SA, SADC silence questioned as situation deteriorates in Eswatini

An expert has blamed South Africa, with its quiet diplomacy, and the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) for continued under playing of the deteriorating security situation in Eswatini.

Advocate Sipho Mantula, a specialist on African affairs, said the situation was allowed to deteriorate by the SADC, which along with the Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) government, has underplayed the situation since it started early
this year.

Mantula said the protests, in which at least seven people were killed and scores injured in police action, were a continuation of previous protests.

Head of the SADC mission on Eswatini and President Cyril Ramaphosa’s envoy, Jeff Radebe, arrived in Eswatini on Thursday promising to mediate for peace in the tiny kingdom amidst the pro-democracy protests and harsh police action against protesters.

Dispatched by Ramaphosa, Radebe led a team comprising of the deputy minister of international relations and cooperation, Candith Mashego-Dlamini, and SADC representatives from Botswana and Namibia.

The presidency said Eswatini’s King Mswati III agreed to meet the delegation.

Seven or more people were killed when police allegedly used live ammunition to stop the protests. Various civil society organisations, trade unions and media outlets posted footage of the injured with bullet wounds on their bodies and faces.

Mswati has ordered the switch off of all social media to impose a ban on external communication.

The banned South Africa-based Swaziland Solidarity Network and various news reports claimed Mswati had brought members of security forces from Equatorial Guinea to assist the local police.

– ericn@citizen.co.za