which will be held from June 1 to 12 in Geneva, Switzerland. He said the Eswatini delegation departed on Friday and will return on June 14.

He said the delegation is composed of 12 delegates in total: six government delegates, three employers’ delegates and three workers’ delegates.

Mamba added that Business Eswatini has two delegates due to being the most representative employers’ organisation, and one delegate is from the least representative employers’ organisation.

“TUCOSWA has two delegates due to being the most representative workers’ organisation, and one delegate is from the least representative workers’ organisation,” he said.

Over 70 000 disabled emaSwati excluded from schools

By Khaya Simelane, eSwatini News, 30 May 2026

SOURCE

MBABANE: For years, Eswatini's commitment to inclusive education has largely existed in policy documents, international conventions and ministerial speeches promising that no child would be left behind.

However, inside classrooms across the country, a far harsher reality continues to unfold quietly.

A newly-published study by the University of Eswatini (UNESWA) Associate Professor and Dean of Education, Professor S'lungile Thwala, has revealed deep cracks within the country's education system. The research shows that more than half of emaSwati with disabilities have no formal education, despite years of reforms aimed at promoting inclusion. The study, published on 16 February this year, paints a picture of exclusion, inaccessible schools, underprepared teachers and persistent social stigma that continues to keep thousands of children with disabilities out of classrooms.

According to disability statistics cited in the research and supported by national education reports, persons with disabilities constitute between 13 and 16 per cent of Eswatini's population.

Using the 2017 Population and Housing Census estimates, this translates to between 146 000 and 176 000 people.

Of these, approximately 52 per cent reportedly have no formal education. In practical terms, this means more than 70 000 emaSwati with disabilities may never have meaningfully entered the country's education system.

These figures contrast sharply with the country's commitment to Sustainable Development Goal Four (SDG 4), which promotes equitable and quality education for all.

Thwala's study, titled 'From Policy to Practice: Eswatini Perspective on the Implementation of Inclusive Education Policy', examined policy documents, ministry reports and local research spanning more than two decades.

The research concluded that inclusive education in Eswatini remains largely aspirational, with a widening gap between government policy and classroom realities. Children with disabilities continue to be excluded from schools, hidden from public life or pushed through an education system that is neither designed nor adequately prepared to accommodate them.

At the centre of the problem, Thwala identified what she described as a 'policy–practice gap'. Although the Ministry of Education and Training adopted the Education Sector Policy and the Special Education Policy in 2018 to guarantee equal educational opportunities, implementation remains weak.

154 teen pregnancies recorded in Sandleni clinics

By Nokuphila Haji, eSwatini Observer, 3 June 2026

SOURCE

A total of 154 teenage pregnancies were recorded in two clinics under Sandleni constituency last year.

National Executive Director of the National Emergency Response Council on HIV and AIDS (NERCHA) Dr Nondumiso Ncube urged young people under the inkhundla to abstain.

Ncube made the call while addressing residents during Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini’s tour of government-funded projects in the area.

The director reminded the public that HIV remained a public health threat in the country, thus required everyone’s commitment to strengthen prevention and viral suppression efforts.

She said as an organisation that coordinates HIV response, they had noted trends in Sandleni Inkhundla that could contribute to new infections.

Dr Ncube revealed that data collected in the constituency showed children dropping out of school and teenagers falling pregnant.

She said the 2025 statistics for school dropouts were concerning with 59 pupils having dropped out of primary school, while 41 dropped out of high school.

The director said according to the data from the two health facilities (Jericho and Nhletjeni clinics), 154 children between the ages of 10 and 19 fell pregnant last year.

From these children four of them were between 10 and 14 while 150 were between 15 and 19 years.

To read more of this report, click here

https://www.eswatiniobserver.com/154-teen-pregnancies-recorded-in-sandleni-clinics/

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Swaziland Newsletter No. 928 – 29 May 2026

2026-05-29T02:30:00.000+02:00

Swaziland Newsletter No. 928 – 29 May 2026

eSwatini’s oil reserve gamble

By Edwin Naidu, Mail & Guardian (South Africa), 27 May 2026

SOURCE

Eswatini has signed a $300 million agreement with Taiwan to build a massive strategic oil reserve but the project is raising difficult questions in a country battling deepening poverty, soaring unemployment and allegations of elite enrichment

Eswatini is a country standing at a crossroads — and increasingly, at the edge of a cliff. The latest World Bank data paints a stark picture: one in three citizens is unemployed and nearly half the population lives in poverty, surviving on less than $3 (about R50) a day.

Youth unemployment hovers near catastrophic levels and the economy, though showing flickers of growth, remains too small, too fragile and too undiversified to absorb the thousands of young people entering the labour market each year.

Against this bleak backdrop, under the absolute leadership of King Mswati III since 1986, eSwatini government officials have signed a $300 million (12 billion Emalangeni) financing agreement with Taiwan for the construction of the Phuzumoya Strategic Oil Reserve — a project pitched as a cornerstone of national energy security.

The deal, formalised in Taipei, commits eSwatini to a 36-month build of an 80 million litre fuel reserve, split evenly between petrol and diesel. It is the largest infrastructure financing agreement eSwatini has entered in years.

But the question that hangs over the announcement is unavoidable: Can a country battling deepening poverty and chronic unemployment afford such a project and can it afford not to?

The project has become further mired in controversy amid allegations about the beneficiaries of the agreement. According to allegations circulating among activists and political insiders, the project could financially benefit members of the royal family and politically connected figures. The government denies the claims.

After a controversial visit to eSwatini by Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te earlier this month, the Taiwanese agreed to increase the transfer of interests to the nation.

Ambassador Liang Hong-sheng was reportedly instructed to inform the royal family that once the storage facility was built, the income would belong to the king and royal family.

Members of the royal family, including the king and Natural Resources Minister Prince William Dlamini, will allegedly receive a pro rata share of the $300m investment.

Liang will also allegedly receive $2.5m, to be administered by a Taiwanese businessman in eSwatini, with other officials and “green interest” groups set to benefit.

The king’s spokesperson, Percy Simelane, however, denied any wrongdoing, saying a feasibility study was conducted before the Phuzumoya Oil Reserve project received the green light.

To read more of this report, click here

https://mg.co.za/africa/2026-05-27-eswatinis-oil-reserve-gamble/

Still no trace of missing E67m elderly grants

By Ntombi Mhlongo, Times of eSwatini, 28 May 2026

SOURCE

LOBAMBA: Sixteen years after millions meant for elderly grants could not be traced, the Deputy Prime Minister’s (DPM) Office has admitted that it has failed to recover the money and has since referred the matter to the Losses Committee.

The issue resurfaced yesterday during the appearance of the office before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), where officials were responding to audit queries raised by Auditor General (AG), Timothy Matsebula.

According to the Auditor General’s Financial Audit Report for the year ended March 31, 2024, the Department of Social Welfare still has unretired cash advances amounting to E67 671 963.88 dating back to the 2010 financial year.

Matsebula said the money had originally been issued to government officials as imprests for the payment of elderly grants in constituencies when beneficiaries were still receiving grants in cash.

However, the cash advances were never retired against the wages advance suspense account as required under government financial regulations.

The auditor general stated that in the 2010 financial year alone, E26 941 081.70 remained unretired and the amount continued accumulating over the years to the current E67.6 million, with no recoveries made from the public officers responsible for the funds.

Matsebula advised the controlling officer to investigate the matter, hold the officers involved accountable and ensure the retirement of the cash advances.

He also directed that the matter be reported to the Losses Committee and relevant authorities for further investigation.

The controlling officer had previously informed the AG that internal investigations had been conducted, but were unsuccessful because some documents were incomplete while others could no longer be located. Officials who had handled the transactions at the time were reportedly asked to provide reports explaining what transpired, but no meaningful progress was made.

The matter was also reported to the Royal Eswatini Police Service. However, the AG raised concern that supporting evidence showing the progress of police investigations, as well as proof that the matter had been formally submitted to the Losses Committee, had not been provided.

Read more of this report, click here

https://times.co.sz/news/readmore.php?bhsadjgfoh=Still+no+trace+of+missing+E67m+elderly+grants&yiphi=4002&bvhdgsj=News

MOFA still assessing recruitment of eSwatini workers

ICRT (Taiwan), 27 May 2026

SOURCE

The [Taiwan] Ministry of Foreign Affairs says government is still assessing the possible recruitment of workers from Eswatini.

According to the ministry’s Department of West Asian and African Affairs, a feasibility study on labor cooperation between the two countries was still in its early stages.

The statements come amid renewed speculation the Lai administration is seeking to source workers from Eswatini.

The foreign ministry has recently dismissed online rumors that the government has already agreed to recruit 1,000 workers from Eswatini annually following President Lai Ching-te’s trip to the kingdom earlier this month.

The ministry has insisted that such online reports are “a classic case of disinformation” with “no basis in fact.”

The 1,000-worker figure also appeared in a 2025 report published by the Eswatini Observer.

Meanwhile, the foreign ministry says it is currently focusing on upgrading vocational training in Eswatini and working with the Ministry of Labor’s Workforce Development Agency to help strengthen workforce training in the Southern African country.

King Mswati’s R10billion budget prioritized by Ministry of Finance ahead of SACU receipts, Government suppliers might be paid in September 2026 after civil servants outstanding salary review payments

By Zweli Martin Dlamini, Swaziland News, 26 May 2026

SOURCE

MBABANE: King Mswati’s R10billion budget as reflected in the National Budget remains a top priority for the Eswatini Government and according to a Ministry of Finance payment plan leaked to this publication, the King through his King’s Office, will receive a larger amount shortly after the country receives payment from the Southern African Customs Union (SACU).

The King and his royal family consume about forty percent (40%) of the National Budget in a country where about 70% of the population lives below the poverty line and as a result, the country is facing a health crisis and, Government is struggling to timely pay suppliers resulting to private companies struggling to pay salaries as the Government financial challenges manifest into a National cash flow crisis.

But the tiny Kingdom ruled by an absolute Monarch recently faced shortage of passports and other Identity Documents (IDs) amid rampant looting allegedly by a royal syndicate, linked to King’s sister Home Affairs Minister Princess Lindiwe.

Acting Eswatini Government Spokesperson Thabile Mdluli declined to comment when reached by this Swaziland News on Tuesday morning.

On another note, the Government 2026/27 payment plan further suggests that, civil servants will receive their outstanding eighty-five percent (85%) salary increment in July 2026, the Eswatini Revenue Service (ERS) and SACU are highly expected to fund the budget items.

King Mswati II

50% of UN funds returned due to poor implementation

By Nomalungelo Phiri, eSwatini Observer, 25 May 2026

SOURCE

Minister of Economic Planning and Development Dr Tambo Gina has raised concern over Eswatini’s inability to fully utilise funding received from the United Nations (UN), revealing that in some cases up to 50% of allocated resources are returned due to implementation challenges.

Speaking during the Joint National Steering Committee meeting held at the UN House on Thursday, Gina said the situation was worrying, especially at a time when the country continues to face poverty and unemployment.

“In some cases, at least 50% of the resources we receive go back because of lack of implementation. With all the problems we face, including poverty, it is a shame to have resources returned simply due to delays in implementation,” said Gina.

The minister commended development partners, including ambassadors and international stakeholders, for their continued support to Eswatini’s development agenda.

“It is very impressive to see our European partners and high-level ambassadors continuing to support the country.

“I strongly appreciate government, the resource group and all their teams for the work they are doing,” he said.

Gina also raised concern about the effectiveness of some collaborating structures involved in development programmes, saying their large size does not always translate into meaningful implementation.

“Sometimes the collaborating groups are very big, but some members only attend meetings. The key issue in many African countries is weak implementation,” he said.

Despite these challenges, he said the UN Cooperative Framework remains aligned with government priorities and development goals.

“This programme is very much aligned with government priorities. There is commitment in terms of aspirations, but we must also show commitment through action,” he said.

He cited early childhood development as an example of an area that is widely recognised but still not fully integrated into national systems.

“We all understand the importance of early childhood learning and its impact on human development, but we must move from aspiration to full implementation,” he said.

Gina reaffirmed government’s commitment to strengthening cooperation with the UN and development partners.

“Government is committed and the UN is equally committed. We will do everything to ensure we also play our part,” he said.

He further urged the UN to maintain its presence in Eswatini, saying government would work hard to ensure continued partnership.

“We will work hard to encourage the UN not to reduce its presence in the country,” he added.

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Swaziland Newsletter No. 927 – 22 May 2026

2026-05-22T09:26:53.578+02:00

Swaziland Newsletter No. 927 – 22 May 2026

Govt investigates child safety at discipline camps

By Melisa Msweli, eSwatini Observer, 16 May 2026

SOURCE

Deputy Prime Minister’s office Director of Social Welfare Services Mcusi Shongwe met with stakeholders including the police and youth-based organisations to discuss growing concerns surrounding the safety and welfare of children in private discipline camps, ahead of planned engagements with the discipline camp operators.

The meetings form part of government’s ongoing assessment of the operation of discipline and rehabilitation camps across the country, amid concerns over child safety, vetting of trainers, discipline methods and compliance with the Child Protection and Welfare Act.

Shongwe said as the ministry responsible for children, government had an obligation to intervene in matters involving the welfare and protection of minors.

According to Shongwe, discussions with stakeholders focused on whether some of the discipline methods being applied in the camps were aligned with national laws, child protection standards and internationally accepted safeguarding frameworks.

This is after concerns from the DPM’s office over reports that children were being housed in tents in remote bush settings and subjected to harsh physical exercises, including prolonged exposure to mud and strenuous drills regardless of age or gender.

Government fears some of the practices may infringe on children’s rights and conflict with the country’s positive discipline framework, which promotes non-violent, age-appropriate and child-centred correction methods.

Section 14 of the Child Protection and Welfare Act of 2012 states that a child must be protected from cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment and that discipline must be appropriate to the child’s age and condition.

Concerns have since emerged over whether some activities conducted in the camps meet the threshold of humane and appropriate discipline.

Shongwe also said government remained concerned about the individuals entrusted with children in these camps and whether they had undergone proper vetting and training to work with minors.

The DPM’s office had earlier disclosed concerns that some individuals associated with certain camps allegedly had criminal records, including convictions related to child abuse, while there were fears that some trainers could themselves be engaging in substance abuse.

Authorities further questioned whether boys and girls of different ages were being subjected to the same forms of training without consideration of their developmental and physiological differences.

The social welfare director said having concluded engagements with stakeholders, government would now proceed to invite discipline camp operators for discussions. He said the purpose of the engagements would be to hear directly from operators about the programmes they offer and assess whether their operations comply with the law and child protection standards.

To read more of this report, click here

https://www.eswatiniobserver.com/dpm-office-engages-discipline-camp-operators-eswatini/

See also

DPM raises alarm over discipline camps (eSwatini Observer)

https://www.eswatiniobserver.com/dpm-office-discipline-camps/

eSwatini, UN pivot to E453M strategy to shield economy from shifting global aid

By Samkelisiwe Mavimbela, Independent News, eSwatini, 21 May 2026

SOURCE

MBABANE: The United Nations and the Government of Eswatini have launched an aggressive E453.1 million (US$27.6 million) economic survival plan designed to shield the local economy from a collapsing global foreign aid market.

Faced with a volatile international landscape where traditional donor funding has dried up, the two-year Joint Work Plan represents a drastic shift away from small-scale humanitarian charity toward massive, system-wide institutional reform and private sector investment.

The strategy officially kicked off at UN House on Thursday with 77.2% of the required capital already secured, leaving an E95.4 million (US$5.8 million) funding gap that UN officials and the Ministries in line intend to aggressively source through corporate partnerships and domestic revenue mobilization.

UN Resident Coordinator George Wachira warned that multilateral cooperation is undergoing its greatest test since 1945 as global tensions, rising fuel prices, and security demands squeeze international budgets.

“This reality informs but does not paralyse us,” Wachira told senior government and business leaders. “As the development financing landscape evolves, the implementation of the framework will depend increasingly on stronger domestic resource mobilization, strategic partnerships and catalytic investments. Our mindsets and language must shift away from project funding towards financing and investing at scale to achieve transformation,” he added.

To survive this tightening fiscal environment, the plan focuses heavily on overhauling Eswatini’s internal financial systems. Co-chaired by the Minister for Economic Planning and Development, Dr. Thambo Gina, the initiative will prioritize tightening tax collection, streamlining public financial management, cutting waste, and curbing corruption to expand the national budget internally.

To read more of this report, click here

https://independentnews.co.sz/43637/business/economy/eswatini-un-pivot-to-e453m-strategy-to-shield-economy-from-shifting-global-aid/

King Mswati appointing brothers and sisters to head Ministry of Home Affairs since taking over the Throne, these alleged corrupt royal thieves are collapsing the Government

Opinion by Zweli Martin Dlamini, Swaziland News, 18 May 2026

SOURCE

It is clear now that, the Ministry of Home Affairs is regarded as “Liphakelo” within royalty, Ministers are appointed from the royal family and these alleged royal thieves have been collapsing the Ministry of Home Affairs.

But let me state that during the then Home Affairs Minister Prince Sobandla’s term, the Ministry was doing well, other Home Affairs Ministers who were not deeply involved in corruption include Prince Gabheni and Princess Tsandzile.

Now we have Home Affairs Minister Princess Lindiwe, an alleged thief who disregarded a warning from Finance Minister Neal Rijikernberg and continued to award multimillion tenders to African Drums Events Management (Pty) Ltd, a company allegedly linked to her ‘JC’ religious cabal.

As the situation stands, emaSwati are struggling to access passports and other Identity Documents (IDs) and corruption contributed to this social crisis.

But the King must never think he will be divorced from this mess, it’s him who regularly appointed his brothers and sisters to head of the Ministry of Home Affairs thus turning the Ministry into “Liphakelo”.

Currently, we have an alleged thief Princess Lindiwe of the JC syndicate and emaSwati are now struggling to access passports and other services.

Inside the secret mission to fly Taiwan’s President to Africa

By Chris Buckley and Amy Chang Chien, New York Times. 14 May 2026

SOURCE

TAIPEI: From satellite phone check-ins to a borrowed royal plane, new details show how Taiwan’s leader’s team outwitted China and pulled off an audacious journey to southern Africa.

There were no heavy suitcases aboard the borrowed jet that secretly carried President Lai Ching-te of Taiwan toward Africa. Instead, to save fuel for a secret, 15,000-mile journey to get around restricted airspace, his entourage brought only carry-on bags.

The stripped-back, high-stakes mission, revealed by Taiwanese officials who had been on the flight, and who showed documents to back up their account of what happened, was aimed at outmaneuvering Beijing’s latest attempts to isolate Taiwan.

China had been gloating earlier after it dealt an embarrassing blow to the president of Beijing’s rival, Taiwan, and his government’s efforts to preserve the island’s standing on the global stage.

President Lai Ching-te of Taiwan had been invited by the tiny southern African kingdom of Eswatini to attend celebrations in April marking King Mswati III’s 40 years on the throne. Eswatini is the only African country that still maintains official diplomatic relations with Taiwan and not China.

Mr. Lai was forced to call off the trip after three other countries rescinded permits for him to fly through their airspace to reach Eswatini. The three nations did so apparently because of pressure from Beijing, which says Taiwan is its territory and has no rightful place in diplomacy.

Then, in a twist, Mr. Lai announced in early May: “I’ve arrived.”

He had reached Eswatini on a covert flight across the Indian Ocean that appeared to have caught Beijing by surprise. The Chinese government likened Mr. Lai’s actions to a rat running across a street. Mr. Lai celebrated his trip as a plucky victory against China’s campaign to marginalize Taiwan.

This account of Mr. Lai’s covert journey to Africa and back draws on interviews with two officials who had accompanied him on the trip. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive security and diplomatic details and to share related documents, such as the flight permits that were revoked.

King Mswati III gave Mr. Lai a full military welcome ceremony, seen in an image provided by the Taiwan Presidential Office. Credit: Taiwan Presidential Office, via Associated Press

To read more of this report, click here

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/14/world/asia/taiwan-eswatini-china-flight.html

Skills mismatch fuels unemployment crisis – BE

By Sibusiso Dlamini, eSwatini Observer, 18 May 2026

SOURCE

Business Eswatini (BE), the leading private sector organisation, says the country’s unemployment crisis is being driven by a dangerous combination of slow economic growth, outdated qualifications and a culture that still trains young people to seek jobs rather than create them.

BE CEO E. Nathi Dlamini said this following the release of the country’s 2023 Integrated Labour Force Survey, which revealed that about 68 000 employed people earn below E2 000 per month despite being counted as formally employed.

The survey reported that the kingdom’s unemployment rate stood at 35.4%, while youth unemployment among economically active people aged between 15 and 24 has climbed to 56%.

Dlamini said the labour market crisis could not be understood through unemployment figures alone because deeper structural problems were feeding into one another.

To read more of this report, click here

https://www.eswatiniobserver.com/skills-mismatch-driving-unemployment-eswatini/

eSwatini quickly embraced Trump’s deportee program despite doubts over legality

By Tim Cocks, Reuters, 21 May 2026

SOURCE

MBABANE: Upon learning through the U.S. embassy that President Donald Trump was looking for African nations ⁠to take ⁠in deported third-country migrants, Eswatini was one of the first to ⁠volunteer despite questions over the legality of the program.

According to three senior government sources briefed on the matter, Prime Minister Russell Dlamini met then-Acting U.S. Charge d’Affaires Caitlin Piper in mid-February last year to discuss the matter in private.

Dlamini took the proposal to King Mswati III, who marked 40 years on the throne of the mountainous southern African nation in April. Mswati listened and immediately agreed to host the deportees, two of ‌the sources said, describing previously unreported closed-door talks.

The speed of the ‌agreement, under which 19 migrants have been detained in a prison south of the capital Mbabane so far, reflects how keen Eswatini was to keep its U.S. partner happy.

“The king embraced the deal as Eswatini’s contribution to world order,” King Mswati’s spokesperson, ⁠Percy Simelane, told Reuters of ⁠the decision.

The U.S. was Eswatini’s largest single external donor in 2024, according to U.S. Official Development Assistance figures, with a large share of aid going towards HIV/AIDS programmes. The landlocked kingdom of 1.2 million people has one of the highest rates of HIV in the world.

In return for hosting up to 160 deportees, Eswatini - where a third of the population live below the $2.15-a-day World Bank poverty line - was to be paid $5.1 million, according to a leaked copy of the deal seen by Reuters.

To read more of this report, click here

https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2026-05-21/eswatini-quickly-embraced-trumps-deportee-program-despite-doubts-over-legality

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Swaziland Newsletter No. 926 – 8 May 2026

2026-05-08T02:30:00.002+02:00

Swaziland Newsletter No. 926 – 8 May 2026

May Day Showdown: eSwatini bans rally, labour union heads to court

By Victor Ahiuma-Young, Vanguard, 1 May 2026

SOURCE

A tense standoff has emerged in Eswatini after authorities banned a planned May Day celebration organised by the Trade Union Congress of Swaziland (TUCOSWA), prompting legal action and renewed criticism from labour leaders.

In a statement issued on May 1, TUCOSWA Acting Secretary-General, Winile A. Mlotsa, confirmed that the government prohibited the Workers’ Day gathering, advising members to stay at home or observe the day in smaller local gatherings.

The union said the authorities justified the decision on grounds of public safety, though it noted that the restriction disrupted planned activities and created economic inconvenience for workers.

TUCOSWA had earlier secured approval to use the Hlathikhulu Central High School sports ground and said it properly notified relevant authorities more than 20 days in advance, exceeding the four-day notice requirement under the Public Order Act. Notifications were submitted to both the Hlatsi Town Board and the Shiselweni Regional Administration.

However, the Regional Administrator subsequently blocked the event, arguing that jurisdiction over the venue rested with a local chief.

The labour federation rejected that position, insisting that the law assigns such authority to the Regional Administrator rather than traditional leadership structures.

A legal attempt to overturn the ban failed when the Shiselweni Magistrate Court dismissed the urgent application on April 30, citing procedural issues, including the failure to join the local chief as a party to the case.

Despite the setback, TUCOSWA said it is consulting legal experts on further steps and plans to engage international stakeholders over what it describes as an infringement on workers’ rights.

“The May Day celebration remains banned and prohibited by the authorities,” the federation said, indicating that the dispute is ongoing.

See also

ITUC condemns authorities for banning May Day trade union celebration (ITUC)

https://www.ituc-csi.org/eswatini-ituc-condemns-authorities

Comment: King Mswati’s May Day ban: The Bhozongo farce and the anatomy of absolute power (Swaziland News)

https://swazilandnews.co.za/articles/34535

TUCOSWA undermined my authority, says chief (Times of eSwatini)

https://www.times.co.sz/news/readmore.php?bhsadjgfoh=TUCOSWA+undermined+my+authority%2C+says+chief++&yiphi=3733&bvhdgsj=News

eSwatini to be reported to the International Labour Organization (ILO) for banning May Workers Day (Swaziland News)

https://swazilandnews.co.za/articles/34634

Consumers bracing for fresh wave of rising costs

By Stanley Khumalo and Siphosethu Dlamini, Times of eSwatini, 7 May 2026

SOURCE

MBABANE: Consumers are bracing for a fresh wave of rising living costs after government announced steep fuel price increases, as transport operators simultaneously push for an immediate 25 per cent fare hike.

The Swaziland Local Transport Association (SLTA) says the increase is not a new demand, but the outstanding portion of a 50 per cent adjustment approved in 2014, only half of which was implemented at the time.

At a meeting held in Manzini yesterday, attended by transport representatives from across the country, operators resolved that the remaining 25 per cent should now be effected without delay.

SLTA chairman Ambrose Dlamini said the association was awaiting a meeting with Minister for Public Works and Transport, Chief Ndlaluhlaza Ndwandwe, to finalise timelines and modalities.

“This is not a new request. It was already granted. What remains is to implement what was left out,” he said.

Operators argue that the delayed implementation has been eroded by inflation, rising fuel costs and mounting operational expenses, leaving the sector under severe financial strain. Many say current fares barely cover fuel, with little left for maintenance, loan repayments or profit.

According to the association’s leadership, the fare adjustment does not require a fresh legislative process, as it was already approved in principle years ago, but staggered due to economic considerations at the time. Only half of the increase 25 per cent was implemented, leaving the remaining portion pending.

Now, operators argue that the prolonged delay has placed immense financial strain on the sector, making the implementation of the outstanding adjustment unavoidable.

Association Chairman Ambrose Dlamini confirmed that the organisation is now awaiting a crucial meeting with the Minister for Public Works and Transport, Chief Ndlaluhlaza, where the focus will be on determining the timeline and modalities for rolling out the increase.

“This is not a new request. This is something that was already granted. What we are doing now is implementing what was left out from that 50 per cent adjustment,” he said during the meeting.

He stressed that the association’s position is that the remaining increment should be treated as an administrative implementation rather than a fresh proposal requiring parliamentary processes.

Operators at the meeting echoed this stance, arguing that the long delay in implementing the second phase of the increase has effectively eroded its value due to inflation, rising fuel costs and escalating operational expenses.

To read more of this report, click here

https://www.times.co.sz/news/readmore.php?bhsadjgfoh=Consumers+bracing+for+fresh+wave+of+rising+costs&yiphi=3784&bvhdgsj=News

See also

Hikes to trigger inflation – BE (eSwatini Observer)

https://eswatiniobserver.com/fuel-hikes-trigger-inflation-business-eswatini/

Woman fined E1 000 for reading lover’s messages

By Bongumusa Simelane, eSwatini Observer, 7 May 2026

SOURCE

A woman has been convicted after she unlawfully took her boyfriend’s cellphone and went through his WhatsApp messages.

Bezile Mohale appeared before Pigg’s Peak Magistrate Innocent Mahlalela where she was charged with contravening Section 77 of the Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Act of 2018.

Mohale is said to have taken Mbuso Mamba’s Samsung mobile phone valued at E2 000.

The incident occurred yesterday at Glen Township in Pigg’s Peak.

The accused pleaded guilty and told the court she did not think that this would escalate into a criminal matter.

She said she had hoped that they would talk this over with her boyfriend but unfortunately he decided to rope in the police, which led to her arrest.

Mohale apologised for her actions and she was regretting what she did.

To read more of this report, click here

https://eswatiniobserver.com/woman-fined-reading-boyfriends-whatsapp-messages/

Human Rights Commission demands action after Gogo (81) killed over witchcraft claims

By Sifiso Nhlabatsi, Independent News, eSwatini, 6 May 2026

SOURCE

MBABANE: The Commission on Human Rights and Public Administration/Integrity has called for urgent national intervention to protect older persons following the death of an 81-year-old woman who was allegedly assaulted over accusations of witchcraft in Lavumisa.

This is not the first incident where an elderly person has been attacked over witchcraft allegations in the country this year.

The Commission says the killing of the elderly woman identified as Julia Tsabedze represents a serious violation of fundamental human rights and reflects a dangerous persistence of harmful beliefs that place elderly people at risk of violence.

Speaking through Executive Secretary Phakama Shili, the Commission strongly condemned the incident, describing it as both unlawful and deeply troubling.

“The Commission expresses deep concern over reports that an 81-year-old woman, Julia Tsabedze, died after being assaulted by neighbours following accusations of witchcraft,” Shili said.

“The Commission extends condolences to the family and condemns this incident as a serious violation of the rights to life, dignity and security of person.”

The statement comes after police confirmed the arrest of two men aged 26 and 34 from Qomintaba in connection with the fatal assault.

According to police reports, the incident occurred on March 30, 2026, when Tsabedze allegedly left her home at night and was found wandering along a road in a confused state. It is alleged that the two suspects encountered her and accused her of practising witchcraft before assaulting her with an unknown object.

She sustained severe injuries to her head and body and was initially taken to Matsanjeni Health Centre before being transferred to Hlathikhulu Government Hospital, where she remained admitted for two weeks. She was discharged on April 15, 2026, but later died on April 25 due to complications linked to the injuries sustained during the attack.

To read more of this report, click here

https://independentnews.co.sz/43095/news/politics/human-rights-commission-demands-action-after-gogo-81-killed-over-witchcraft-claims/

Taiwan president visits eSwatini days after blaming China for cancelled trip

BBC, 2 May 2026

SOURCE

Taiwan President Lai Ching-te (M) is greeted by Eswatini Prime Minister Russell Dlamini (R) on arrival. Source: Taiwan presidential office handout

Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te has arrived in Eswatini, days after his government said a trip had been cancelled due to China pressuring African countries to stop him flying over their territories.

His visit to Eswatini - Taiwan’s only diplomatic ally in Africa - followed “days of careful arrangements by the diplomatic and national security teams”, he said, without giving further details on how he reached the country.

China described the visit as a “stowaway-style escape farce”. China views Taiwan as part of its territory with no right to state-to-state relations.

A US State Department spokesperson said Lai’s travel was “routine and should not be politicised”.

Images showed Lai being welcomed by Eswatini Prime Minister Russell Dlamini as he walked past a guard of honour.

Taiwan’s delegation also included Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung and National Security Council Adviser Alex Huang, according to its presidential office.

The US State Department spokesperson said “every democratically elected Taiwan president has made overseas trip to visit Taiwan’s diplomatic partners”, including Lai’s predecessor Tsai Ing-wen, who visited Eswatini in 2023 and 2018.

“Taiwan is a trusted and capable partner of the United States and many others, and its relationships around the world provide significant benefits to the citizens of those countries, including Eswatini,” the spokesperson said.

Lai’s visit this time was not announced in advance by either government.

The trip had originally been set for 22 to 26 April, to mark the 40th anniversary of Eswatini’s King Mswati III’s accession. It was suspended after Taiwan said Seychelles, Mauritius and Madagascar had unilaterally revoked flight permits for Lai’s aircraft to cross airspace they manage, citing Chinese pressure.

On social media, Lai said: “Taiwan will never be deterred by external pressures. Our resolve & commitment are underpinned by the understanding that Taiwan will continue to engage with the world - no matter the challenges faced.”

[ … ] On Friday, China scrapped tariffs for all African countries, except Eswatini.

To read more of this report, click here

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c809ln029ldo

See also

President Lai arrives in Eswatini, pledges stronger ties (Focus Taiwan)

https://focustaiwan.tw/video/004354045

eSwatini facing financial crisis after King Mswati’s over R300million extravagant 40 years on Throne celebration (Swaziland News)

https://swazilandnews.co.za/articles/34670

The next Swaziland Newsletter will be published on 22 May 2026

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Swaziland Newsletter No. 925 – 1 May 2026

2026-05-01T02:30:00.001+02:00

Swaziland Newsletter No. 925 – 1 May 2026

eSwatini celebrates King Mswati III’s 40 years as critics decry royal spending

By Tim Cocks and Lunga Masuku, Reuters, 24 April 2026

SOURCE

EZULWINI: Marching bands blew horns, women ululated and men cheered on Friday to celebrate King Mswati III’s 40 years on Eswatini’s throne, an institution still revered despite criticism of the high luxury sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch enjoys.

A choir decked in yellow, blue and red to form an image of the national flag sang the king’s praises and held up a sign wishing him a happy 58th birthday in the national stadium.

“We have been through thick and thin as a nation,” Mswati told the crowd. “It is important we remain united.”

Speech-makers praised the king’s efforts to develop the mountainous, southern African nation of 1.5 million, which well-wisher Shabusiswa Sibambo, 19, said included free school since 2022 and mobile clinics in operation since the following year.

“We are proud of our culture,” she told Reuters, as the king passed in an open-top car in a British military-style scarlet tunic.

Her aunt, Busiwe Maziya, 70, a subsistence maize farmer, remembered Mswati’s ascent to the throne in 1986. Her life had improved much since then, she said, thanks to government assistance with agricultural inputs like tools and fertiliser.

“Even the rainfall has been better,” Maziya said.

But critics say Mswati’s and his dozen wives’ lavish lifestyle comes at the expense of a population a third of whom live below the $2.15-a-day World Bank poverty line. His upkeep costs tens of millions of dollars and this month the government awarded an extra $3 million for it.

Anger at this disparity boiled over into protests in 2021, which were violently suppressed, while the kingdom also attracted unwanted publicity for jailing deportees from the United States, as part of President Donald Trump’s crackdown on immigration.

“Yet another public waste of scarce resources,” Wandile Dludlu, leader of the country’s biggest opposition party, told Reuters, listing what he said were unaddressed problems including poverty, inequality and high HIV prevalence rates.

“What a lost opportunity.”

See also

Some AU countries snub Mswati’s 40th throne celebration (Legal Brief, South Africa)

https://legalbrief.co.za/story/some-au-countries-snub-mswatis-40th-throne-celebration/

King Mswati III turns 40 years on the throne this week and the sovereign wealth fund meant to benefit the Swazi people runs as his personal family office (Billionaires Africa)

https://www.billionaires.africa/2026/04/25/king-mswati-iii-turns-40-years-on-the-throne-this-week-and-the-sovereign-wealth-fund-meant-to-benefit-the-swazi-people-runs-as-his-personal-family-office/

TUCOSWA to descend on Hlatikhulu

By Timothy Simelane, Times of eSwatini, 30 April 2026

SOURCE

MANZINI: The Trade Union Congress of Swaziland (TUCOSWA) is expected to put its differences with affiliates aside and converge at Hlatikhulu for the 2026 May Day celebration on 1 May 2026.

TUCOSWA recently failed to host its quadrennial congress as some affiliates challenged the subscription of some members.

However, despite this, in a statement TUCOSWA Secretary General Mduduzi Gina officially announced the Shiselweni Region as the host for the 2026 Workers’ Day Commemoration, with the main festivities set for Hlatikhulu.

Gina confirmed that the annual gathering will be held at the Hlatikhulu Central High School Sports Ground. The choice of venue brings the national spotlight to the southern region, as the labour movement prepares to reflect on the current socio-economic landscape and the rights of the emaSwati workforce.

To read more of this report, click here

https://www.times.co.sz/news/readmore.php?bhsadjgfoh=TUCOSWA+to+descend+on+Hlatikhulu&yiphi=3718&bvhdgsj=News

Journalists struggle to survive on E3,500 as Press Club sounds alarm

By Sifiso Nhlabatsi, Independent News, eSwatini, 30 April 2026

SOURCE

MBABANE: Journalists in Eswatini are battling harsh economic conditions that threaten both their livelihoods and the quality of news reporting, Press Club President Timothy Simelani has revealed.

Speaking during World Press Freedom Day commemorations held at Happy Valley on Wednesday, Simelane painted a bleak picture of life inside the country’s newsrooms, where low pay, unstable contracts and limited resources have become the norm.

Simelani said the average journalist in Eswatini earns about E3,500 [US$210] per month, placing them among the lowest-paid professionals in the country. He noted that many media practitioners work without permanent or long-term contracts, while others are paid per story, making financial stability difficult to achieve.

“In Eswatini, being a journalist often means working with limited resources and without robust infrastructure,” he said. “If we were driven by money, we would not survive in this profession.”

He explained that the financial constraints faced by media houses directly affect the type and depth of stories journalists can pursue. According to Simelani, investigative reporting—especially on sensitive issues such as human trafficking or tax evasion—requires significant funding, sometimes exceeding E10,000 per story.

However, he said most newsrooms are unwilling or unable to allocate such resources, limiting journalists’ ability to uncover critical information and hold powerful individuals accountable.

World Press Freedom Day commemorations held at Happy Valley

To read more of this report, click here

https://independentnews.co.sz/42973/local/journalists-struggle-to-survive-on-e3500-as-press-club-sounds-alarm/

See also

EU committed to protecting media freedom, EU Ambassador tells eSwatini journalists (European Union)

https://www.eeas.europa.eu/delegations/eswatini/eu-committed-protecting-media-freedom-eu-ambassador-tells-eswatini-journalists_en

ICT minister warns against ‘brown envelope’ journalism, calls for responsibility in media (Independent News, eSwatini)

https://independentnews.co.sz/42969/local/ict-minister-warns-against-brown-envelope-journalism-calls-for-responsibility-in-media/

Back to class for UNESWA students

By Bongiwe Dlamini, eSwatini Observer, 28 April 2026

SOURCE

Lessons at the University of Eswatini (UNESWA) Kwaluseni Campus resume tomorrow.

This follows the institution’s decision to reopen the campus after a brief closure triggered by student unrest.

The resumption of lessons was communicated by the Registrar Bonginkosi Mkhonza in a notice issued yesterday.

He said the university’s Senate had resolved to reopen the campus today (Tuesday, April 28), and that students have been instructed to return to campus, with normal academic activities resuming tomorrow morning.

The university further indicated that the academic almanac would remain unchanged despite the disruption.

The campus was abruptly closed last Thursday after unsanctioned student protests erupted over the demand for a mid-semester study break.

According to information that had been issued earlier, the decision to shut down operations was taken by the management in the interest of student safety and to safeguard university property.

Students were ordered to vacate the premises by 10am last Friday.

The protests stemmed from growing frustration among students who argued that they required time off to regroup academically and address mental health concerns.

However, the university maintained that a scheduled study break had already been utilised earlier in the semester during intervarsity games held in Lesotho from March 9 to 13.

Students had initially agreed to forgo the traditional study break in order to participate in the games.

However, some later expressed concern that the academic workload had become overwhelming, prompting renewed calls for time off.

See also

Kwaluseni Campus closed indefinitely (eSwatini Observer)

https://eswatiniobserver.com/uneswa-kwaluseni-campus-closed-indefinitely/

Education International condemns the arrest and harassment of education union leaders

Education International, 24 April 2026

SOURCE

Education International (EI) expresses its unwavering solidarity with the Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT), its leadership and members, following the most recent attack against union leaders by the authorities in Eswatini. On 23 April, Eswatini police arrested Lot Vilakati, the General Secretary of SNAT, and other public union leaders as they were peacefully delivering a petition to the Prime Minister’s office.

The union officials’ demands are related to the government’s failure to honour its commitment to increase the salaries of teachers and public service workers. According to SNAT, Vilakati was severely beaten by the police and later dumped in a forest.

This anti-union attack represents a grave escalation of repression and an unacceptable assault on education union members. 

Education International urges the authorities of Eswatini to immediately halt the persecution of SNAT leaders, guarantee their safety, and respect their fundamental human and trade union rights. 

To read more of this report, click here

https://www.ei-ie.org/en/item/32383:eswatini-education-international-condemns-the-arrest-and-harassment-of-education-union-leaders

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Swaziland Newsletter No. 924 – 24 April 2026

2026-04-24T02:30:00.001+02:00

Swaziland Newsletter No. 924 – 24 April 2026

Forty years of Mswati rule offer zilch to celebrate

By Melusi Simelane, Mail & Guardian (South Africa), 22 April 2026

SOURCE

In the coming days, the last absolute monarch in sub-Saharan Africa, King Mswati III of the Kingdom of Eswatini will celebrate 40 years on the throne and millions of emalangeni (the Swazi lilangeni, SZL, pegged 1:1 to the South African rand, ZAR) are expected to be spent. Dignitaries are expected to attend, with gifts already presented to the monarch at his Lozitha Palace. The state machinery is already working overtime to convince the nation and the watching world that there is something worth celebrating.

There have been genuine achievements over these four decades: modest infrastructure has expanded, bilateral relations with Taiwan have benefited from increased agricultural expertise and pockets of the economy have grown. These are real achievements that should not be overlooked. However, an honest accounting of the 40-year reign ought to look beyond the ceremonial and ask real questions about governance, including whether most citizens are better off, freer, healthier, more educated or more secure than they were in 1986, when the monarch took office at 18. If, on almost every meaningful measure, the answer is troubling, then what follows should not be seen as an attack on the person of the monarch but rather as an indictment of a governance system that has consistently chosen power over people.

Eswatini’s economy tells a tale of two worlds, depending on who narrates it. At the very top, a narrow elite of businesspeople and politicians within the monarch’s inner circle controls most of the country’s wealth, while at the bottom, over 60% of the population lives below the poverty line. These are not the natural outcomes of a small, landlocked country with limited resources; they are the predictable results of a deliberate policy environment that has persisted for the past four decades.

Chief among these policy decisions is the treatment of Tibiyo Taka Ngwane, a sovereign wealth fund established in 1968 by the former monarch, King Sobhuza II. In its founding vision, the fund was intended to hold shares in the country’s major industries in trust for the Swazi nation, forming a genuine social security architecture built on the country’s productive assets. Four decades later, that vision has been quietly hollowed out. The fund operates without parliamentary scrutiny, pays no tax and its benefits accrue not to a broad citizenry but to those at the very top of the political hierarchy. The late Mario Masuku, one of the country’s most enduring advocates for democracy, once described it as a “feedlot for the king and his inner circle.” What could have been the foundation of a genuine social security net, shielding ordinary Swazis from poverty and unemployment, instead became a vehicle for elite accumulation.

This pattern of monopolisation spans the economy, with major industries such as sugarcane farming, construction, media, and telecommunications dominated by entities closely tied to the ruling elites and their cronies. In the Lubombo region – the heart of Eswatini’s sugar belt and one of the country’s most significant sources of export revenue – this dynamic is most stark. Sugarcane has long been described as ‘Swazi gold’, yet the benefits of this gold elude the small farmers who live and work the land around the big corporations in the region.

To read more of this report, click here

https://mg.co.za/thought-leader/opinion/2026-04-22-forty-years-of-mswati-rule-offer-zilch-to-celebrate/

King receives over E18 million and over 250 cattle in tetfulo

By Times Reporter, Times Sunday (eSwatini), 19 April 2026

SOURCE

LOZITHA: His Majesty King Mswati III receives a massive outpouring of love and loyalty as the nation presents E18 230 836 in cash and Over 250 cattle during the ongoing Tetfulo at Mandvulo Grand Hall.

These historic tributes, contributed by various sectors, organizations, and individuals, mark a significant milestone for the 58th Birthday and 40th Coronation Anniversary.

This record-breaking presentation reflects the nation's deep appreciation for His Majesty’s four decades of leadership and vision during this prestigious Ruby Jubilee.

His Majesty King Mswati III, alongside Her Majesty the Indlovukazi. His majesty was showered with a variety of gifts from companies and individuals during a colourful ceremony held at Mandvulo Grand Hall at Lozitha. Among the notable presentations were a Toyota Land Cruiser gifted by Cabinet ministers, 250 cattle and over E18 million in cash. His Majesty turns 58 years today, with official celebrations set for April 24, a momentous occasion that will also mark his 40th anniversary on the Throne

See also

His Majesty thanks nation for tetfulo (eSwatini Observer)

https://eswatiniobserver.com/king-mswati-thanks-nation-tetfulo-contributions/

Student activist remains in arbitrary detention more than 2 years after arrest

Monitor (Civicus), 17 April 2026

SOURCE

Since the pro-democracy protests in Eswatini in 2021, which highlighted longstanding grievances over political repression, limited civic space and human rights violations, the country has remained under intense domestic and international scrutiny.

In response to these concerns, the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights (ACHPR) conducted a Promotion Mission to Eswatini from 15th to 19th July 2025. The mission aimed to engage the Eswatini government in constructive dialogue on human rights, strengthen judicial independence, and promote meaningful collaboration with civil society. The ACHPR delegation, comprising Commissioners responsible for human rights defenders, judicial independence, and vulnerable populations, met with government officials, members of Parliament, judicial representatives, law enforcement agencies, national human rights institutions, and CSOs. Through these engagements, the Commission assessed the progress and challenges in implementing human rights obligations, identified obstacles to judicial independence, and encouraged inclusive citizen participation in governance. At the conclusion of the mission, the ACHPR shared its preliminary findings and recommendations with government authorities, briefed the public through a press conference and called upon the Kingdom of Eswatini to uphold human rights, advance judicial independence and engage civil society meaningfully.

Despite this engagement, Eswatini has continued to undermine human rights protections and erode trust in judicial and democratic institutions. On 16th July 2025, Eswatini had secretly accepted high-profile deportees from the United States under opaque “third country” agreements worth millions. Five men from Vietnam, Jamaica, Laos, Cuba and Yemen convicted in the U.S. of serious crimes such as murder and child rape were transferred to Eswatini and detained in solitary confinement at the Matsapha Correctional Centre without charge or access to legal counsel. CSOs subsequently filed legal action against Eswatini, arguing that the secret agreement breached the constitution and international obligations as it had not been submitted to Parliament for approval.

The controversy sparked protests and advocacy campaigns, with organisations such as Amnesty International condemning the detention conditions and violations of due process. The incident underscored persistent governance, human rights, and judicial independence challenges in Eswatini, highlighting the difficulty civil society faces in holding the government accountable and the broader implications of opaque international agreements.

Menzi Bongeka Bhembe, a 26-year-old university student and activist, has been arbitrarily detained for over two years following his arrest on 16th January 2024 at his family home in Ka-Phunga, Shiselweni Region. He was arrested without a warrant and initially held under the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act before being charged under the Suppression of Terrorism Act (STA) of 2008.

The charges include allegedly providing support to a proscribed organisation linked to the banned political party PUDEMO, and the distribution of political pamphlets, as well as arranging or attending meetings in support of a proscribed organisation. The accusations appear to arise from his peaceful student activism and there is no evidence that he committed, planned or incited violence.

To read more of this report, click here

https://monitor.civicus.org/explore/student-activist-remains-in-arbitrary-detention-over-2-years-after-arrest/

Swazi political organizers and activists face wave of state repression

By Nicholas Mwangi, Peoples Dispatch, 17 April 2026

SOURCE

Pro-democracy activists in Swaziland have accused the state of targeting leaders with fabricated charges in an effort to silence dissent.

The regime in Swaziland has escalated its crackdown on pro-democracy forces, carrying out a wave of arrests, abductions, and targeted repression. Youth leaders and organizers have been particularly singled out, with the latest target being Nontsetselelo Ncamsile Nkambule, treasurer general of the Swaziland Youth Congress and a People’s United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO) cadre.

Her designation as “wanted” by state authorities on charges of kidnapping and attempted murder has been widely condemned as fabricated and politically motivated. For many within the Swazi democratic movement, they believe these actions indicate a regime preparing to silence dissent at all costs.

In a statement, the Swaziland Youth Congress expressed “absolute anger and disgust” at the accusations leveled against their treasurer general, describing them as part of a long-standing pattern of repression:

“We are outraged. This is yet another cowardly and desperate act by the Tinkhundla regime and its police, who have long abandoned any pretense of serving the people. Instead of fighting unemployment, poverty, and the collapse of our education system, this government deploys its security forces to manufacture lies, criminalize activists, and shield the royal family from accountability.”

To read more of this report, click here

https://peoplesdispatch.org/2026/04/17/swazi-political-organizers-and-activists-face-wave-of-state-repression/

No permit granted for PSUS march

By Ntombi Mhlongo, Times of eSwatini, 22 April 2026

SOURCE

MBABANE: A proposed march by civil servants at Cabinet and Ministry of Public Service scheduled for today [Wednesday, 22 April 2026] has not been granted a permit.

As per the rules, the procedure is that the proposed march, organised by the leaders of public sector unions (PSUs) is supposed to be granted a permit by the Municipal Council of Mbabane.

However, during a press briefing by the leaders of the PSUs on the Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT) platform on Facebook, it was revealed that the application for the permit has been rejected.

However, the leaders informed members that while they will not actually march, they will get to Cabinet and the Ministry of Public Service to deliver the petition. Speaking during a press briefing streamed on the Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT) Facebook platform, SNAT President Mbongwa Dlamini outlined the sequence of events leading up to the current impasse. He explained that union leaders had followed all legal procedures in notifying authorities of their intention to march and had initially received approval. “We prepared thoroughly and engaged the municipality in line with the law. We had an agreement and were granted permission to march,” Dlamini said.

“However, we were later shocked when that approval was abruptly withdrawn without any written communication. We were simply informed that a directive had been issued, but no details were provided.”

Dlamini dismissed reports suggesting that the petition had already been delivered, stating that it remained in the possession of union leaders.

He said the unions had resolved to return to Mbabane to ensure that their concerns were formally presented to government. Despite the rejection of their application, Dlamini argued that the planned action falls within the provisions of the Public Order Act of 2017, particularly those relating to spontaneous gatherings.

He noted that such gatherings do not require the standard four-day notice period when they arise from unforeseen circumstances. “This is a response to an unexpected situation. The law is clear on spontaneous gatherings, as outlined in Legal Notice No. 2001 of 2017,” he said. “It is surprising that the municipality appears to disregard these provisions.”

He emphasised that the unions remain committed to acting within the law and maintaining peace. Rather than marching, members intend to proceed directly to Cabinet and the Ministry of Public Service to deliver the petition.

“We will not march, but we will walk to deliver the petition. Nothing will stop us from doing so,” Dlamini stated. “This is not a strike. We will be carrying a document, not weapons. We are simply raising our concerns.”

He further urged government to respect the rule of law and the rights of civil servants, warning that union members would persist in their efforts until the petition is delivered.

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Swaziland Newsletter No. 923 – 17 April 2026

2026-04-17T02:00:00.001+02:00

Swaziland Newsletter No. 923 – 17 April 2026

Rule of Law Under Strain in eSwatini: A Submission on Judicial Independence and Civic Space

International Commission of Jurists, 13 April 2026

SOURCE

On April 10, 2026, the ICJ filed a submission to the Human Rights Council’s Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review of Eswatini, in preparation for the review of the human rights situation in the country scheduled for November 2026.

In this contribution to the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of Eswatini, the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) raises concerns and makes recommendations about the following concerns:

• Failure to secure judicial independence;
• Failure to safeguard the independence of lawyers;
• Repression of rights to dissent, and protest; and
• Failure to investigate human rights abuses.

Eswatini accepted numerous recommendations on those concerns during its Third (2021), Second (2016), and its First UPR Cycle. Eswatini has repeatedly accepted UPR recommendations relating to the suppression of the rights of human defenders, the failure to investigate human rights violations against human defenders, and the enhancement of judicial independence. Despite this, little, if any, progress has been made in implementing such recommendations. In fact, the Eswatini government has doubled down on the application of repressive laws and the suppression of dissent to such an extent that the chilling effect on human rights defenders remains at a point of crisis.

Read the full submission here

https://www.icj.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/FINAL-ESWATINI-ICJ-UPR-SUB-10-APRIL-2026.pdf

eSwatini police officers embark on crackdown against pro-democracy activists ahead of King Mswati’s forty (40) years on the Throne celebration

By Musa Mdluli, Swaziland News, 15 April 2026

SOURCE

MBABANE: Eswatini police are allegedly fabricating criminal charges just to detain members of the People’s United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO) to ensure that King Mswati’s forty (40) years on the Throne and birthday double celebration is held without any disturbance or protests.

But this Swaziland News reported on the 27th February 2026 that, between the 14th and 24th April 2026, Eswatini police will embark on a crackdown on pro-democracy activists to ensure that, the event “takes place without protests”, this was after Swaziland News editor Zweli Martin Dlamini obtained a draft intelligence report that was used to compile an operation order.

Indeed on Wednesday this week, the police raided the home of ex-PUDEMO Deputy President Zodwa Mkhonta and went on to list a leader of the PUDEMO Youth League Nontsetselelo Nkambule as a wanted person, the cops fabricated attempted murder charges against her.

But apart from detaining the political activists, it has been disclosed that, the police officers “want to grab their cellphones and go through the political organization’s Whatsap Group and communications with other political leaders to identify plans and strategies”, of the organization.

Senior Superintendent Phindile Vilakati, the Eswatini Police Spokesperson, declined to comment.

Eswatini is ruled by King Mswati as an absolute Monarch, the country where political parties are banned, is not a democracy.

See also

State Police Intelligence conducting investigation to ascertain why pro-democracy leaders are quiet amid fears political activists are planning to topple King Mswati’s undemocratic regime, PUDEMO Spokesperson says struggle stronger in silence (Swaziland News)

https://swazilandnews.co.za/articles/529

King to army: Stand against invisible enemies dividing nation

By Joseph Zulu, eSwatini News, 11 April 2026

SOURCE

King Mswati III during the 53^rd Army Day

NOKWANE: Eswatini has a new threat – invisible enemies.

His Majesty King Mswati III has urged the nation’s armed forces to confront what he described as ‘invisible enemies’ that are increasingly threatening national unity and stability, saying modern security challenges extend far beyond traditional warfare.

In his speech, His Majesty warned that Eswatini now faces evolving threats that include instability, lawlessness and growing national division. He called on soldiers to remain alert not only to external dangers, but also to internal forces that weaken national cohesion.

This is what the King said: “The nature of our enemies has evolved. Today’s soldier must stand firm not only against physical aggression, but also against instability, lawlessness and division within society.”

Ingwenyama delivered the remarks during the 53^rd Army Day held at the Umbutfo Eswatini Defence Force (UEDF) headquarters in Nokwane yesterday. The army was created in 1973. It is now 53 years old. The event was attended by among others, Mathews Phosa, the former Treasurer General of the African National Congress (ANC) and ex-Premier of Mphumalanga Province.

Members of the royal family, Cabinet ministers, senior government officials, diplomats and members of the public gathered to mark the annual event that honours the country’s military. The Head of State also highlighted the importance of adapting to technological changes shaping modern warfare. He urged the army to continuously train and upgrade their skills to remain effective in a changing global environment.

However, he cautioned that technology should never replace human discipline and presence, insisting that ‘boots on the ground’ remain essential to maintaining peace and security.

On the issue of invisible enemies, the King expanded on his warning, noting that division among citizens, disregard for law and erosion of shared national values can be just as dangerous as external threats. He implored them to remain observant and to support efforts that promote respect, discipline and national cohesion across all communities.

He also highlighted the importance of leadership within the armed forces, encouraging senior officers to continue guiding younger soldiers with integrity and a strong sense of duty.

Ingwenyama said discipline within the ranks is crucial in maintaining an effective and trusted defence institution He said Army Day is a moment to recognise the commitment, courage and sacrifice of soldiers who continue to serve the nation under difficult and often harsh conditions along the borders and within the country.

To read more of this report, click here

https://www.times.co.sz/news/readmore.php?bhsadjgfoh=King+to+army%3A+Stand+against+invisible+enemies+dividing+nation&yiphi=3517&bvhdgsj=News

Four men deported by US to eSwatini have right to see lawyer, court rules

By Rachel Savage, The Guardian (UK), 10 April 2026

SOURCE

JOHANNESBURG: Four men deported by the US to Eswatini and denied in-person legal counsel for nine months while detained in a maximum security prison have the right to see a local lawyer, Eswatini’s supreme court ruled.

The men, from Cambodia, Cuba, Vietnam and Yemen, were sent to the small southern African country, formerly known as Swaziland, in July despite having no connection to the country, as part of Donald Trump’s administration’s efforts to ramp up deportations.

The US government had labelled the men dangerous criminals. Their lawyers said they had already served sentences for crimes committed in the US. Eswatini’s correctional services refused to let a local lawyer see the men, although they allowed them to make calls to their US lawyers, the lawyers said.

The court rejected the government’s argument that “the inmates persistently showed no interest” in meeting the human rights lawyer Sibusiso Magnificent Nhlabatsi, in a judgment handed down on Thursday.

The three judges ruled: “There can be no real harm in granting the respondent access to the detainees … it then will be up to the detainees, if they do not wish to see the respondent, to tell this to the respondent to his face.”

To read more of this report, click here

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/apr/10/trump-administration-deport-men-eswatini-court-rule

See also

Supreme Court ruling on legal access offers limited relief for US deportees (Amnesty International)

https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2026/04/eswatini-supreme-court-ruling-on-legal-access-offers-limited-relief-for-us-deportees/

The emperor has no clothes: how rhetoric fuels repression in eSwatini

By Melusi Simelane, Washington Blade (US), 10 April 2026

SOURCE

King Mswati III’s anti-LGBTQ comments can have deadly consequences

In an absolute monarchy, the words spoken by the sovereign can swiftly become a baton striking a citizen. When King Mswati III speaks, his words do not simply drift into the air as political “opinion”; they often quickly turn into, sometimes violently, state policy. This reflects the reality of Eswatini, where the right to freedom of expression, including the right to hold dissenting political views, is increasingly being systematically eroded by the very voice that claims to uphold “traditional values.”

To understand the current crisis facing the LGBTIQ+ community in Eswatini, one must view it through the lens of a broader strategy: the weaponization of culture to justify the erosion of democratic institutions, the rule of law, and human rights protections. As observed across Africa, from the streets of Harare and Dar es Salaam to the parliamentary courtrooms of Dakar and Kampala, African leaders are increasingly using the marginalised as an entry point to dismantle civil society. In Eswatini, this strategy has manifest its most brutal expression in the king’s recent harmful rhetoric concerning sexual orientation and gender identity.

The danger of the king’s words lies in how the state apparatus interprets them as a divine mandate for persecution. Recently, we have seen this “Rhetoric-to-Policy Pipeline” operate with chilling efficiency. Shortly after the Minister of Education made public vitriol against the existence of LGBTIQ+ students, reports emerged of children being expelled from schools. In a country where the king is culturally and traditionally called the “ingwenyama” (the lion), the bureaucracy acts as his pride; when leadership suggests that a particular group is “un-African” or “deviant,” the machinery of the state, along with the emboldened segments of the public, moves to purge that group from society.

For an openly gay man who has dedicated most of his adulthood to advancing equality and dignity for all, especially marginalized communities, these are not merely policy changes; they pose existential threats. When a powerful leader speaks, they offer a moral shield for the dogmatist and a legal roadmap for the policeman. In Eswatini, where political parties are banned, and the “tinkhundla” system (constituency-based system) — a system that systematically silences dissent and favors those aligned with the sovereign — is celebrated as the sole “authentic” form of governance, any identity that falls outside the narrow, state-defined “tradition” is seen as treason. By branding LGBTIQ+ rights as “ungodly” and essentially unwelcome in Eswatini, the monarchy effectively views the mere existence of queer Swazis as a subversive act against the crown.

To read more of this report, click here

https://www.washingtonblade.com/2026/04/10/the-emperor-has-no-clothes-how-rhetoric-fuels-repression-in-eswatini/

(Melusi Simelane is the founder and board chair of Eswatini Sexual and Gender Minorities. He is also the Civic Rights Program Manager for the Southern Africa Litigation Center)

King Mswati’s senior wife Inkhosikati Nomsa LaMatsebula urges Nation including corporate companies to support Autism eSwatini

By Musa Mdluli, Swaziland News, 11 April 2026

SOURCE

MBABANE: Autism Eswatini Patron King Mswati’s senior wife Inkhosikati Nomsa LaMatsebula has urged Nation, the business community, and development partners to support the organisation in raising ten percent (10%) of the total cost required to construct a dedicated autism centre in Eswatini, Government online platforms reported.

Speaking during the 2026 Autism Challenge Hiking event in Kholwane on Saturday as part of the Commemoration of the World Autism Awareness Day, Inkhosikati framed autism “not as a burden” but as a different way of experiencing the world.

“Autism is not a tragedy to be ignored; it is a different way of experiencing the world-one that requires our respect, compassion, and deliberate action. We need to intensify our efforts and be strategic in pulling the required resources for creating sustainable systems that will strengthen support for all persons with autism in Eswatini. Together, we can make this possible,” she said.

On another note, Minister of Health Mduduzi Matsebula supported the Inkhosikati’s call, revealing that 1 in 6 emaSwati have autism, accounting for 16.7% of the population, according to the results of the first autism survey conducted in the Lubombo region.

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Swaziland Newsletter No. 922 – 10 April 2026

2026-04-10T02:30:00.001+02:00

Swaziland Newsletter No. 922 – 10 April 2026

We won’t promote same sex marriages – King

By Joseph Zulu and Mlondzi Nkambule, Times Sunday, 5 April 2026

SOURCE

LOBAMBA: Should same-sex marriages be allowed?

This was the question male worshippers asked during the Easter service session yesterday, among three topics they had chosen for discussion. It was also the same question presented to His Majesty the King at the end of the session.

In response, the King, speaking at Engabezweni Royal Residence where the service was held, declared that Eswatini would not endorse practices he likened to those of biblical Sodom and Gomorrah, reaffirming the country’s adherence to Christian values, cultural traditions and moral teachings. When the King made this statement, the worshippers responded with resounding applause, clapping in agreement and shouting; “Wena wa Phakathi!”

The King made the remarks during the Easter service gathering attended by church leaders from across the country, where discussions centred on faith, family, morality and national identity. His address, which formed the highlight of the event, followed earlier submissions by senior church leaders who emphasised peace, unity and the protection of Christian values.

“We will not promote Sodom and Gomorrah,” the King said firmly, drawing reference to the biblical story as he spoke against same-sex marriages, which he noted were being legalised and encouraged in some parts of the world.

The Easter gathering, held in a spirit of worship and reflection, brought together pastors and congregants from around the country, who engaged in theological discussions and shared teachings based on the Bible. They selected six topics but ultimately decided on three, which were presented to His Majesty the King for final guidance.

The King commended the initiative, saying it demonstrated love for God. He said Eswatini could not have any other life without God and noted with appreciation that worshippers from congregations across the country were in attendance. “Today we have seen large churches from around the country. We are very happy. God will bless us for what we are doing,” said the King.

He added that a day like this allowed preachers to teach one another and that the Bible contains revelations. “When you translate what it actually says, you begin to see the difference. Some read the Bible like a novel or a bedtime story, but when pastors sit down and discuss it, everything is explained properly,” said the King.

The King noted that the topics discussed during the gathering were not only relevant locally, but also reflected broader global debates, particularly around morality and social values.

To read more of this report, click here

https://www.times.co.sz/news/readmore.php?bhsadjgfoh=We+won%E2%80%99t+promote+same+sex+marriages+%E2%80%93+King+&yiphi=3451&bvhdgsj=News

See also

King Mswati receives huge support for banning Gays and Lesbians in Eswatini, Swaziland News story trending in SADC countries (Swaziland News)

https://swazilandnews.co.za/articles/351

King reaffirms stance against same-sex relations (eSwatini Observer)

https://eswatiniobserver.com/king-mswati-stance-same-sex-relations-eswatini/

Cabinet Ministers might support vote of no confidence against Prime Minister Russell Dlamini amid division in Cabinet

By Zweli Martin Dlamini, Swaziland News, 6 April 2026

SOURCE

MBABANE: Thulisile Dladla, the Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) might soon act as the Prime Minister amid a looming vote of no confidence against PM Russell Mmiso Dlamini who stands accused of corruption, undermining the authority of Parliament and dividing Cabinet thus delaying service delivery in the country.

It has been disclosed that, Members of Parliament (MPs) are already holding meetings, lobbying against the PM whose fallout with Parliament escalated after he attempted to interfere with the budgeting process while disregarding the functioning of State institutions but, the Finance Committee led by Lobamba Lomdzala Member of Parliament (MP) Marwick Khumalo quickly intervened and stopped the PM from messing-up the National Budget.

Appointed MP Prince Lindani, Princess Nkosungumenzi, Hhukwini MP Alec Lushaba, Deputy Speaker Madala Mhlanga and Nhlambeni MP Manzi Zwane are among the members of Finance Committee who stopped the Prime Minister from manipulating the National Budget, preventing what was to become a National budgeting crisis.

But the Prime Minister subsequently ran to Senate seeking Senators intervention in overruling the House of Assembly, however, the learned Attorney General (AG) Sifiso Mashampu Khumalo subsequently told Senators that, the House of Assembly “has more powers when it comes to issues of the National Budget”.

As a result, a few days later King Mswati signed the Appropriation Bill of 2026 into law after the House of Assembly passed the National Budget, submissions made by some Senators including Princess Ncengencenge were ignored after the AG provided legal advice suggesting that, Senators have no power to change the National Budget passed by the House of Assembly.

To read more of this report, click here

https://swazilandnews.co.za/articles/371

See also

Cracks In Cabinet: How ministers have publicly challenged PM (eSwatini Observer)

https://eswatiniobserver.com/cabinet-divisions-ministers-challenge-pm-eswatini/

PM Russell Mmiso Dlamini secretly takes flight to Johannesburg to allegedly meet his Lesotho Advisors on democratically elected Prime Minister (Swaziland News)

https://swazilandnews.co.za/articles/342

MPS demand law to stop elderly land evictions

By Ntombi Mhlongo, Times of eSwatini, 9 April 2026

SOURCE

EZULWINI: MPs have called on government to introduce stricter laws to protect elderly citizens from being dispossessed of their land under the guise of farm ownership, as well as from losing their properties in urban areas due to unpaid rates.

This happened yesterday during a workshop on the ratification of international legal instruments, held at Happy Valley Hotel.

Mbabane East Member of Parliament (MP) Welcome Dlamini highlighted provisions within the protocol aimed at safeguarding the welfare of older persons, including the need for pensions and broader social protection services.

He suggested that the Deputy Prime Minister’s (DPM) Office could take the lead in implementing an indigent policy, particularly by establishing a comprehensive database of elderly citizens.

“We need accurate data on elderly persons so that they can benefit from these protections,” said Dlamini.

“Many are struggling to pay municipal rates, which often results in their properties being auctioned. There should either be exemptions or a special rating system tailored for them.”

Gege MP Magesi Dlamini echoed similar concerns, noting that while government efforts to build houses for the elderly were commendable, more needed to be done to address food insecurity.

“Some of these elderly people are dying of hunger. We need to consider introducing community kitchens (emadladla), similar to those established for children, to ensure they have access to basic nutrition,” he said.

He further emphasised the need for stronger legislative measures following the ratification of the legal instruments, particularly in addressing urban property rates and ensuring adequate social protection.

MP Magesi also raised concerns about the current social grant system, questioning whether it was equitable.

“There are individuals earning substantial incomes who are still receiving social grants. We need to review such issues to ensure fairness and proper allocation of resources,” he said.

Additionally, he called for laws that would compel employed individuals to support their elderly parents, arguing that neglect of older family members was a growing concern.

“Parents are often left to care for grandchildren without sufficient support. While they do so out of love, they suffer because their children fail to provide for them,” he added.

During the discussions, some MPs argued that ratifying international legal instruments would have a limited impact if they did not translate into tangible benefits for the elderly.

Mbabane East MP Welcome Dlamini makes a submission at the workshop

To read more of this report, click here

https://www.times.co.sz/news/readmore.php?bhsadjgfoh=MPS+demand+law+to+stop+elderly+land+evictions&yiphi=3494&bvhdgsj=News

Cambodian deported by US faced ‘misery’ in eSwatini prison

AFP, 7 April 2026

SOURCE

PHNOM PENH: A Cambodian refugee long-settled in the United States, ex-convict Pheap Rom, remains bewildered at how he wound up behind bars in the African nation of Eswatini for months after being swept up in Donald Trump’s deportation blitz.

When Rom and nine other men — shackled and escorted onto a plane by US authorities — landed in the kingdom of Eswatini in October, they were greeted on the tarmac by a squad of “military guys with guns and masks,” the 43-year-old said.

“I didn’t know what was going to happen,” he told AFP in an interview in the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh, where he was repatriated in late March.

“I didn’t understand why I was being deported to Africa because I’m Cambodian.”

Rom is one of around 20 men the United States has deported to landlocked Eswatini — bordering South Africa and Mozambique — under a Trump administration scheme challenged in courts and described by rights advocates as akin to “human trafficking.”

Eswatini, Africa’s last absolute monarchy, is among several “third countries” accepting migrants under shadowy deals enabling the US president’s push for mass deportations.

The nation formerly known as Swaziland agreed to accept up to 160 deportees in exchange for around $5.1 million, with plans to forward them to their home countries after Washington said their direct repatriations were denied.

But Rom — living in the United States with “permanent resident” status since 1985 after his family fled Cambodia’s genocidal Khmer Rouge regime — is just the second to be repatriated from Eswatini, after a Jamaican was returned home last year.

The remainder may still be trapped inside the deportation process, opaque even to those inside it.

Rom served a 15-year prison sentence in the United States after pleading guilty to attempted murder for firing a gun during two neighborhood disputes, leaving several people wounded.

“I know what I did was wrong,” he said. “I accepted my punishment.”

He was detained by immigration authorities upon his release in November 2024, and his green card was revoked after an immigration judge ordered his deportation due to his felony conviction.

He expected to be sent to Cambodia. But landing in Eswatini was like turning back the clock to his prison term, Rom said.

His jailers seemed unaware that the men had served their time and looked at them as if they were “criminals because of what the (US) administration was portraying us to be.”

For the first two months at the Matsapha Correctional Center, Rom said he and fellow deportees “went through misery” — allowed outdoors for only 15 minutes a day and given one weekly phone call.

“We had an attorney there that was willing to try to come and talk to us, but they weren’t letting that attorney in,” he said.

Lawyers in Eswatini have corroborated his claim to AFP, saying they have been repeatedly denied access to people expelled by the United States who have been detained without charge.

Eswatini’s government has said US deportees were “in good hands” and receiving health care, including counselling.

To read more of this report, click here

https://www.arabnews.com/node/2639101/world

How a single administrative error sparked 10 months of critical medication shortages in eSwatini

By Subusiso Dlamini, Daily Maverick (South Africa), 8 April 2026

SOURCE

Eswatini’s medicine crisis deepened after a Ministry of Health administrative lapse caused critical medication shortages, leaving patients without the necessary treatments for pain and mental health conditions.

Records and insider testimony from Eswatini’s main pharmaceutical supplier have revealed how a simple, avoidable administrative error by the government in 2023 probably led to a months long stockout of several critical medicines.

Following the error, the Ministry of Health suspended Fortunate Bhembe, the only official empowered to authorise controlled medicine imports, without preparing for the resulting disruption to the supply chain.

Leaked high-schedule stock cards from SwaziPharm — the Eswatini government's primary pharmaceutical supplier — reveal a dire shortage of essential medications between February and November 2024. During this period, stock levels for critical drugs used to manage pain, epilepsy, and psychiatric conditions remained at zero.

To read more of this report, click here

https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026-04-08-how-a-single-administrative-error-sparked-10-months-of-critical-medication-shortages-in-eswatini/

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Swaziland Newsletter No. 921 – 3 April 2026

2026-04-03T02:30:00.001+02:00

Swaziland Newsletter No. 921 – 3 April 2026

Fuel shortage hits Mbabane, scramble ensues

By Ntombi Mhlongo and Mbongiseni Ndzimandze, Times of eSwatini, 1 April 2026

SOURCE

MBABANE: Several filling stations within the Mbabane Central Business District (CBD) were hit by a fuel shortage yesterday, forcing motorists to scramble for fuel outside the city.

Most service stations in the capital had run out of petrol, leaving frustrated motorists with no option but to drive to surrounding areas in search of fuel.

There were long queues at filling stations in Sidwashini, Ezulwini and Hilltop, as motorists flocked to the few outlets that still had fuel.

At a Galp Filling Station in Ezulwini, a notice placed at the entrance informed motorists that only diesel was available, with petrol stocks depleted.

Motorists interviewed expressed frustration over the situation, saying they had to travel long distances after being turned away from several filling stations in Mbabane.

“We have been moving from one filling station to another in town, only to be told there is no petrol. Now we have to queue here for hours,” said one motorist.

Another said the situation was affecting daily operations, particularly for those who rely on vehicles for business and commuting.

The shortage comes amid growing concerns over fuel supply challenges in the country, which have been attributed to global supply disruptions.

To read more of this report, click here

https://www.times.co.sz/news/readmore.php?bhsadjgfoh=Fuel+shortage+hits+Mbabane%2C+scramble+ensues&yiphi=3419&bvhdgsj=News

See also

Fuel shortages may drive bus fare hikes, warns NRTC (eSwatini Observer)

https://eswatiniobserver.com/fuel-shortages-fare-hikes-nrtc-warning/

Fuel prices shoot up, govt provides E334m cushion (Times of eSwatini)

https://times.co.sz/news/readmore.php?bhsadjgfoh=Fuel+prices+shoot+up%2C+govt+provides+E334m+cushion+&yiphi=3431&bvhdgsj=News

Pupils expelled for same sex

By Bongiwe Dlamini, eSwatini Observer, 30 March 2026

SOURCE

Six pupils are currently idling at home after being found to be involved in same-sex relationships.

The girls, three couples, were reportedly expelled from Dvokolwako High School last Monday.

Sources close to the matter said the decision to dismiss the learners was made following a vote by a majority of the parents with children at the school.

Impeccable sources disclosed that prior to the decision, on Thursday, March 19, school authorities discovered that some learners from different grades were involved in romantic relationships. It is alleged that several couples were identified, some heterosexual, while 10 learners were involved in same-sex relationships.

While all pupils were punished for engaging in relationships, sources said only three of the alleged same-sex couples were confirmed.

A source alleged that these couples openly declared their sexuality in the presence of their parents, representatives of the parents’ body and school authorities including Headteacher Sabelo Sibandze.

However, Sibandze’s tenure is said to have elapsed on the same week.

Sources further revealed that the developments prompted a resolution to convene a parents’ meeting last Monday.

The report of same-sex relationships did not sit well with a majority of the parents, who reportedly voted for the six girls to be removed from the school.

To read more of this report, click here

https://eswatiniobserver.com/pupils-expelled-same-sex-relationships-eswatini/

See also

Parents to plead case for expelled Dvokolwako pupils (eSwatini Observer)

https://eswatiniobserver.com/dvokolwako-parents-plead-expelled-pupils/

Government moves to scrap school fees

By Musa Nsibande, eSwatini Observer, 30 March 2026

SOURCE

The ministry of education and training is currently working on a proposal to raise funds for funding education, which could see school fees being scrapped completely.

Principal Secretary (PS) Naniki Mnisi explained that this could either come as a levy imposed on parents or mandatory contribution drawn from the salaries of all employed individuals towards the funding of education, which she described as an ‘education tariff’.

She said this could go a long way towards solving the financial problems dogging the country’s education system like arbitrary school fee hikes from school administrators, charging of unregulated fees or even non-payment of school fees by dodgy or irresponsible parents.

“The solution to all education issues around finances is an education tariff. We will make an adequate request through the right channels to Cabinet, and then Parliament,” she said.

The ministry is planning to bring in the regulation once they are done with the preliminary planning stages preceding selling the idea to Cabinet and ultimately bringing it to Parliament for final approval. Mnisi said the proposed law would check arbitrary fee hikes by school administrators and further cushion vulnerable children against the uncertainty engendered by parents who often renege from their promises to pay school fees.

The move comes after outcries over inconsistencies in the charging of school fees across the country’s schooling system, as well as complaints from school administrators who encounter challenges in running schools given similar inconsistencies from parents towards the payment of school fees.

The proposed law could either regulate fees charged by schools or ultimately abolish the payment of school fees, which could be funded from a mandatory contribution to be drawn from salaries of all employed individuals.

PS Mnisi said they were still trying to process the regulations, indicating that they were likely to settle for the latter, where a mandatory contribution would be sought from taxpayers towards the funding of education. According to a senior official, the ministry is consulting all stakeholders and trying to build a consensus before the move is implemented.

“There is a committee that has been put in place by the ministry to work on the spadework. The ministry is having internal discussions on this. It is also reaching out to relevant stakeholders for consensus,” said the senior official.

Interviewed parents welcomed the idea.

“But we will have to wait and see if its implementation works for everyone,” said a curious parent.

See also

Govt moves to cut teacher intake amid rising unemployment crisis (eSwatini Observer)

https://eswatiniobserver.com/govt-cuts-teacher-intake-unemployment-eswatini/

‘No more than a drop in the ocean’: this drug could end new HIV infections in Eswatini – why isn’t there enough?

By Kat Lay, The Guardian (UK), 2 April 2026

SOURCE

The southern Africa country has the world’s highest prevalence of HIV but the amount of lenacapavir reaching it is too small to reach all those at risk

MBABANE: If Precious asks her client to use a condom, she can charge him 100 lilangeni – about £4.50. If she agrees not to use one, she can charge double. The financial incentive for sex workers in Eswatini not to use protection is obvious – as is the risk, in a country where one in four people are infected with HIV.

Last year, Precious visited a clinic with five other sex workers to get tested. Four of them had the virus.

Eswatini, formerly known as Swaziland, has the world’s highest HIV prevalence. It records about 4,000 new HIV infections a year among its population of 1.2 million.

Its leaders hope that a new “miracle” drug, lenacapavir, will finally turn off the tap of new infections. Lenacapavir, given as an injection every six months, can prevent people from contracting HIV. Although it is not technically a vaccine, it is being referred to as one by patients and clinicians alike in this southern African country, one of the first to roll it out.

The question is whether lenacapavir will reach Eswatini – and other countries in the region – in sufficient quantities and at sufficient speed to turn the tide. It is arriving in the wake of hugely disruptive US aid cuts, which have hit HIV prevention efforts in many parts of sub-Saharan Africa.

To read more of this report, click here

https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2026/apr/02/scarcity-hiv-prevention-drug-lenacapavir-hampers-rollout-eswatini

Community-led co-creation advances sustainable tourism in eSwatini’s Matsanjeni Cultural Landscape

UNESCO, 2 April 2026

SOURCE

Communities in Eswatini are taking the lead in shaping the future of sustainable tourism in the Matsanjeni Cultural Landscape, following a high-level national work planning session convened by UNESCO, the Eswatini National Trust Commission (ENTC), and the National Commission for UNESCO (NatCom) from 25 to 26 March 2026. The two-day session brought together traditional leaders, government institutions, and cultural stakeholders to agree on concrete actions that will guide the development of culture and heritage-based tourism in Matsanjeni North Inkundla.

Moving beyond dialogue to action, the session was designed as a hands-on working platform rather than a conventional workshop. Participants translated findings from recent baseline studies into a clear, prioritising interventions focusing on practical, implementable solutions and strengthening collaboration among stakeholders to deliver shared results.

This was not a typical workshop, it was a working session where co-creation is central. The value lies in bringing everyone together to jointly define what needs to be done and how we move forward collectively.

Participants agreed on a set of concrete, action-oriented measures to drive the development of sustainable tourism in Matsanjeni, focusing on governance, destination development, storytelling, and community empowerment. Key priorities include establishing stronger coordination mechanisms and partnerships, developing culture and heritage-based tourism trails, and advancing destination planning through a structured approach such as a Destination Management and Marketing Organisation (DMMO).

The plan also places strong emphasis on sustainability and inclusion. Stakeholders committed to integrated management approaches, ranging from disaster risk preparedness and improved visitor facilities to disability inclusion, ensuring tourism development benefits all. At the same time, efforts to enhance visitor experience will be strengthened through improved storytelling, documentation of local knowledge, and the training and professionalisation of local tour guides.

To read more of this report, click here

https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/community-led-co-creation-advances-sustainable-tourism-eswatinis-matsanjeni-cultural-landscape

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Swaziland Newsletter No. 920 – 27 March 2026

2026-03-27T03:30:00.001+02:00

Swaziland Newsletter No. 920 – 27 March 2026

SNAT raises concerns over Grade Zero rollout, shortage of teachers

eSwatini Observer, (press reader edition), 23 March 2026

Swaziland National Teachers Association (SNAT) Secretary General Lot Vilakati has raised serious concerns over the shortage of teachers, funding gaps and challenges surrounding the rollout of Grade Zero.

Vilakati made the remarks during a live broadcast of People and Places on Yemaswati Channel on Thursday night, where he revealed that only 80 teachers had been deployed across more than 600 primary schools, forcing existing teachers to volunteer and take on additional workloads.

“This creates a chain reaction where learners ultimately do not perform well,” he said.

Vilakati further alleged that corruption within the ministry of education and training was pervasive, claiming it existed ‘from the main door to the last floor,’ and that teachers were being exploited at multiple levels.

He said corruption extended beyond recruitment processes to include serving employees, particularly in the salary advance programme. According to Vilakati, government allocates about E4 million weekly for over 45 000 civil servants, but the funds are insufficient and quickly depleted.

“As a result, those who want to be prioritised are forced to bribe their way through the system,” he said, adding that the service had effectively become transactional.

Vilakati also alleged that transfers and appointments, including those of headteachers, deputy headteachers and teachers, were influenced by bribery.

He said SNAT had previously submitted evidence of corruption to the ministry, including a detailed report in 2018, but no action had been taken.

Testify

“We have teachers who are willing to testify and name those they bribed, provided they are protected,” he said, noting that while SNAT condemns corruption, it also recognises that some teachers acted out of desperation.

Vilakati called for SNAT representation in the Teaching Service Commission (TSC), arguing that this would improve transparency and restore confidence in the allocation of posts.

He warned that decisions made ‘in the dark’ would continue to raise suspicion. Meanwhile, Minister of Education and Training Owen Nxumalo acknowledged the concerns raised and said government was committed to addressing them, with improvements expected next year.

Nxumalo also revealed plans to propose a school maintenance contribution model, similar to a fuel levy, to address infrastructure challenges, including the construction of teachers’ houses.

He noted that government currently lacks a dedicated maintenance budget.

He further admitted that free primary education (FPE) and orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) grants had not been reviewed for some time, adding that a transformation team was already assessing challenges in schools.

See also

Govt to address issues undermining welfare of teachers (eSwatini Observer)

https://eswatiniobserver.com/government-teachers-welfare-issues-nxumalo/

Family demands accountability for Silindile’s death

By Khaya Simelane, Times Sunday, 22 March 2026

SOURCE

KABHEKINKHOSI – We demand justice!

Those words, heavy with grief and sorrow, cut through the light cold early morning air at KaBhekinkhosi, under Luve where mourners had gathered to bid farewell to Silindile Dlamini.

It was just after dawn around 5am, at a moment when her siblings were invited to pay their last respects, which the deceased’s siblings unmistakably called for justice to be served for the death of their sister.

Speaking on behalf of the seven siblings, her brother who did not identify himself stood before the gathering to both speak on behalf of Silindile’s siblings and also read her obituary.

He succinctly made it clear that as a family, they could not accept a situation in which their sister’s life was taken so violently, only for those responsible to remain silent and free.

“Angeke umntfwana wakitsi ahudvulwe ngenhlavu bese kubanendvodza lekhululekile nje,” he said, a statement that drew murmurs from mourners. In simple translation, he was making a call to the effect that whoever was responsible for their sister’s death be arrested and face the full wrath of the law, rather than walk freely as though nothing had happened.

His words captured the simmering anger beneath the grief, a pain that, as he described it, he said it ran “as deep as the ocean”. He went on to read Silindile’s obituary, but even that solemn duty could not mask the anguish of a family grappling with a sudden and violent loss.

Silindile was killed last week after sustaining a gunshot wound to the head during a joint operation involving the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) and the Umbutfo Eswatini Defence Force (UEDF). At the time of her death, she was a passenger in a Honda Fit sedan.

Her death has since sent shockwaves through communities, drawing widespread attention and raising difficult questions on whether justice would be served and the killer brought to answer for their actions.

The funeral itself unfolded under a thick cloud of sorrow, shaped as much by tradition as by tragedy.

In the early hours of the morning, at around 4am, Silindile’s body was moved from a small tent that served as temporary shelter to a large tent, which were attached to each other.

The tents were erected at the community’s sports ground, an arrangement which followed long-standing cultural beliefs in Eswatini, which hold that individuals who die violently, whether through accidents, shootings or stabbings should not be brought into the family yard.

Before the formal service began, friends and relatives were given an opportunity to view the body and bid their final farewells. Some mourners wept quietly, while others broke down completely, unable to contain their grief.

More than a thousand people from different parts of the country attended the funeral, a reflection of how deeply Silindile’s story had resonated beyond her immediate community.

See also

The eSwatini Police and Army remain unaccountable for the death of Slindile Dlamini and her unborn baby (Swaziland News)

http://swazilandnews.co.za/fundza.php?nguyiphi=11671

Three reasons for elderly poverty in eSwatini

By Kale Overton, The Borgen Project, 23 March 2026

SOURCE

Nearly 60% of the Eswatini population lives below the national poverty line. While poverty affects much of the population, studies consistently find that older persons are overrepresented in these poverty rates. One can trace elderly poverty in Eswatini back to three structural factors: limited social protection, rural economic dependence and long-term effects of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. These structural factors continue to affect elderly poverty in Eswatini, and people across the country.

Weak Social Protection and Limited Pensions

Eswatini spends about 1% of its GDP on its social protection programs. This is the lowest share of GDP to social protection expenditure in the region. Social protection programs include the Old Age Grant, which gives a monthly stipend of E500 to Eswatini people age 60 and over. This amount, which translates to roughly $26 or €24, must stretch across multigenerational households.

According to the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), more than 70% of the Eswatini population depends on small-scale agriculture for income and subsistence. This means that workers do not contribute to formal pensions. Because of this, many elderly Eswatini people rely solely on the Old Age Grant.

Rural, Low-Productivity Economic Structure

About 75% of the Eswatini population live in rural areas, where poverty is highly prevalent, and depend on subsistence farming. Agriculture in Eswatini is vulnerable to drought and adverse weather, and the country ranks 128 out of 187 countries on the ND-GAIN climate vulnerability index. For older adults, this rural economic structure means income is often tied to physically demanding, climate-sensitive work.

Beyond income limitations, access to services also plays a role in elderly poverty. Rural communities often face limited access to healthcare facilities, transportation and formal employment opportunities. For older adults, traveling long distances to clinics or markets can add additional financial strain.

At the same time, high unemployment rates among younger generations reduce the likelihood that elderly parents will receive consistent financial support from adult children. In a country where generations often share household resources, economic instability affects not only working-age adults but also older family members who depend on collective income.

To read more of this report, click here

https://borgenproject.org/elderly-poverty-in-eswatini/

Families plead for detained foreigners’ return home

By Kwanele Dlamini, Times of eSwatini, 25 March 2026

SOURCE

MBABANE: Families of foreign nationals arrested in Eswatini are pleading with authorities to repatriate their relatives as the number of detainees rises to nearly 200.

The appeals come as this publication continues its coverage of the crackdown on the alleged illegal online gambling syndicate, which has drawn international attention and left families across several countries in distress.

In previous reports, this publication detailed how dozens of foreign nationals from countries such as Mainland China, Brazil, Indonesia, Malaysia, Taiwan and Cambodia were arrested during police raids on premises in Mbabane, Ezulwini and along the Mbabane-Manzini corridor. The suspects were allegedly found operating unlicensed online gambling activities, with some houses converted into makeshift workstations equipped with computers. Some were arrested at Hawane and Woodlands in Mbabane last Friday.

Now, as investigations deepen and the number of accused persons climbs to about 200, families say they are grappling with shock, confusion and uncertainty, with many only learning of their relatives’ whereabouts through media reports.

Some of the families who spoke to this publication said their relatives had left home under the impression that they were pursuing legitimate employment opportunities.

One family from Indonesia said their relative had informed them that he was travelling to work in a hotel.

“The family was aware that he was travelling and he only said he was going to work at a hotel. We did not ask for further details about the location or the job,” said the family member.

The relative reportedly arrived in Eswatini earlier this month.

To read more of this report, click here

https://www.times.co.sz/news/readmore.php?bhsadjgfoh=Families+plead+for+detained+foreigners%E2%80%99+return+home&yiphi=3342&bvhdgsj=News

Inside the ‘miracle’ drug rollout that could end Aids

A groundbreaking new drug to prevent HIV infection – the closest the world has to a vaccine – is being rolled out in some of the worst-hit countries in the world. Chief international correspondent Bel Trew reports from eSwatini, southern Africa, where there is hope that the pandemic could be brought to an end

The Independent (UK), 24 March 2026

SOURCE

Bottom of Form

Lianne was just 13 when she lost her parents to Aids. Newly orphaned, she had to find a way to keep herself and her younger sister alive. With no money to finish school, unable to find a job and struggling to put food on the table, there was only one option – sex work.

Now 24, she knows the dangers in Eswatini, a kingdom in southern Africa once described as the epicentre of the HIV epidemic and a country still struggling with some of the highest infection rates in the world.

“Both my parents passed away. Hunger led me to join this work although I know it’s risky,” Lianne says, explaining that she earns under £25 a week. She is unable to acquire HIV preventative medication – known as PrEP – on her own.

But there is now hope in the form of lenacapavir – dubbed the “miracle” drug – which the United Nations hopes can protect millions of people like Lianne and even end the Aids epidemic altogether.

The twice-yearly injection – described by the head of the UN Aids agency as “the closest thing we have to a vaccine” – provides near complete protection against infection.

Lenacapavir is being introduced for the first time in nine of the most at-risk countries, including Eswatini, meaning Lianne was among the first people in the world to get the injection.

While it is a big step forward in HIV care, concerns have been raised about the extent of the rollout and fears it will be ineffective if it is not introduced on a global scale.

To read more of this report, click here

https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/africa/hiv-lenacapavir-eswatini-aid-cuts-aids-b2942293.html

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Swaziland Newsletter No. 919 – 20 March 2026

2026-03-20T03:30:00.001+02:00

Swaziland Newsletter No. 919 – 20 March 2026

eSwatini starts administering lenacapavir to curb spread of HIV

By Lunga Masuku, Reuters, 17 March 2026

SOURCE

MBABANE: Eswatini joined a handful of countries to officially roll out new HIV prevention drug lenacapavir on Wednesday, announcing that 2,000 ‌Swazis had received the jab since December.

The United States, where the drug was formulated, and seven other African countries with high HIV prevalence rates have introduced it so far.

“People have been very receptive,” Sindy Matse, ⁠programme manager for the Eswatini National AIDS Programme, told Reuters, adding that stock was nearly exhausted by the initial uptake.

U.S.-based Gilead Sciences' drug lenacapavir is a subcutaneous injection given twice a year. It aims to overcome problems associated with daily oral pre-exposure prophylaxis pills (PrEP), such as forgetting to take them and failing to acquire enough ‌pills ⁠to keep taking them consistently.

Matse said the programme aimed to have it available in all 206 health facilities that had been offering PrEP.

Eswatini is a small South African kingdom formerly known ⁠as Swaziland.

Around a quarter of Swazis between the ages of 15 and 49 carry the virus, according to the latest data, ⁠from 2023, from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. But new infections fell by nearly threequarters between ⁠2010 and 2024, to 4,000 from 14,000, owing to better prevention and treatment, the CDC says.

Arrival of four more men under United States unlawful removal deal

Amnesty International, 13 March 2026

SOURCE

Four more men removed by the United States arrived in Eswatini on 11 March and are being detained in the Matsapha Correctional Complex, a maximum-security prison located some 2 kms from the country’s international airport.

According to information received by Amnesty International, the men – two Somali nationals, one Tanzanian national and one Sudanese national – arrived at around 11PM on a flight originating from Phoenix, Arizona.

“This latest unlawful transfer makes clear that the United States is continuing to send people to Eswatini under a secretive third-country removal arrangement, and that Eswatini is continuing to hold them in unlawful detention without transparency or adequate legal safeguards,” Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for East and Southern Africa, Vongai Chikwanda, said.

“People with no known ties to Eswatini are transferred there and arbitrarily detained while their fate is decided behind closed doors. The authorities in Eswatini must immediately disclose the legal basis for these detentions, guarantee regular and confidential access to lawyers and families, and guarantee due process to ensure that no one is held arbitrarily.”

In July 2025, the US removed a first group of five people to Eswatini where they were kept in arbitrary detention. This was followed by the removal of a further 10 individuals from the US to the Southern African country in October 2025. None were known to have ties with Eswatini, where human rights under the absolute monarchy continues to be curtailed.

“No one should be removed to a country where they face a real risk of unlawful detention, onward refoulement or other serious human rights violations. Both Eswatini and the United States must end this deeply abusive practice,” Vongai Chikwanda said.

Background

Under a Memorandum of Understanding signed on 14 May 2025 and published in the United States following a Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA) request, the government of Eswatini agreed to accept up to 160 third country national removed from the United States, in exchange for $5.1 million USD “to build its border and migration management capacity”.

According to media reports, three men previously deported from the United States to Eswatini have filed a complaint before the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, alleging that their prolonged detention is unlawful.

Education sector policy blamed for rise in teenage pregnancy

By Khaya Simelane, Times of eSwatini, 13 March 2026

SOURCE

MBABANE: While the Swaziland Education and Training Sector Policy (EDSEC) has long been praised as a progressive step within Eswatini’s education sector, fresh concerns are emerging from communities and experts who fear that the policy may be unintentionally contributing to a rise in teenage pregnancies by normalising early motherhood.

The policy, adopted in 2011, guarantees pregnant learners the right to continue their education and return to school after giving birth. Supported by the country’s national Gender Policy, EDSEC explicitly states that schools must not permanently expel learners due to pregnancy.

Instead, school administrators are required to allow pregnant pupils to take time off to care for their babies and then return to the classroom to complete their studies.

Government directives issued in 2020 further reinforced the policy by instructing schools to ensure that pregnant learners are allowed to return to class, particularly to sit for examinations and complete their academic programmes.

The Ministry of Education and Training refers to this approach as the “re-entry rule”, a measure designed to ensure that teenage mothers are not permanently excluded from the education system.

The policy is rooted in the recognition of education as a fundamental human right, as outlined in the United Nations (UN) human rights framework, to which Eswatini is a signatory.

However, while the policy has been applauded for protecting the rights of vulnerable learners, statistics on teenage pregnancy continue to raise alarm, prompting some communities to question whether the policy is achieving its intended goals.

Data from international and national reports indicate that teenage pregnancy remains a persistent and growing challenge in the country.

A 2024 incidence report released by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) recorded more than 530 teenage pregnancies within specific regional contexts across the country.

Broader national statistics also paint a worrying picture.

Eswatini has one of the youngest populations in the region, with young people aged between 10 and 24 making up approximately 34 per cent of the population, translating to nearly 400 000 individuals out of the country’s 1.2 million people.

Population projections suggest that this youthful demographic will continue to grow in the coming years.

Education sector reports indicate that teenage pregnancy remains one of the leading causes of school dropouts among girls.

To read more of this report, click here

https://www.times.co.sz/news/readmore.php?bhsadjgfoh=Education+sector+policy+blamed+for+rise+in+teenage+pregnancy&yiphi=3226&bvhdgsj=News

Toilets, showers for 85 arrested illegal foreign nationals

By Sibusiso Tsabedze, eSwatini Observer, 14 March 2026

SOURCE

Toilets, movable showers and sanitation have been allegedly promised to the 85 foreign nationals arrested for contravening the Immigration Act on Wednesday.

This comes after Minister of Health Mduduzi Matsebula was reported to have assessed the holding cells at the Mbabane Police Station, following complaints from the suspects over sanitation.

The news was revealed by the Crown and Desk Officer Inspector Akhona Dludlu at the Mbabane Magistrate’s Court where the suspects appeared.

During proceedings, concerns were raised regarding the conditions at the Mbabane Police Station where the accused persons are currently being held.

The suspects complained about a lack of proper sanitation facilities at the police station, particularly the unavailability of toilets and showers.

Defence attorney Nqobile Muringani informed the court that the ministry of health should be requested to assess the conditions at the police station to ensure that the health of the accused persons was not compromised.

He submitted that the police station needed to be assessed to determine whether it was suitable to house such a large number of detainees.

Responding to concerns raised by the defence, the Crown informed the court that Minister Matsebula had already visited the Mbabane Police Station to assess the conditions of the holding cells.

The Crown submitted that the minister had acknowledged the sanitation challenges and had promised that the matter would be addressed, including the provision of showers and improved sanitation facilities.

Meanwhile Inspector Dludlu also addressed the court regarding the matter. “We cannot run away from the truth. The minister of health came to assess the situation and they are working on fixing the issues,” the officer said.

The court emphasised the importance of ensuring that the accused persons were treated with dignity while in custody.

…. The accused persons include nationals from China, Brazil, Indonesia, Taiwan and Cambodia and they appeared before Principal Magistrate Fikile Nhlabatsi facing two counts related to unlawful entry and illegal employment in the country.

According to the charge sheet, the accused persons were allegedly found at one of the hotels in Mbabane on March 11.

The suspects were alleged to have wrongfully and unlawfully entered and remained in the country without possessing valid permits authorising them to do so.

On the second count the accused were charged for not being holders of valid permits allowing them to work in the country.

Court orders sanitation and showers for 85 foreign nationals detained at Mbabane Police Station after complaints about poor holding cell conditions

See also

Pastor’s wife questioned, 6 more foreigners arrested (Times of eSwatini)

https://www.times.co.sz/news/readmore.php?bhsadjgfoh=Pastor%E2%80%99s+wife+questioned%2C+6+more+foreigners+arrested&yiphi=3259&bvhdgsj=News

SACBC strengthens mission for migrants, refugees, and anti-human trafficking in eSwatini (SABC)

https://sacbc.org.za/sacbc-strengthens-mission-for-migrants-refugees-and-anti-human-trafficking-in-eswatini/

PM admits corruption in police service

By Nokuphila Haji, eSwatini Observer, 13 March 2026

SOURCE

Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini says there is a ‘cancer’ in the country that must be fought, admitting that corruption exists within the police service.

The prime minister was responding to allegations raised by Mayiwane MP Sicelo Dlamini, who claimed that some police operations, particularly in northern Hhohho, were being influenced by drug dealers and Asian nationals.

The PM applauded Dlamini for raising concerns about drug dealers allegedly influencing police operations, saying he had highlighted an important issue regarding corruption within the police service.

He said it was good that the matter had been raised in the presence of the police service.

“It is there and it is a cancer that we must fight. Individuals participate in corruption and spread it within institutions.

“Corruption is not institutionalised and I hope the podcasts you are referring to will clarify,” he said.

He also called for increased funding for new police vehicles, recruitment and promotions within the police service.

The PM said this would help the police service counter the alleged infiltration by drug dealers, as raised by the MP.

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Swaziland Newsletter No. 918 – 13 March 2026

2026-03-13T04:30:00.001+02:00

Swaziland Newsletter No. 918 – 13 March 2026

Ministers defend role in budget, dismiss interference claims

By Ntombi Mhlongo, Times of eSwatini, 6 March 2026

SOURCE

LOBAMBA: Cabinet ministers have come out strongly to defend their role in the national budget formulation process.

This emerged yesterday during the debate of the Report of the Finance Committee on Deliberations with the minister for Finance on the Appropriations for the 2025/26 and 2026/27 Financial Years, which was tabled in Parliament last Friday.

First to speak was Minister for Labour and Social Security Phila Buthelezi, who defended the Executive against claims that it is interfering in the National Budget process.

Buthelezi said there was no way the budget process could be conducted solely by technocrats until its conclusion without input from other stakeholders.

He said the fact that Members of Parliament (MPs) had made their voices heard by demanding an increase in elderly grants was in itself a sign that they were contributing to the process.

Buthelezi further said it would not benefit the country if the minister for Finance, after consulting Cabinet, made resolutions on the budget only for another minister to go before the Finance Committee and make separate demands.

Notably, before the start of the debate, Buthelezi sought clarity on whether adopting the report would undermine the powers of the Ministry of Finance Portfolio Committee.

In particular, he asked what would happen if the Finance Committee made resolutions on certain allocations that the portfolio committee might not agree with.

The clarification sought by the minister resulted in a back-and-forth exchange with the Chairperson of the Finance Committee and Lobamba Lomdzala MP Marwick Khumalo, who repeatedly explained that the practice had existed for some time.

Meanwhile, the Cabinet defence continued with Minister for Public Works and Transport Chief Ndlaluhlaza Ndwandwe, who said the budget formulation process is a difficult period for everyone involved.

Ndwandwe said this was because everyone had heard the Speech from the Throne and the concerns raised by citizens during Sibaya.

“We have heard what the people are saying. We have heard the advice of economists and the private sector on what needs to be done to develop our economy. It is a lot. Ministries appear before the Public Budgeting Committee and give it a headache. The process then goes to Cabinet, and all of this is done to ensure that we get it right. It is not easy,” he said.

To read more of this report, click here

https://www.times.co.sz/news/readmore.php?bhsadjgfoh=Ministers+defend+role+in+budget%2C+dismiss+interference+claims&yiphi=3133&bvhdgsj=News

See also

Budget process is flawed – PM (eSwatini Observer)

https://eswatiniobserver.com/eswatini-budget-process-flawed-prime-minister/

Budget is approved by Cabinet – PM (eSwatini Positive News)

https://eswatinipositivenews.online/budget-is-approved-by-cabinet-pm/

Three men deported by US file legal case against eSwatini over detention

By Rachel Savage, Guardian (UK), 5 March 2026

SOURCE

Three men deported by the US to Eswatini – rather than their home countries – have filed a case against Eswatini’s government with the African Union’s human rights body, claiming their detention was an unlawful violation of their rights.

Two of the claimants, from Cuba and Yemen, have been in prison in Eswatini, formerly Swaziland, for eight months. The third, Orville Etoria, was repatriated to his home country, Jamaica, in September.

They were among a group of five men deported by the US in July, with another 10 sent in October. Other than Etoria, all remained in prison in Eswatini, their lawyers said.

The US has labelled the men dangerous criminals but their lawyers said they have already served their sentences for any crimes committed in the US.

The men’s complaint was filed with the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR), an African Union body that monitors member states’ compliance with regional human rights agreements.

The commission can demand that states uphold rights and refer cases to the African court on human and peoples’ rights, but neither body has enforcement powers.

Beatrice Njeri, a lawyer with the Global Strategic Litigation Council, one of the organisations that brought the case on the deportees’ behalf, said: “The people in detention have committed no crime [in Eswatini] and continue to undergo various human rights violations … they are being held indefinitely.”

Njeri said the men had still not been allowed to see their lawyers in person. She said one detainee had gone on a 30-day hunger strike late last year, resulting in signs of organ failure.

“They’re totally frustrated with the situation,” she said. “They just want to go back – some of them home, some of them to the US.”

Thabile Mdluli, a spokesperson for Eswatini’s government, said: “The Kingdom of Eswatini reiterates its longstanding commitment to upholding human rights and its obligations under regional and international frameworks.

To read more of this report, click here

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/05/three-men-deported-us-eswatini-legal-case-detention

See also

United States deportees take Eswatini to the African Commission for Human and People’s Rights (ACHPR) citing human rights violations (Swaziland News)

http://www.swazilandnews.co.za/fundza.php?nguyiphi=11533

DPM warns: Stop violating young boys

By Brian Mabuza, eSwatini Observer, 10 March 2026

SOURCE

Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) Thulisile Dladla has revealed a growing number of cases involving the sexual violation of young boys, with minors allegedly being abused by adults.

Speaking during a press briefing at the DPM’s office boardroom yesterday, Dladla strongly condemned the acts, describing them as disgraceful and destructive to the livelihoods of the affected children.

She expressed deep concern over cases reported to her office, highlighting that children must be protected from all forms of abuse to safeguard their physical and emotional wellbeing.

According to the DPM, some of the victims were as young as nine years old. The severity of certain cases required urgent intervention from her office to provide support to affected children. Survivors had in some instances sustained serious injuries, necessitating provision of basic necessities, including diapers, due to physical trauma.

“These are extremely painful situations,” Dladla said, emphasising that the impact of abuse extends far beyond physical harm, often leaving children with deep emotional and psychological scars affecting their development and future wellbeing.

Dladla specifically warned gay adults against targeting or influencing minors. She stressed that adults’ personal lifestyles must remain among consenting adults and must never involve children.

“If people want to be gay, they should do so among themselves and with other consenting adults,” she said. Children, she noted, are innocent and vulnerable, and exposing them to abuse places them at serious risk of lifelong trauma.

To read more of this report, click here

https://eswatiniobserver.com/deputy-pm-dladla-stop-child-abuse/

See also

35 boys sexually abused in 2025 – SWAGAA (eSwatini Observer)

https://eswatiniobserver.com/35-boys-sexually-abused-in-2025-swagaa/

Soccer legends join GBV fight

By Nompumelelo Mhlanga, Times of eSwatini, 9 March 2026

SOURCE

MBABANE: Former football stars have partnered with the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister to combat gender-based violence (GBV).

The partnership was launched on Monday, March 9, 2026, when the Deputy Prime Minister and former players unveiled a nationwide prevention campaign aimed at engaging men and boys.

The initiative, rolled out with the Umhluma Women and Youth Foundation, will use sport to spread anti-GBV messages and promote gender equality.

Deputy Prime Minister Thuli Dladla said the campaign forms part of the office’s Gender-Based Violence Action Plan adopted in 2023, which emphasises involving men and boys in prevention efforts through sport and community activities.

She said football tournaments, walks and other sporting events would be held across the country to encourage men and boys to take an active role in ending violence against women and girls.

While statistics often identify men and boys as the main perpetrators of violence, Dladla said the campaign aimed to encourage them to become agents of change and champions of gender equality.

“Involving men and boys helps challenge harmful social norms and promotes values such as respect, empathy and accountability,” she said.

Umhluma Women and Youth Foundation Executive Director Lungelo Zulu said the campaign would start with a town-to-town outreach programme, where partners and former football stars will travel around the country spreading anti-GBV messages.

The outreach will culminate in a one-day soccer tournament in May at Mavuso Sports Centre in the Manzini Region.

Teams will feature former players from traditional clubs including Manzini Wanderers, Mbabane Swallows, Mbabane Highlanders, Moneni Pirates and Denver Sundowns.

Zulu said the tournament would rotate between regions annually to sustain the campaign.

He added that public transport operators had also joined the initiative to amplify the message. Women Unlimited will supply bibs carrying anti-GBV messages for operators to wear throughout the campaign.

Several organisations pledged support during the launch. Instacash will provide jerseys for the legends, while other partners include Ant Construction, Orchard Insurance, Cardo Square, SOS Children’s Villages, Viva Water, the Stukie Motsa Foundation and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Zulu said although civil society groups had called for GBV to be declared a national disaster, campaigns like this were vital in sustaining prevention efforts.

Representatives of the football legends and partner organisations also stressed the importance of involving men in conversations about violence, noting that football was a powerful platform to bring men together.

Dladla welcomed the initiative, saying former players would serve as role models for young boys, particularly those growing up in communities where violence may be normalised.

She also praised the inclusion of transport operators, saying the campaign would help remind men of their responsibilities within families and communities.

Former football stars have partnered with the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister to combat gender-based violence (GBV)

Govt calls for greater opportunities for women

By Adekunle Owolabi, Independent News eSwatini, 12 March 2026

SOURCE

MATSAPHA: Women leaders from across Eswatini gathered at Esibayeni Lodge on Wednesday for the Eswatini Women’s Dialogue 2026, where government and development partners discussed advancing women’s leadership, economic empowerment and justice.

The engagement formed part of activities marking International Women’s Day and brought together representatives from different sectors to examine ways of promoting the rights of women and girls in the country.

Acting Deputy Prime Minister Jane Mkhonta-Simelane addressed the gathering and spoke about the role women continue to play in the country’s social and economic development.

She said empowering women contributes directly to stronger families, resilient communities and national progress.

“When women are given opportunities to lead, learn, and participate fully in the economy, the entire country benefits. I would like to reaffirm government’s commitment to promoting gender equality, expanding opportunities for women, and ensuring their voices and leadership continue to shape a more inclusive and prosperous country,” the ADPM said.

Participants also discussed collaboration between men and women as a key element in advancing gender equality.

Colani Nhleko, Country Coordinator for SAFAIDS, told delegates that partnerships between men and women remain necessary in strengthening women’s leadership in society.

He noted that “men need to hold hands with women as accelerating women’s leadership is both timely and urgent.”

The European Union also took part in the dialogue. Jose Becerra Marta spoke about the role women play in sustaining households and communities.

“Investing in women is imperative to build inclusive societies. Women play an important role in supporting households and communities to achieve food security, generate income and improve livelihoods,” he said.