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from: MOGOMOTSI MAGOME, Associated Press
Posted on Oct 21, 2021 / 10:02 AM CDT
Updated: 10/21/2021 / 11:33 AM CDT
A protester holds a mock weapon in hand during the protest in Matsapha, Eswateni, on Wednesday, October 13, 2021. South African nations have sent envoys to the tiny kingdom of Eswatini, formerly known as Swaziland, to meet with King Mswati III. Talking about the political and civil unrest that has engulfed the country in recent weeks. (AP photo)
JOHANNESBURG (AP) – Nations of South Africa have sent envoys to the tiny Kingdom of Eswatini, formerly known as Swaziland, to meet with King Mswati III. Communicate on the political and civil unrest that has gripped the country in recent weeks.
The 16-nation Southern African Development Community sent high-ranking officials from Eswatini’s neighboring country South Africa and the nearby countries of Botswana and Namibia.
Eswatini became embroiled in pro-democratic protests by demonstrators calling for sweeping reforms, including the ousting of King Mswati, who has ruled the hill country as an absolute monarch since 1986, banning all political parties.
Mswati has been accused by activists of instructing the country’s security forces to suppress the demonstrations by force. The pro-democracy activists accuse King Mswati of leading a lavish lifestyle with more than a dozen wives, while the majority of the country’s 1.1 million people live in poverty. Eswatini is one of the least developed countries in the world.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, chairman of the regional bloc’s defense, politics and security committee, announced on Thursday that a delegation made up of representatives of the bloc’s nations would travel to Eswatini.
The delegation will be led by South Africa’s former Justice Minister Jeff Radebe. The regional body sent a delegation earlier this year and was criticized for failing to meet with representatives of the pro-democracy movement.
Mduduzi Simelane, a breakaway member of Eswatini’s parliament arrested for involvement in pro-democracy activities, said the situation in the country was deteriorating.
“We hope that while Ramaphosa sends these envoys to Swaziland, Ramaphosa will address the problems of the people of Swaziland and not just listen to Mswati,” said Simelane, using the country’s former name, which was abruptly changed by the king in 2018.
“We’re not sure if this action was triggered by the violence Mswati unleashed on people yesterday (Wednesday) or what the motivation is,” said Simelane, who said he spoke to The Associated Press when he spoke feared for his life.
The king’s government tried to quell the demonstrations by restricting internet access as videos of the riots spread on social media.
MTN Eswatini, the country’s largest cellular operator, confirmed in a statement Thursday that it had been ordered to shut down some services.
“The company has implemented the policy and access to Facebook and Facebook Messenger has been suspended,” Eswatini told MTN.
“We will continue to exchange ideas with the relevant stakeholders in order to minimize the impact and duration of the service interruption,” said a statement from the group.
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