EDITORIAL | SADC must be more assertive with Swazi king

Africa’s last absolute monarchy, Eswatini, is facing its most intense pro-democracy protests in recent years. Ruled by King Mswati III, the country landlocked by SA and Mozambique last week saw President Cyril Ramaphosa dispatch five special envoys for talks with the monarch. How much good that would do remains to be seen. Judging by the 53-year-old king’s response to the protests, there is zero interest from the Eswatini government’s side in reform.

As anti-monarchy riots spread across the tiny kingdom, those in charge shut down all schools and blocked access to Facebook. The latest unrest came four months after the last wave of protests during which security forces cracked down on demonstrators. Now schoolchildren and public transport workers have joined the actions demanding change. But Mswati, who has been king for 35 years after taking over from his father King Sobhuza II, is doing everything in his power to crush his opponents.

Amnesty International last week described his actions as being in “clear contravention of human rights”. Life for the 1.2-million Swazis living under his rule is hard, with more than 60% of the population subsisting below the poverty line while Mswati lives a life of luxury with a string of wives. He rules by decree, chooses the prime minister and cabinet and appoints the director of public prosecutions, as well as the chiefs of the army and police. He cannot be criminally charged and does not have to pay taxes.

Pockets of pro-democracy protests have flared up every now and then over the past few years, but demonstrations are becoming more frequent and the monarchy’s reaction to them more violent. An estimated 30 people are reported to have died since June. To date, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) has not had much luck in effecting change; neither has it shown much political will to do so. In July, a SADC “fact-finding mission” made its way there, with Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi issuing a statement afterwards: “SADC notes with concern the disruption to daily economic activities.”

It acknowledged one death, angering trade unions in Eswatini which insisted dozens of protesters had been killed. Now, a few months after the SADC visit, violence has flared up again, raising questions as to whether SADC’s mid-year involvement was of any use. Ramaphosa has sent special envoys to the country, including former cabinet minister Jeff Radebe and Candith Mashego-Dlamini, the deputy minister of international relations and cooperation. Their mission is to meet the king, “engage other stakeholders” and assess the situation on the ground.

If this SADC mission is going to be a repeat of the June exercise, again ending with a meaningless statement — then described by Eswatini activists as pure “spin” — these envoys should rather save their breath. By playing down the gravity of the situation and taking the quiet diplomacy route, they are in essence only further empowering King Mswati III, who is happy to continue living the good life while his countrymen live in abject poverty.