(From Swazi Media Commentary 9 May 2009 www.swazimedia.blogspot.com)
Unsurprisingly, King Mswati III of Swaziland has ignored calls from democrats
in South Africa not to attend the inauguration of Jacob Zuma as president of
South Africa today (9 May 2009).
Calls have come from trade unions, civil society and at least one
political party for
the king not to be invited because he is the last absolute monarch in
sub-Saharan Africa and there is no democracy in Swaziland where
political parties are banned, parliament has very few real powers and
the king makes all the important decisions.
The Swazi Observer,
the newspaper in effect owned by the king, reported yesterday that the
king is ‘not worried’ about calls from the Congress of South African
Trade Unions (COSATU) for the boycott of the king and his entourage.
The Observer showed itself to be no more than a propaganda sheet for the king
when it stated in what purported to be a news story, ‘COSATU,
which is not new to meddling in Swaziland’s affairs and rubble-rousing
about border blockades, released a statement to media outlets including
the South African Press Association (SAPA) making unsubstantiated and
disparaging remarks about the Swazi delegation.’
The Observer
quoted Bheki Dlamini, Chief Officer in the King’s Office, saying, that
the country’s activities and movements are not dictated to by COSATU or
its ilk.
It
went on in similar vein when it said ‘Minister of Justice and
Constitutional Affairs Lutfo Dlamini lamented that COSATU and its ilk
were relying on lies, hearsay and deliberate distortion of facts by
elements that are against the peace and progress in Swaziland.’
And so on and so on. King Mswati and the Observer
can huff and puff all they want but opinion internationally is against
the king’s visit to South Africa. The line being taken is that as
dictator in his own kingdom, he has no place at the inauguration of a
man who was democratically elected.
South African newspapers, in particular, have been
reporting opposition to the king’s visit. Among reports that I saw are from the
Star, the Sowetan, the Independent, the Cape Times and the Dispatch.
Opposition has carried beyond South Africa. The international news agency AFP,
The Morning Star, UK, AllAfrica.com and the Tribune of India have also reported
on the opposition.
Meanwhile, news comes through that the regular Friday protests for democracy
in Swaziland that have been taking place at the Swazi embassy in Pretoria,
South Africa, since February are gathering strength. At least 100
people turned up yesterday even though it is reported that King Mswati
tried to put pressure on South African authorities to have it stopped.
A South African court declared the protest legal and it went ahead.
The king seems to have
forgotten where he is. He gets away with turning his state police on
progressives in Swaziland but he can’t get away with it in a democracy.
Link http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2009/05/bad-news-for-swazilands-king.html
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