It’s time for SADC to show some steel

The people of Eswatini have risen up against the oppressive monarchy of King Mswati III – and are paying for their quest for freedom in blood.

Sadly for them, though, we don’t think they’re going to get any help any time soon from that most somnolent of organisations, the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

Its importantly named, but useless, Organ on Politics, Defence and Security has concluded its “preliminary engagements” with the Eswatini government, church groups, the Law Society and trade unions, as well as the Human Rights Commission.

There will, no doubt, be plenty of talking, plenty of proposals for peace, but the long-term reality is likely to be maintaining the status quo … which means a spendthrift monarch, backed by brutal security forces, will continue to keep his foot on the necks of Swazi people.

In SADC, in the African Union and, indeed, even in our own ANC government, we don’t like conflict, we don’t like taking the harsh decisions, we don’t like standing up for justice.

This means that despots, bloated monarchies and governments with blood on their hands will never be properly held to account.

This is the time, SADC, to prove you care for the ordinary, suffering people in our region.