By Inhlase A month after Ubank was placed under curatorship, there are high-level assurances that the bank is operating normally while concerns are being ironed out. While this has been welcomed, the Southern Africa Resource Watch (SARW) says this is an opportunity to overhaul the bank systems to make it easy for migrant mineworkers and […]Read More

By Inhlase The slice of the national eSwatini budget allocated to King Mswati III and his royal household has been reduced but it is still much higher than government budgets that must provide basic services to citizens of eSwatini. It is also not possible to interrogate how the royals spend the state funds allocated to them […]Read More

By Inhlase The powers invested in King Mswati III as eSwatini’s absolute monarch allows him to fill key state positions, including those on the bench, with members of the royal family or loyalists. While this cements the king’s grip on the country’s economy, it is also a powerful tool to stifle calls for democratic reforms […]Read More

By Inhlase Investigations Never in the history of the eSwatini has a king been directly involved in business. King Mswati III, the absolute monarch of eSwatini, has changed that. His vast business interests first raised eyebrows and set tongues wagging in 2004 when he acquired 10% shares at mobile telecommunications service provider, MTN Swaziland. The […]Read More

By Inhlase Reporter The eSwatini government has promised to give clarity in response to a hard-hitting report highlighting significant human rights abuse in eSwatini, including unlawful and arbitrary killings by government and its agencies, especially during the pro-democracy protests and related unrest last year. The latest human rights report by the United States Bureau of […]Read More

By Inhlase Reporter   Political parties and activists in eSwatini will boycott political talks aimed at democratic reform if the dialogue is held in the traditional Sibaya format. Pro-democracy activists in eSwatini argue that this traditional top-down format will not bring any meaningful change and won’t address the tensions that sparked months of violent political unrest […]Read More

By Inhlase Investigative Team Nothing has yet come of eSwatini’s King Mswati III promise to open talks about democratic reform. Pro-democracy activists, who do not believe he really intends to welcome meaningful democratic change, have vowed to continue with the “revolution”. While this movement in eSwatini is led by youth, it is also attracting support […]Read More

By Inhlase Reporter Aggrieved widows of ex-miners and ex-miners from some SADC countries, who have been sent from pillar to post, while pursuing their pay-out have made one solid demand at a high-level meeting in Johannesburg, South Africa; pay us the money. They also want SADC governments and South African bankers to find urgent and […]Read More

By Inhlase Reporter While SADC governments have been criticised for a lack of leadership in resolving problems that migrant workers have in accessing their social security benefits, South Africa has been urged to ensure that systems are put in place to fast track payments. Desperate beneficiaries have, in some cases, have been waiting for decades […]Read More