eSwatini police commissioner dies at OR Tambo airport – report

eSwatini police commissioner William Dlamini died at OR Tambo International Airport on Saturday while waiting for a flight back to eSwatini.

Dlamini arrived from Angola where he attended an International Police Organisation (Interpol) regional meeting.

According to Swaziland News, he collapsed and died at around 4 am while waiting to board a flight to eSwatini.

The publication says the death was confirmed by a senior government official who asked not to be quoted as the death was yet to be reported to King Mswati.

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Dlamini’s death comes as his contract as police boss is about to expire, the publication said.

The government of eSwatini and their South African counterparts are yet to respond.

Africa’s only monarch country

Political parties are banned in eSwatini, which is solely run by King Mswati.

He appoints the prime minister, cabinet and judges, while acts of parliament need his seal of approval to come into force.

Mswati and his expanding family live a life of extreme luxury in a country wracked by poverty and with the highest HIV/Aids rate in the world.

Political activists who fled the country have been calling for democracy and the unbanning of political parties, but these have fallen on deaf ears as King Mswati tightens his grip on power.

READ MORE: Fighting for democracy in Africa’s last absolute monarchy