The Mariposa Grandmothers will be starting the new year with exciting plans. Our book exchange last year was such a success that we will be bringing it back by popular demand. It will take place on Friday, Feb. 19, from 10 to 11 a. m., at St. Paul's Church in Orillia. Another new project will be a Nationwide Walk in support of the African Grandmothers, in the spring of 2010. Details about that as they are firmed up will be in future newsletters. (The Mariposa Grandmothers' newsletters usually come out on the last Saturday of the month, by the way.)
At our last meeting, it was reported that in his book,The Betrayal of Africa,Gerald Caplan made particular mention of the Stephen Lewis Foundation's Grandmothers to Grandmothers program as one of the few projects that is truly making a difference in Africa. We are proud to say that the Mariposa Grandmothers are doing their part. We received a thank you letter from the Stephen Lewis Foundation, recognizing our work and the amount of money we raised this past year. This money was raised through the sale of our Lucinda pins, (still available), donations, and individual members' sales of craft items.
March will see an important gathering in Swaziland. African grandmothers have decided to move ahead with an African Grandmothers' Gathering, to share their struggles, triumphs, challenges, grief around living at the epicenter of the ravages caused by HIV and AIDS, and to work toward a common agenda and purpose in beating back the pandemic. The Swaziland African Grandmothers' Gathering will be hosted by a project the SLF has supported for five years -- SWAPOL, led by the indomitable and inspiring Siphiwe Hlope. (She organized a brilliant Grandmothers' March for International Women's Day in Swaziland last year.) This is a gathering planned for African grandmothers by African grandmothers and promises to be an historic and moving event.
The organizers have asked that the SLF facilitate a Canadian delegation of up to 40 women who belong to Grandmothers groups here, as representatives of the entire Grandmothers' Movement in Canada. Mariposa Grandmothers' member Ellen Dennig is applying to go as a representative of our group. She has been to Swaziland in the past, and we are hoping that she will be among the delegates chosen.
All in all, 2010 promises to be an interesting and exciting year.
The Mariposa Grandmothers meet on the third Friday of the month at 9:30 a. m., at St. Paul's Church in Orillia. All are welcome. We also have a speakers' bureau that will provide speakers to organizations that would like to learn more about the work of the Grandmothers-to- Grandmothers projects.
The following events and economic reports may influence trading in sub-Saharan African bonds and currencies today. Bond yields and exchange rates are from the previous session.
Botswana: The southern African country’s central bank will sell bills.
The pula was 0.2 percent stronger against the dollar at 6.744 by 3:10 p.m. in Gaborone. The yield on the 14-day bill was 8.17 percent on Dec. 15.
Swaziland: The government will hold a Treasury bill auction.
The lilangeni was 1 percent weaker against the dollar at 7.64 by 3:16 p.m. in Mbabane. The yield on the 91-day Treasury bill was 6.97 percent on Dec. 16.
USA Ambassador to Swaziland Earl Irving has promised that his country’s government will fully support Swaziland in fighting the HIV and AIDS pandemic. He said this would be through the president’s emergency plan for AIDS relief commonly known as PEPFAR. Irving was speaking during the Swaziland Business Coalition on HIV and AIDS world commemoration at the Royal Swazi Sun at Ezulwini on Tuesday night. According to SBIS news Irving said PEPFAR was funded in full by the American people with the mandate to fight the pandemic and build the capacity of corporate partners, governments as well as civil society to carry out all aspects of national HIV and AIDS response. “It is shocking that Swaziland has the most severe national HIV and AIDS crisis in the world with 26 % of the population aged 15 to 49 being positive,” said Irving. He said PEPFAR has increased its 2009 to 2010 budget to Swaziland to $30million as it was $14million in 2008. “This money will be specially allocated to support efforts to reduce the effects of HIV and AIDS and build the health infrastructure of Swaziland.”
MBABANE – Questions have been raised over gover-nment’s move to negotiate with foreign airline companies, including Air Botswana, to service Swaziland.
The proposed deal was to possibly replace Swazi Airlink should the need arise following questions that have been raised on its safety. According to media reports in Botswana, especially the Botswana Gazette online edition, the Tswanas have maintained ignorance on the developments.
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Transport and Communications, Louis Malikongwa said he was not aware of the issue. “We have not heard anything to that effect and the Swazi Government has not engaged us in talks over the matter. Maybe they are still in the process of coming to us,” Malikongwa said. Mphi Tlhomelang, who is the Acting General Manager of Air Botswana, acknowledged she had heard the rumour, but there was no official communication, either from Swazi Airlink or the minis- try.
“I will have to get in touch with the ministry to confirm it. The Swazis have not yet come to us, or maybe it was a suggestion and they are still to make a proposal, but as Air Botswana, we are open to discussions,” she said. Swazi Airlink is 51 per cent owned by the Swazi Government and South African Airlink owns 49 per cent. The reason to negotiate with the two airlines, according to the minister, has been necessitated by the ongoing probe into the operations of South African Airlink.
The questions about Dlamini’s statements come after he was quoted by this publication as having confirmed the ongoing talks, but refused to go into detail on the negotiations. “We’re engaging Air Botswana and the South Africa Airways as possible alternative airlines to replace Swazi Airlink,” the minister said.
Following that the Tswanas have registered their ignorance on the matter, when the minister was called, his phone was unavailable on the MTN network and when the Principal Secretary Paul Nkambule was called, he said he could not comment on the matter. His reasons were that if there was something being done the Civil Aviation Authority board would be the best to comment.
Nkambule said since government was in a marriage with Airlink, he did not think it would be right to talk about the matter without involving the company. When South African Airways headquarters were called, this reporter was asked to leave a message which by the time of compiling this report, had not been returned.
MATSAPHA- Government is currently investigating possibilities of setting up a forth sugar mill in the country.
The proposed sugar mill is earmarked for Sidvokodvo. Currently, Swaziland has three sugar mills namely, the Mhlume, Simunye and Illovo sugar mills.
Minister of Agriculture Clement Dlamini said government had already started with the feasibility study to investigate the possibilities of setting up the sugar mill.
“Government is currently looking at setting up a forth sugar mill in the country because we have realised that farmers need it. We are currently doing a feasibility study of the possibilities of setting up the sugar mill at Sidvokodvo.
Project
“We have heard that sugar cane farmers under the Lower Usuthu Smallholder Irrigation Project (LUSIP) have called for a sugar mill at Siphofaneni partly because they want to reduce the costs associated with producing sugar.
However, as I have said before, it is not possible to establish a sugar mill to accommodate them because Illovo Sugar set aside an expansion programme and they committed E1.4 billion that will accommodate the sugar produced by the farmers at LUSIP. Illovo Sugar wanted assurance that government would safeguard their interest when this commitment was made and we gave it to them so it in this regard that government believes it is not possible to establish a mill for the farmers at LUSIP,” Dlamini explained. Elaborating on the proposed sugar mill, Dlamini said the proposed site was chosen because it had proven to have arable soil that was suitable for sugar cane growing.
Construction
“Following the construction of a dam near Mkhondvo River, we thought it would be a good idea to establish the sugar mill at Sidvokodvo because the farmers that will use the sugar mill will utilize the water from the dam. In this way, everybody benefits,” he said.
He also said government would rope in experts to assist in the roll-out plan for the establishment of the mill. “Government will take the lead in this project but we will engage experts to help us in whatever field we need assistance. We are actually working with Tibiyo TakaNgwane on this project and we are looking forward to when the mill is finally opened because it will help a lot of farmers in the country.
We have already started with the feasibility study into the establishment of the sugar mill and we already have investors who are interested in setting up the mill,” he said.
Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe has complained that his longstanding ZANU-PF party is "eating itself up", at the opening of its first congress since it was forced to share power with a rival party. By News Wires (text) AFP - Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe on Friday bemoaned the divisions that he said were "eating up" his party, as he opened its first congress since losing its absolute grip on power.
"The party is fighting itself. It's eating itself up," the 85-year-old leader told more than 5,000 loyalists.
Mugabe and his ZANU-PF have ruled Zimbabwe since independence from Britain in 1980, when they took control as the magnanimous liberators from white-ruled Rhodesia.
After initially working to expand education, health care and jobs, they are now reviled for leading the once prosperous nation into economic ruin, where life expectancy is only 34 and millions depend on foreign food aid to survive.
This year, Mugabe was forced into a unity government with Morgan Tsvangirai, the opposition leader who is now prime minister, after ZANU-PF lost its parliamentary majority in 2008 polls and the presidential race ended in dispute.
The power-sharing deal saw many Mugabe loyalists lose plum government jobs, rattling the patronage system that he has used to keep a lid on divisions within the party.
Mugabe also called for the sanctions levelled against him and his inner circle to be lifted.
"Certainly this arrangement (unity government) has restored peace between the party and stability in our country but the sanctions still continue and we wonder why, why, why."
Mugabe has spoken with unusual candor this week about the divisions within ZANU-PF, whose opaque internal operations generate widespread speculation in Zimbabwe.
"Instead of organising against the opposition, we are sweating for support, not for the party, but for oneself," Mugabe told party members ahead of the congress, according to the Herald newspaper.
"We should be able to admit that the election produced a result that left a huge dent on the party," he said.
"We are responsible for the poor performance in the election last year."
Tsvangirai also defeated Mugabe in the first round of the presidential race, but pulled out of the run-off citing state-sponsored violence against his supporters as the nation descended into political unrest, which rights groups say was fuelled largely by ZANU-PF.
Under stiff international pressure, Mugabe and Tsvangirai formed a power-sharing government in February in a bid to end a decade of political and economic turmoil.
The new government has stopped the economic bleeding, but jobs remain scarce, hunger widespread, and poverty endemic.
The party has been riven by internal squabbles over who should eventually succeed Mugabe, who has already been endorsed as the candidate in the next elections tentatively slated for 2013, when he will be 89 years old.
But analysts see no sign that the party is ready to tackle its challenges, much less turn around years of national crisis.
The two-day congress agenda focuses on the state of the party, the unity government, work on a new constitution and proposed media reforms.
In reality, little debate is expected, said Lovemore Madhuku, chairman of the pro-democracy group National Constitutional Assembly.
"There will be no noise during the congress, and there will be no meaningful debate," Madhuku said.
PUDEMO President Mario Masuku was yesterday acquitted of a charge of terrorism. He was acquitted by High Court Judge Mbutfo Mamba on the first day of his trial. He had been charged with contravening the Suppression of Terrorism Act after he uttered statements to the effect that PUDEMO would continue with the bombing of vital government structures in Swaziland last year at the funeral of the late Musa Dlamini who was killed during a bomb blast at Lozitha bridge. The funeral was held at KaLanga in Siteki. Justice Mamba found that there was “poor quality of evidence” by the prosecution in the matter. Appearing for the crown was Director of Public Prosecutions Mumcy Dlamini, whilst advocate Norman Kades, who had been instructed by Thulani Maseko, Masuku’s lawyer appeared for the defence. Poor quality evidence, incoherent statements submitted to the court by witnesses and a series of dramatic errors led by Judge Mamba issuing the ruling that Masuku be acquitted. After the examination and cross examination of witnesses in court, in a trial that began in the morning and ended shortly after lunch, Advocate Kades made an application to the Judge under the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act of 1938 Section 174, Subsection 4 that the case be dismissed because of the poor quality evidence. “My Lord, there is no way that the accused can be put on the defence to answer on the charges because the evidence which has been brought to this court is very poor. It is just not worthy.” Furthermore, the advocate noted that within the evidence, there is nothing which also substantiates Masuku’s alternative charge. The alternative charge states that “the accused is guilty of Contravening Section (5) (1) of the Sedition and Subversive Activities Act of 1938. In that or upon or about the 27th September, 2008 at or near KaLanga area, the said accused did unlawfully and with subversive intention utter the words to the effect that they will continue with the bombing of vital structures of the government of the Kingdom of Swaziland and did thereby contravene the said Act.” Five witnesses had presented their evidence, and one of them was Superintendent Mike Zwane the police officer who was in charge of investigating the matter. Evidence brought to the court by the first witness Sithembiso Shongwe was dismissed in the initial stages of the trial, on the basis that it was irrelevant. Judge Mamba ruled that the evidence was inadmissible after Advocate Kades applied that it was irrelevant because Shongwe kept on telling the court about activities planned by PUDEMO in meetings that were held in South Africa. One of these activities is the operation “vula vala”, which the witness described as being an activity planned by PUDEMO to disrupt last year’s parliamentary elections by bombing different Tinkhundla Centres and government structures. Submitting his evidence, Shongwe mentioned other sordid activities planned by his organisation to make the country ungovernable. Shongwe is a defective member of PUDEMO, and is interestingly serving a term in prison for a string of cases. Making his ruling Justice Mamba said, “I have heard the evidence which has been presented. I agree that evidence brought by the three other witnesses, apart from that made by the police officer is so poor that I can not make out or determine what they were talking about. The application for the discharge of the accused is accordingly granted and written reasons will be issued in due course”. Judge Mamba observed that the evidence by Superintendent Zwane did not in any way mention anything about Masuku’s charge. DPP’s attempt to stop Advocate Kades’ application in vain DIRECTOR of Public Prosecutions Mumcy Dlamini tried to oppose Advocate Norman Kades’ application that Mario Masuku’s matter be dismissed but this was in vain. Dlamini submitted that because a number of witnesses called by the state highlighted on the statements made by Masuku at MJ’s funeral and quoted him verbatim and as such argued that the matter should not be dismissed. Making her alternative submission, she said Masuku had indeed made statements in support of terrorism at MJ’s funeral. Advocate Kades was worried with the use of the word “they” in the Masuku’s charge. The charge states that Masuku uttered statements that “they will continue with the bombing of vital structures of the government of the Kingdom of Swaziland”. Advocate Kades argued that by saying “they”, Masuku was not referring to himself. The DPP said by uttering these statements, whether Masuku was referring to himself or other people is not important, but what matters is that he said something that supports terrorism.
the crackdown is part of Swaziland's contribution to the response to climate change
SPECIAL REPORT FROM INTERPRESS SERVICE CORRESPONDENT MANTOE PHAKATHI
MBABANE ( IPS ) - For close to three decades, Jeremiah Mkhonta has earned a living by selling firewood by the roadside.
It's not exactly lucrative: the father of 15 often goes for a fortnight without even selling a single four dollar bundle of firewood.
But slow business is not what is bothering this ex-miner right now.
He lives in fear that one day soon, he and his peers across the country, could be arrested.
"I've learnt from the radio and from some of my customers that the Minister of Tourism and Environment said that we'll get arrested for selling firewood," Mkhonta told IPS .
Through the Flora Protection Act, 2001, the Minister of Tourism and Environment, Macford Sibandze, has threatened to take legal action against people found to be cutting down trees for commercial gain, including firewood vendors.
"Although this law addresses issues of protected plants, we're also targeting those people cutting live trees and those harvesting in large quantities," said Sibandze.
Although he observed that firewood vendors are cutting down trees on a very small scale, he said the action is necessary to prevent the practice from spreading.
Sibandze said the crackdown is part of Swaziland 's contribution to the response to climate change.
African countries are said to be contributing 18 percent of greenhouse gas emissions mainly through deforestation.
"Inasmuch as we understand that the trees are a part of a livelihood for many people who are poor, we also have to ensure that we harvest the natural resources in a sustainable manner," said Sibandze.
"This applies across the board - whether you're poor or not."
Although Mkhonta has a limited understanding of what climate change is all about, he said ordinary Swazis have suffered a lot through climate change in the form of prolonged drought, but government still wants to subject them into further poverty.
"They say the drought which has stopped us from cultivating was caused by climate change.
Now we have to stop earning a living because of the same climate change," said a visibly confused Mkhonta.
He said he makes hardly enough a month to put food on the table.
Two thirds of the Swazi population lives below the poverty line of less than a dollar a day. Close to 300,000 people survive on food aid.
Sibandze's argument that he's seeking to protect living forest from destruction down does not hold up, at least not for Mphumuzi Magwagwa another firewood vendor at Ngogola.
Magwagwa said they use indigenous knowledge to ensure that they conserve the environment.
"We know the trees that belong to the King (protected indigenous plants) which we don't touch. Only dry trees that prevent grass from growing are cut and sold as firewood," said Magwagwa.
He said it is a pity that while government is using the law to drive them out of business, it is not providing any alternatives so that they could continue earning a living.
"I'm a father of three, a widower, unemployed and I've never been to school," said Magwagwa.
"I can tell you now, if I'm stopped from selling this firewood, the only choice I'd have is to steal."
Magwagwa's assessment of his chances of finding another job ring true against Swaziland's unemployment rate of 28 percent, the majority of whom are in rural areas.
Thuli Makama, the director for Yonge Nawe Environmental Group, argues that what government has to appreciate is that the fundamental principle of environmental management is to sustain human beings.
"Poverty levels are very high and people are exploiting one environmental resource or another just to earn a living," said Makama.
Makama who knows the firewood vendors well says they are not just irresponsible people but a group with a code of conduct which they adhere to.
"The problem with our laws, like in most African countries, is that they're always targeting the small men," said Makama.
"We can't be frying sardines when we have sharks."
Makama is basing her argument on the fact that big industries in the country such as SAPPI Usuthu - due to close down at the end of the month - have not been taken to task over pollution.
The paper milling industry has been heavily criticised by environmentalists for releasing toxic effluent into Usushwana River which runs across Matsapha Industrial Site, leaving downstream communities with no water to drink.
"For years we've been trying to get government to give these issues affecting poor communities priority but nothing has been done," said Makama.
"It's interesting to see the very same government being aggressive towards enforcing the law towards poor people."
Across the road from the private farm owned by Tibiyo Taka Ngwane, a royal company held in trust of the Swazi nation, where the vendors gather their firewood, a Cape Town-based company is making charcoal but government is not bothering the owner.
Tibiyo Taka Ngwane gave the vendors permission to gather firewood from the farm while a permit was granted to the South African company to cut trees and make charcoal which they supply to the Kingdom and in South Africa .
Makama, who will be part of the civil society presence in Copenhagen , said the role of non-governmental organisations in the conference is to try to present the views and protect the rights of people like Mkhonta and Magagwa as a plan to arrest climate change is decided upon.
USA Ambassador to Swaziland Earl Irving has promised that his country’s government will fully support Swaziland in fighting the HIV and AIDS pandemic.
He said this would be through the president’s emergency plan for AIDS relief commonly known as PEPFAR.
Irving was speaking during the Swaziland Business Coalition on HIV and AIDS world commemoration at the Royal Swazi Sun at Ezulwini on Tuesday night.
According to SBIS news Irving said PEPFAR was funded in full by the American people with the mandate to fight the pandemic and build the capacity of corporate partners, governments as well as civil society to carry out all aspects of national HIV and AIDS response.
“It is shocking that Swaziland has the most severe national HIV and AIDS crisis in the world with 26 % of the population aged 15 to 49 being positive,” said Irving.
He said PEPFAR has increased its 2009 to 2010 budget to Swaziland to $30million as it was $14million in 2008.
“This money will be specially allocated to support efforts to reduce the effects of HIV and AIDS and build the health infrastructure of Swaziland.”
An International Monetary Fund (IMF) staff team led by Norbert Toé visited Mbabane during November 18–December 2 to conduct the 2009 Article IV Consultation with Swaziland. The mission’s work focused on policies needed to restore fiscal sustainability, preserve macroeconomic and financial stability, and spur economic growth. The mission met with Minister of Finance Hon. Majozi V. Sithole, Central Bank Governor Martin G. Dlamini, members of the Cabinet and the Finance Committee of Parliament. The mission met also other senior government officials, members of the donor community, the private sector, and civil society.
At the end of the mission, Mr. Toé, Mission Chief for Swaziland, issued the following statement today in Mbabane:
“Since the last Article IV consultation a little more than a year ago, Swaziland has been grappling with the impact of the 2008 oil and food crisis and the global economic crisis of 2009. The latter has led to a significant drop in transfers from the Southern African Customs Union (SACU), which in the context of high spending levels, is posing serious risk to medium-term fiscal sustainability. Economic activity remains sluggish in 2009 with GDP growth estimated at 0.4 percent. Inflation continues to moderate as food and fuel prices trend downwards, and is expected to be around 5 percent by year-end.
“The economic outlook is subject to downside risks stemming from the uncertainty about the strength of the global recovery, particularly in South Africa which is destination to more than half of Swaziland’s exports, the phasing-out of preferential agreements, the sustainability of structural reforms to foster competitiveness and improve the business environment. The mission welcomes the establishment of the Anti-Corruption Commission and the recent passage by parliament of the Financial Services Regulatory Authority Bill. It encourages the authorities to accelerate the adoption of other pending legislation to further strengthen the financial system, improve the regulatory environment, and promote private-sector led growth.
“The key challenge going forward is for the authorities to address the emerging large fiscal deficits by building public support for the necessary adjustments. This is all the more necessary as the financing of persistent high fiscal deficits and the ensuing reserve losses could undermine confidence in the current monetary arrangement and result in unsustainable debt levels. Consequently, the mission urges the authorities to embark without delay on a fiscal adjustment path focused on expenditure cuts. In particular, the recent across-the-board salary increases, which are unsustainable given the sharp and permanent drop in SACU revenue, need to be revisited. Mobilizing more domestic resources through a strengthening of taxpayers’ compliance and a broadening of the tax base is essential for the fiscal consolidation efforts. Improving the quality of spending and strengthening public financial management to shift resources to critical social programs, including investment in human capital and expenditures that foster economic growth are also needed.
“The IMF stands ready to continue to assist the authorities in developing their policy response to enable the Swazi economy to weather this unprecedented deterioration in the fiscal position and put the country on a sustained growth path.
“The mission would like to thank the authorities for their excellent cooperation.”
Universal Access to HIV prevention, treatment and care: assessing the inclusion of human rights is the World AIDS Day theme for 2009. This year’s commemoration is special since it marks the 21st Anniversary of World AIDS Day (WAD). Since 1988 when Health Ministers from around the world gathered to dedicate a special day of solidarity to fight against HIV and AIDS a lot has been achieved. And at the same time, we have to admit that a lot still needs to be done. On Tuesday, December 1, 2009, the Kingdom of Swaziland will be commemorating the WAD 2009 at the Siteki Sports Ground to renew commitment to the struggle against HIV as well as determination and belief in stopping HIV and AIDS through unity along with rigorous efforts. This will be a significant event which in itself will be seen to be signifying support of the WAD 2009 objectives by the government and social partners. This WAD will also be a reminder to all the people of Swaziland that HIV and AIDS is a national challenge, and that there is need to work collectively to reduce the socio-economic devastation brought about by AIDS. As the theme touches on issues of rights and access for every Swazi to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support, it will make all of us remember that many children are orphans because of this disease. It will also remind us of the unacceptable trend of child-headed families that result from this. Labadzala batsi intsandzane lenhle ngumakhotfwa ngunina. Consequently, mothers are challenged to look after children who have lost parents. While specifying the role of women in this regard, we must hasten to urge all members of communities men, women and youth in different sectors to practise the same towards child-headed families. The current situation in the country throws a challenge on each and everyone to become a provider in addressing this challenge. Remember that the values of our culture teach us that any child is your child. Everyone should be asking what I am doing to stop the spread of this disease; what assistance am I extending to children who are orphans and child-headed families. In terms of our everyday conduct, it begins with simple things like upholding a message that says ‘orphans’ which means examine yourself to ensure that your actions have a ‘love yourself’ outcome. Global perspective of the WAD2009 theme World AIDS Campaign and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) have come together to announce the theme of ‘Universal Access and Human Rights’ seeing the need to address the critical need to protect human rights and attain access for all to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support. The theme in itself also acts as a call to countries to remove laws that discriminate against people living with HIV, women and marginalised groups. The theme challenges countries and also urges them to realise the many commitments they made to protect human rights in the Declaration of Commitment on HIV and AIDS in 2001 and the Political Declaration on HIV and AIDS made in 2006. Achieving universal access to prevention, treatment, care and support is a human rights imperative as observed by Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of UNAIDS. It is essential that the global response to the AIDS epidemic is grounded in human rights and that discrimination and punitive laws against those most affected by HIV are removed. Many countries still have laws and policies that impede access to HIV services and criminalise those most vulnerable to HIV. These include laws that criminalise men who have sex with men, trans-gendered people and lesbians; laws that criminalise sex workers; and laws criminalising people who use drugs and the harm reduction measures and substitution therapy they need. Key documents reveal that 84 countries have reported that they have laws and policies that act as obstacles to effective HIV prevention, treatment, care and support for vulnerable populations. Governments continue to pass and enforce overly-broad laws that criminalise the transmission of HIV which are in direct contradiction to their commitments to “promote…. a social and legal environment that is supportive of safe and voluntary disclosure of HIV status.” Some 59 countries still have laws that restrict the entry, stay and residence of people living with HIV based on their positive HIV status only, discriminating against them in their freedom of movement and right to work. At the same time, laws and regulations protecting people with HIV from discrimination and women from gender inequality and sexual violence are not fully implemented or enforced. For us in Swaziland the theme ‘…the Human Rights’ is about us, about communities, about people like you and me and our governments to make commitments to honour and respect the dignity of the vulnerable and those already living with HIV.
I was offended to see praise in your newspaper from Europe about a particular Swazi film commentary that appeared in Europe. I was alerted to watch this by a relative in Sweden.
If the film was just about nationalism, I would have agreed that they really made a stunning case for Swaziland nationalism.
But it was a strongly political agenda maybe more so because of elections in Netherlands in 2010. I would expect the racist Europeans to praise that commentary especially since the film made strong points for their Dutch politician, Geert Wilders but what shocks me is that if this was made by Europeans who are always racist I would understand, but this was made by Swazis who even spoke SiSwati.
These Swazis in pandering to their European masters and no doubt spurred by Walter Bennett made some despicable implication in the commentary that Asians are invading Swaziland. Even a six month-old Swazi child knows that a Swazi cannot even run a basic fish and chips shop. The implication is that Asians overran business territory previously occupied by industrious, Swazi.
Do your research well. No Swazi’s ever ran businesses on the scale we do. If it wasn’t for Asians, Swaziland would be a ghost town with no businesses running. So it is really disgusting that these people can go on a global platform and make such ridiculous insinuations, as if the Swazi economy would be as self sufficient as Europe without Asian ‘invasions!’
Great for them, Europe really loves them and is listening to their every little word, so why don’t they go and tell the world about how Swazis cannot even bake their own bread? Maybe Geert Wilders and others can donate bakers and other investors who can keep the Swazi economy afloat if Asians get sick and tired of being perpetual scapegoats of ungrateful Swazis.
Amajita’s new coach Maqsood “Macky” Chenia has started his job on a high note after the South African national youth side defeated Swaziland’s Under-20 side 1-0 in Manzini yesterday.
The only goal of the game was scored by Speedy Mabaso.
Speaking to KickOff.com from Swaziland, Chenia said he was happy with the team though they did not have enough time together.
“It was obviously a good start and we are looking forward to getting more good results in the near future as we are starting to gel. The boys are doing well considering that we only gathered on Thursday and many of them are new in the team,” he said.
Chenia added that they are now ready to compete in the Cosafa Metropolitan Under-20 Youth Championships which starts in Johannesburg on Sunday.
“We are now focused on defending the trophy that we won last year. We are just praying hard that teams will release players that we have called up to training. We will be happy for the sake of the country if all the players honour the call.”
Chenia said they will announce the final squad by Friday at the latest because they now have more players than the 20 players needed for the tournament.
“We wanted to have a look at different players and also to see if the overseas players and the PSL players will be available before announcing the final squad sOURCE:kickoff.com/
MBABANE, 30 November 2009 (IRIN) - After two decades of drought the urgent prayers in Swaziland's annual incwala ceremony, a month-long ritual in which ancestral spirits are petitioned for good rains, have been answered with weeks of torrential downpours. Floods now threaten food security.
On 17 November the sacred water party left for the Indian Ocean to collect items required to celebrate the 'Festival of the First Fruits', and now Swaziland's 13 rivers are all overflowing. The last time such rainfall was recorded was 25 years ago in 1984, when a cyclone struck. Too little rain in recent years has left most of the country's roughly one million people dependant on foreign food aid.
Andrew Nsibandze, an agriculture ministry extension officer who travels the country assessing crop performance, said floods were threatening newly planted crops. Small-scale farmers in rural areas were particularly at risk.
"There are farmers unable to enter swamped fields," Nsibandze told IRIN. Pumps to remove water from agricultural land and irrigation equipment had been washed away; roads were out and bridges had collapsed.
Sipho Simelane, Senior Agricultural Officer at the Ministry of Agriculture, told IRIN: "Most definitely the rains are going to have an effect on agricultural production. We are getting reports ... about flooded fields - newly planted fields that have been washed away."
Smallholder farmers struggled to pay for inputs for the first planting, so buying new seeds and fertilizer for replanting would be beyond the means of most, and the cash-strapped government was in no position to help. "The farmers are on their own," Simelane said. The agriculture minister has not indicated that he would seek emergency assistance for affected farmers.
Transportation and Public Works Minister Nthuthuko Dlamini said the November downpours had caused US$6.7 million in damage to roads and highways - 19 bridges had been destroyed - and the network of rural roads farmers used to bring their crops to market had been severely compromised. Dlamini said only $270,000 was available for infrastructure repair, and he would ask parliament for emergency funding.
"This is unprecedented," said Trevor Shongwe, Chief Water Engineer for the Ministry of Natural Resources. "Those who use river water to water crops should ensure that the water pumps are situated far from the river bank because they may be swept away."
He also cautioned residents whose homes were near rivers to monitor rising water levels - hundreds of traditional mud-and-stick homes had already literally dissolved in the past few weeks of continuous heavy rainfall. According to the UN development Programme, 70 percent of Swazis live on less than a dollar a day.
Fears of anticipated water shortages this summer have been allayed. The abundant rainfall will also raise underground water levels and some boreholes that were dry for years might be revived.
While the sudden excess of water may mean good news for food production and security in months to come, it will bring bad news in the short term if waterlogged crops do not recover.
Excess water has been cascading down the spillways of Maguga Dam in northern Hhohho Province, the nation's largest; the Hawane Dam, which provides water for the capital, Mbabane, was also at 100 percent capacity. Dams in the previously drought-prone eastern lowveld region were between 70 percent and 80 percent full.
However, Jabulani Hlatshwako, Deputy Director of Swaziland's Meteorological Services, noted that "Of concern are new storm fronts that can bring more water after a break."
Developing countries around the Commonwealth face a myriad of challenges, not least alleviating poverty and delivering local services to citizens.
A new study from the Commonwealth Secretariat examines the case of Swaziland, a landlocked lower-middle income country in Southern Africa which has made local government decentralisation a major policy objective.
Jacqueline Wilson, Director of Governance and Institutional Development at the Secretariat, says the march away from central governance has taken "centre stage" in Swaziland.
"It is the cornerstone of the government's National Development Strategy," she says. "[Yet] despite these commitments, the real challenge is to effectively transfer managerial and financial powers from centralised ministries to local authorities."
Summary of decentralisation plans
The 'Decentralisation in Swaziland' study, drawn up using materials used at a high-level workshop organised by the Secretariat last year, deals with policy, managerial and implementation issues and provides a summary of decentralisation plans and key legislative milestones in Swaziland's recent history.
International Organisations The book, which touches on capacity-building efforts, financial decentralisation, the role of traditional leaders and awareness among citizens, also highlights related experiences from Commonwealth countries in Asia, the Pacific, and Africa, including Lesotho and Ghana.
"Decentralisation is a very serious reform process requiring the full commitment of everyone to succeed," explains Swaziland's Deputy Prime Minister, Constance Simelane, in one of the study's chapters.
Dr Munawwar Alam, the Secretariat's Adviser on Sub-National Administration and Government, who edited the study, said: "The book serves as a useful reference for not only Swazi government officials but also for countries that are dealing with local government reforms, especially from Sub-Saharan Africa, to assess reform options suitable for them."
London property developer Minerva today received its second takeover bid in just over a year as largest shareholder KiFin offered £85 million.
KiFin is the vehicle of 77-year-old Nathan Kirsh, a secretive Swaziland investor who has built up a 29.9% stake in Minerva over the past year.
He is offering 50p cash for each Minerva share, substantially less than the 160p-a-share takeover that Dubai-based Limitless proposed, valuing Minerva at £258 million. The Minerva board saw off that offer in September last year.
Minerva rejected today's bid as “opportunistic and unwelcome” and said it seriously undervalued the company.
But KiFin said that its 50p offer represented a 30% premium to last night's closing price and a premium of 52% to Minerva's average share price over the last three months. Minerva shares took off again today, rising 12p to 501⁄4p.
KiFin is allowing its cash offer to do the talking. It does not criticise Minerva's management, merely stating the acquisition “would complement the property activities of the Kirsh Group”.
Minerva constructed the Walbrook complex in the City and is building the Lancaster Gate residential block near Hyde Park.
The Kingdom of Swaziland (Umbuso weSwatini), sometimes called Ngwane, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa, bordered to the north, south, and west by South Africa, and to the east by Mozambique. The nation, as well as its people, are named after the 19th century king Mswati II.
The area that Swaziland covers has been continuously inhabited since prehistory. Today, the population is primarily Bantu-speaking ethnic Swazis. The Swazi people descend from the southern Bantu who migrated from Central Africa in the 15th and 16th centuries together with the Xhosas and the Zulus, which belong to the Nguni subgroup. The Swazi ancestors, the Nkosi Dlamini, broke away from the mainstream of Nguni migrants led by Chief Ngwane, and settled in the region of the Pongolo river absorbing the Nguni and Sotho clans in the area.
By 1750 they had settled in the Hluti region in the south of the Kingdom, under King Ngwane III of the Nkosi Dlamini clan. A British protectorate following the end of the Second Boer War, it gained independence in 1968. Swaziland is a member of the Southern African Development Community, the African Union, and the Commonwealth of Nations.
Swaziland's economy is dominated by services industry, agriculture and subsistence farming. Growth has been hampered by the effects of HIV and AIDS, the prevalence of which is the highest in the world at 38.8%. 60% of the country's population live on less than US$ 1.25 per day.
