PRESS RELEASE: SWAZILAND HEALTH FACILITIES NOT FIT FOR A PRINCE

PRESS RELEASE: 29 APRIL 2012 - SWAZILAND HEALTH FACILITIES NOT FIT FOR A PRINCE

The Swaziland Diaspora Platform has learned that Prince Majaha, son to Inkhosikati LaMotsa, has been hospitalised at a hospital in South Africa after injuring himself during a motorbike race. Reliable information gathered is that the Prince was airlifted in an unconscious state from Swaziland to South Africa in a desperate effort to save his life. 

 As a human being and fellow Swazi we wish the Prince a speedy recovery. 

 We hope that the government will realise that there are many other Swazis like Prince Majaha who face life-threatening medical emergencies, but do not have the luxury of a prompt medical response like the young Prince.  These are the Swazis who die everyday in ill-equipped Swazi hospitals owing to government's neglect of our health system.  That Prince Majaha stared death in the face and could only be saved outside of Swazi borders is a sad reminder that the priorities in Swaziland are mixed up. 

 The Swaziland Diaspora Platform hopes that the fate suffered by Prince Majaha will make the government realise that it is better to equip your own hospitals than to look to neighbouring states which are only reachable through long and costly travels. Importantly, that government will see the importance of ensuring a good and well-equipped public health system will save many other lives. 

 As it is, there's a TB crisis in Swaziland, the only government TB hospital situated in Moneni, Manzini, doesn't have sufficient infection control measures, even standard UV lights used to kill the TB bacilli in the wards are not working, increasing the likelihood of the spread of TB outside of the hospital.  

 Already 3 healthcare workers have died from MDR and other personnel such as drivers of patients are being treated for TB infection due to lack of control measures. Healthcare workers have resorted to recusing themselves from working in an unsafe environment as prescribed by Swaziland's Occupational Health and Safety Act. 

 However, government went to the Industrial Court to have the move by healthcare workers declared an illegal strike. The Industrial Court sided with the government and ordered workers back to work. The Industrial Court failed to have the issue that is keeping workers from work investigated especially since it affects not only their health, but their mortality. Healthcare workers have responded by filing an appeal and also getting a stay of execution on the order that they should return to work. The Appeal continues on Thursday 3rd May. 

 Statement issued by SDP 

Spokesperson Ntombenhle Khathwane 

+27 72 327 6497 

 Email: swazidiaspora@gmail.com 

Twitter: @swazidiaspora

PRESS RELEASE: April 25, 2012

KING’S NEW JET: STEEL WINGS FOR A KING WITH A HEART OF STEEL

Like Kings of old Europe, that have been long overthrown by popular revolt, King Mswati III of Swaziland, thrives on the trend where he lives a life of opulence and obscene privilege, whilst us, his subjects have to struggle and compete for the few resources he has allowed to us.

After our hard toiling in difficult conditions, we pay taxes, which he takes and spends on himself and the multiple people and institutions that comprise the Monarch of Swaziland, instead of spending resources to develop the country and its people as is done in the modern State.

King Mswati III has reportedly come into possession of a McDonnell Douglas DC 9 Twin Engine jet valued at over R500 million or $48 million, and the official government story is that it was donated by anonymous "development partners and friends of the King." The names of these donors have not been revealed.

The Swaziland Diaspora Platform (SDP) believes that government purchased the aircraft using tax payer's money.

The community of international development agencies operate in transparency and accountability, understanding that all that they provide to a receiving country or agency has to first of all, advance a developmental agenda of the citizens of that country not personal wealth, and secondly, the donor agencies have to report to those that provide the funds, and those receiving the funds, it is public information.

R500 million could have provided funding for sustainable community projects geared towards food security; public works projects geared at improving educational and health care infrastructure or addressed any of the Millennium Development Goals which Swaziland is failing to meet.

News of the costly jet also comes after R3 million was spent on the King’s birthday party just last week, held in the poorest region of Swaziland, Shiselweni, a further slap in the face to people struggling to meet daily basic needs and a further indication of a Monarch who views the country as his own family farm, in which we the citizens are commoners at his mercy.

It is beyond reproach that government would choose to spend so much money on a frivolous purchase and event that have no benefit to our country currently grappling with dire economic and social crises.

Government is choosing to leave our well-being as Swazi people in the hands of generous aid agencies, which have effectively taken over government mandate by responding to social problems such as food shortages caused by mismanagement of the economy by King Mswati III’s undemocratic government.

The Swaziland Diaspora Platform would like to reiterate its call for a democratic, transparent, responsive government in Swaziland, accountable only to us, the people.


Statement issued by SDP
Media Inquiries:
Ntombenhle Khathwane (spokesperson): +27 72 327 6497
swazidiaspora@gmail.com


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Twitter: @swazidiaspora
Blog: http://swazidiaspora.blogspot.com

PRESS RELEASE: 10 APRIL 2012 - 12th APRIL PROTEST “A CALL FOR A PEOPLE’S GOVERNMENT”

PRESS RELEASE: 10 APRIL 2012

12^th APRIL PROTEST “A CALL FOR A PEOPLE’S GOVERNMENT”

The Swazi Diaspora Platform (SDP) joins the Swaziland United Democratic Front (SUDF) and the Swaziland Democracy Campaign (SDC) and all Swazis in mourning as another April 12 is marked under the theme “A Call For A People’s Government”.  

April 12 is a day of mourning in Swaziland, denouncing the reversal of hard earned independence from British colonial rule.  Swaziland gained independence from Britain on 6^th September 1968 and less than 5 years later on 12^th April 1973, King Sobhuza II and the monarch committed a coup de tat and usurped all legislative and executive powers for themselves.  It is 39 years since the Swazi people lost their independence to their own King.

Immediately after this coup de tat by King Sobhuza II, many pro-democracy activists made it their lifelong mission to regain the independence of the Swazi people and free ourselves from living as serfs and subjects in our own country.  As years have passed more Swazis are recognizing that the current state of the kingdom is a grave injustice and many are playing their part to promote independence and democratization of the Swazi people from the Mswati III and his monarch, who has made history as the last Absolute Monarch in Africa.

The Swazi Diaspora Platform (SDP) will be joining in all protest and picketing activities marking 39 years of servitude to the Dlamini Monarchy on 12^th April 2012 taking place in Swaziland as well as Johannesburg, Gauteng.  All Swazis and those in solidarity with the pro-democracy movement are urged to show support by participating in protest action in Swaziland or pickets in Johannesburg.

The Johannesburg picket will be taking place as follows:

          Venue:      Swaziland Consulate

          Address:  Forum 7 on 33 Hoofdt Street, Braamfontein

          Time:         12pm – 2pm

          Date:          12^th April 2012

KING MSWATI III’s BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS

 

PRESS RELEASE: April 3, 2012

KING MSWATI III’s BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS

The Swaziland Diaspora Platform (SDP) is appalled at news that His Majesty King Mswati III will be celebrating his birthday later this month on April 19^th. 

Swaziland is in the throes of an economic crisis which deepens by the day; there are no increments on civil servant salaries over the next few years, the imposition of 14% Value Added Tax (VAT) on goods and services beginning April 1, 2012 has already sparked a public outcry amongst the working class and small business owners. Our view is that VAT can only deepen poverty for the majority of the population which currently lives below the poverty line. Already, thousands of people have been retrenched from their jobs over the past few months while some companies have shut down, which is a clear indication that we are in dire straits as a nation.

To even consider a birthday celebration in such crippling economic times for the country is inconceivable. It is even more shocking that citizens, already grappling with the tough economic realities are being ‘requested’ to contribute funds, services, and cattle for this celebration. 

Going ahead with the King’s birthday celebration only confirms that Swaziland has a government and leader that does not care for and is not accountable to its people. It also confirms the wasteful spending which characterizes the Swaziland government, as well as the fact that the first priority for government is the King and not the people.

Even if His Majesty uses funds from his personal fortune (reported by Forbes to be at $100million US dollars) for his birthday party, we Swazis in the Diaspora would view this as irresponsible of him as a leader; to be spending millions of Emalangeni on a day’s event while the country needs those millions to improve the lives of hundreds of thousands of people facing the harsh realities of poverty, disease and unemployment.

We therefore call on government to reconsider this celebration and channel all available national funds to national needs and priorities.

Statement issued by SDP      

Media Inquiries:

Ntombenhle Khathwane: +27 72 327 6497 (Spokesperson)

swazidiaspora@gmail.com

Follow us on:

Twitter: @swazidiaspora

http://swazidiaspora.blogspot.com/