Swazi Bridge News

16/07/2025

WE ARE NOT A DUMPING GROUND OR A PENAL COLONY OF USA UNWANTED CRIMINALS.

By Editorial Comment

In what can only be described as an outrageous affront to our sovereignty, safety, and dignity as a nation, the United States of America has made the reckless and indefensible decision to deport convicted criminals, some of whom are hardened offenders, to eSwatini, a country that neither nurtured their crimes nor shares in the responsibility for their rehabilitation or punishment. This decision is not only morally contemptible, it is constitutionally and legally indefensible, and it must be rejected with the outrage it deserves.

Let us be clear, eSwatini is not a penal colony. We are not the United States’ geopolitical trash can. The very idea that a foreign superpower can, without consultation or consent, decide to offload its criminal burden on our soil is an insult not only to our government and judiciary, but to the people of eSwatini, particularly the families already grappling with the daily threat of rising crime, poor policing, and overwhelmed social services.

Our Constitution, however flawed in practice, guarantees the right to safety, dignity, and protection under the law for all emaSwati. Nowhere does it empower a foreign power to relocate foreign-born felons into our midst without due process. Deporting criminals who are American by culture, upbringing, and record, and dumping them into a nation they have never called home, violates every principle of national justice and constitutional sovereignty.

This is an extraterritorial violation of our law. These individuals were convicted under a foreign legal system, served time in foreign jails, and now are being forced onto our soil with no accountability, no consultation, and no bilateral agreement debated in public. This is not deportation, it is a unilateral criminal export, and by all reasonable standards, an act of international disregard bordering on neocolonial imposition.

What makes this even more dangerous is the disturbing silence surrounding the apparent agreement between the US government and our own government. This so-called arrangement, which allows foreign criminals to be deposited into our country, was never debated nor sanctioned by Parliament — the only body constitutionally empowered to make such decisions on behalf of the people. If this agreement exists, it is a secret pact, made without public scrutiny, transparency, or democratic oversight.

This raises urgent and uncomfortable questions: What else has our government agreed to in secret with foreign powers? Are there other covert deals being made that endanger our national security, resources, or sovereignty? How long will the people of eSwatini be kept in the dark while decisions are made behind closed doors that affect their very lives?

This short-sighted move is not just an internal security threat, it is a regional powder keg. Our neighbors, Mozambique, South Africa, and others, will not stand idly by as eSwatini becomes a backdoor for criminal infiltration into their territories. These individuals, stripped of identity, support, and structure, will inevitably cross porous borders in search of survival. Already, there is diplomatic unease in the region over this decision, and rightly so. This policy will strain relations, invite condemnation, and isolate eSwatini diplomatically.

All of these deportees have no connection to eSwatini either on the technicality of birth or parental lineage. They did not grow up here, they do not speak siSwati, and they have no grounding in our customs, communities, or value systems. We are now being asked to absorb individuals whose criminal behavior was forged in a completely different environment, shaped by violence, gangs, and gun culture alien to our traditional norms.

The USA, a country that prides itself on the rule of law and national security, would never accept such a decision in reverse. If Swatini were to send convicted criminals to live freely in Chicago or Los Angeles, without oversight or agreement, it would spark diplomatic outrage. Yet Washington assumes it can do so with impunity because we are small, African, and poor. This is blatant double standards and should be rejected without hesitation.

We demand that the government of eSwatini take an unequivocal stance against this policy. Silence is complicity. Parliament must convene an emergency debate and pass a resolution condemning this policy. Civil society and the public must raise their voices before it is too late.

We are not a nation of second chances for other countries’ criminals. We are a proud people with a fragile justice system, a stretched social fabric, and a right to determine who lives within our borders. To the United States: Keep your criminals. Rehabilitate them if you must. But do not insult us with this arrogant and dangerous policy.

To the eSwatini government: Tell us the truth. Who signed this deal, and under what authority? eSwatini is not your personal kingdom, nor America’s dumping ground. The people deserve answers and action now.

16/07/2025

SADC TENSIONS RISE OVER USA DEPORTATION OF CRIMINALS TO ESWATINI

By Staff reporter, 16 July 2025

Johannesburg — A Johannesburg-based foundation has raised alarm over reports that the United States has deported foreign nationals convicted of serious crimes to the Kingdom of Eswatini without regional consultation, sparking fears of regional insecurity and diplomatic tension within the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

In a letter addressed to South Africa’s Minister of Home Affairs, Dr. Leon Amos Schreiber, the Aubrey Tau Foundation expressed “urgent concern” over what it termed the “third country” deportation of criminals from the United States to Eswatini, a move that may have bypassed both SADC protocols and regional security coordination.

According to statements from U.S. Homeland Security, the deportees, individuals convicted of serious offences such as murder and child r**e, were originally from countries including Vietnam, Jamaica, Laos, Cuba, and Yemen. However, their home countries allegedly refused to accept them, prompting the U.S. to send them to Eswatini instead.

The Foundation warns that the implications of such deportations extend far beyond Eswatini’s borders. “We are deeply concerned about the effects this will have on a country like South Africa, which is already battling a problem of illegal immigration and how these criminals could pose a threat to South Africa, should they escape in Eswatini,” the letter reads.

The deportations raise two central concerns, according to the Foundation:

1. Regional Security Risk – The transfer of high-risk individuals to a neighbouring country without prior consultation with other SADC members could endanger regional stability, especially in countries already overwhelmed by high crime levels and limited law enforcement resources.

2. Unilateral Action Without SADC Input – The Foundation questions whether Eswatini or any other SADC member states were consulted by the U.S. government prior to the deportations. It warns that such unilateral actions by powerful external nations undermine African sovereignty and regional decision-making.

The Foundation is calling on South Africa’s Home Affairs Ministry to take immediate steps, including:

■ Engaging the Eswatini government to clarify the deportation agreement;

■ Raising the matter with SADC and potentially convening an emergency session;

■ Demanding a formal explanation from the U.S. Embassy in South Africa regarding the use of Southern African countries for so-called “third-country” deportations.

The letter reflects growing concerns in regional civil society about how powerful nations navigate immigration and deportation policies, often with little regard for the security or consent of smaller, vulnerable states.

The Eswatini government has yet to publicly confirm or deny the allegations. Meanwhile, observers warn that the matter could spark a diplomatic standoff within SADC if not addressed transparently and urgently.

16/07/2025

As first reported by Swazi Bridge:

"The US said on Tuesday a deportation flight carrying immigrants from different countries had landed in Eswatini

"A safe third country deportation flight to Eswatini in Southern Africa has landed. The flight took individuals so uniquely barbaric that their home countries refused to take them back," department of homeland security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said on Tuesday...."

🔗 For more details, click the link in the comments.

https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/world/2025-07-16-us-says-it-has-sent-third-country-deportees-to-eswatini/

TRUMP PLANS TO DEPORT USA ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS TO ESWATINI
....U.S. eyes eSwatini as part of global network for expelled Immigrants

By Staff reporter

A USA based newspaper, the Intercept, has revealed secret deportation deals involving 19 countries, including eSwatini.

The U.S. government under President Donald Trump laid the groundwork for a sweeping and controversial plan to establish a global network of detention and deportation sites—potentially turning countries like eSwatini into holding grounds for migrants expelled from American soil.

The revelations, first reported by The Intercept, expose how the U.S. pursued covert agreements with at least 19 countries—many with poor human rights records—as part of a strategy to externalize its immigration enforcement and avoid granting asylum within its own borders. Among the countries named in the report is the Kingdom of eSwatini.

According to The Intercept, the Trump administration explored or secured arrangements with nations including eSwatini, Angola, El Salvador, Moldova, Ukraine, Saudi Arabia, and Equatorial Guinea. These locations would serve as detention or resettlement points for migrants regardless of their origin—a plan critics have slammed as dangerous and unlawful.

“These are the plans of an authoritarian regime. They want to spend likely billions of taxpayer dollars to send asylum-seekers into war zones or to countries rife with human rights abuses,” said U.S. Senator Chris Murphy, a Democrat from Connecticut, speaking to The Intercept.

One of the most notorious facilities already in use is the Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT) in Tecoluca, El Salvador, a prison infamous for its inhumane conditions. The inclusion of eSwatini raises serious concerns given the country’s own human rights track record and lack of infrastructure to support such a scheme.

The Swazi government has not officially confirmed its involvement. Repeated attempts to reach the eSwatini government spokesperson for comment were unsuccessful.

Critics argue that the program represents a profound shift in how the U.S. handles migration—offloading responsibility onto nations that may lack the capacity or willingness to uphold international human rights norms.

If implemented further, this global deportation network would mark a troubling escalation in the use of third countries to contain migrants—many of whom are fleeing violence or persecution—effectively stranding them in legal limbo far from the U.S. and their home countries.

14/07/2025

"....On paper, Eswatini has no shortage of financial watchdogs. The Public Accounts Committee (PAC), operating under a 1967 Parliamentary Order, scrutinises government spending. The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) investigates financial crimes. The Auditor General audits public accounts. Yet despite this elaborate oversight architecture, billions in public funds remain unaccounted for, with far-reaching financial mismanagement characterised by a systemic culture of rogue financial behaviour—misstatements, unauthorised expenditures, and bank balance misalignments that persist year after year.

These bodies remain hampered by inaction and weak legal frameworks, despite consistent warnings of the dire consequences for the nation’s fiscal health and international standing.

The PAC, despite its constitutional mandate to scrutinise public accounts, lacks the legal teeth to force government accounting officials to comply with its recommendations. In its 2024 report to Parliament, PAC Chairman MP Madala Mhlanga highlighted the committee’s limitations.

“Honourable Speaker, despite the Constitution of the country (Act No.1 of 2005) giving Parliament in general the mandate of oversight on the Executive and the PAC in particular powers to conduct oversight on the utilisation of state funds, the Honourable Committee is still hindered in its work due to lack of specific legislation that will outline the powers of the PAC so that it can effectively carry out its mandate,” he stated.

Mhlanga revealed that the last effective legislation governing PAC operations was the Public Accounts Committee Order of 1974, which became ineffective with the coming into force of the Constitution. He stressed that the main challenge lies in enforcing PAC recommendations, which become House resolutions upon adoption. Currently, a controlling officer failing to implement them can be charged with contempt of Parliament under Section 11 of the Parliamentary Privileges Act of 1967.

However, while the charges can act as deterrence, the penalty for not complying with parliamentary resolutions remains laughably inadequate: a maximum fine of E400 or a two-year jail term that has never been successfully enforced...."

Click link to read the full article!!

By Zwelethu Dlamini On June 27, 2025, Inhlase revealed how the Eswatini government is grappling with a decade-long accounting scandal involving E6.5 billion (E6,543,027,330.40) in unresolved discrepancies and misstatements. The investigation revealed a pervasive culture of financial mismanagement, w...

06/07/2025

Uganda's 80-year-old president in bid to extend 40-year rule

By BBC

Uganda's long-serving president, Yoweri Museveni, 80, has been declared the governing party's candidate in next year's presidential election, opening the way for him to seek to extend his nearly 40 years in power.

In his acceptance speech, Museveni said that he had responded to the call and, if elected, would press ahead with his mission to turn Uganda into a "high middle income country".

Museveni's critics say he has ruled with an iron hand since he seized power as a rebel leader in 1986.

He has won every election held since then, and the constitution has been amended twice to remove age and term limits to allow him remain in office.

Pop star-turned-politician Bobi Wine is expected to be Museveni's main challenger in the election scheduled for next January.

Wine told the BBC in April that he would run against Museveni if he was nominated by his party, the National Unity Platform, but it was getting "tougher" to be in opposition because of growing state repression.

"Being in the opposition in Uganda means being labelled a terrorist," he said.

Wine, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, lost the last election in 2021 to Museveni by 35% to 59% in a poll marred by allegations of rigging and a crackdown on the opposition.

Another prominent opposition politician, Kizza Besigye, has been in detention since November after being accused of treason. He denies the allegation, saying his arrest is political.

In his acceptance speech at the National Resistance Movement (NRM) conference on Saturday, Museveni said that he had brought about stability and progress in Uganda.

He said it was crucial that Uganda did not "miss the bus of history as happened in the past when Europe transformed and Africa stagnated and was enslaved".

Museveni added that he wanted Uganda to take a "qualitative leap", and become a "high upper middle income country".

"Other countries in Asia with less natural resources, did it. We can do it," he added.

03/07/2025

BREAKING NEWS: Former South African Deputy President David Mabuza has died, the SABC NEWS has reported.

The Secretary General of the African National Congress (ANC), Fikile Mbalula has already extended condolences on behalf of the party, saying:

"It is with deep sorrow and a heavy heart that we learn of the passing of former Deputy President of the Republic and stalwart of our movement, Comrade David Dabede Mabuza.

Comrade Mabuza dedicated his life to the service of the people of South Africa. From his days in the struggle against apartheid to his leadership as Premier of Mpumalanga and later as Deputy President, he was a committed cadre who carried the values of unity, discipline, and transformation.

On behalf of the African National Congress, we extend our heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, comrades, and the people of South Africa. We have lost a patriot, a freedom fighter, and a leader who served with humility and conviction.

May his soul rest in peace, and may we honour his legacy by continuing the work of building a united, non-racial, non-sexist, democratic, and prosperous South Africa."

27/06/2025

"For nearly a decade, the public accounts of Eswatini have been shrouded in a fog of financial irregularities, material misstatements, undisclosed liabilities, a pervasive lack of accountability and unauthorised expenditures, as revealed by a relentless stream of “qualified” audit reports from the Auditor General and the parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) reports.

Billions of Emalangeni remain unaccounted for, with total misstatements reaching E8.44 billion in 2016 and E2.56 billion in 2024. This includes E155 million in fictitious assets and E645 million in undisclosed liabilities in 2024 alone.

A qualified opinion means that the Auditor General, while concluding that the government’s financial statements were fairly presented, there were areas that prevented the auditors from giving an ‘unqualified’/clean opinion. In simple terms, the consistent qualified auditors’ opinion means that the country’s financial records are unreliable.

Coordinating Assembly for NGOs (CANGO) Director Thembinkosi Dlamini said this crisis is evident in the government’s over-reliance on supplementary budgets. “What is approved in February may be totally unrelated to the reported budget outcomes in the next budget. In short, the usual Auditor General’s report then PAC appearance by accounting officers is no longer enough; rather than a conversation about this crisis should be held with all stakeholders in the room,” he said.

Faking the Books – Hidden Debts and Ghost Ministries

In 2024, government ministries and departments incurred unappropriated expenditures amounting to E155.9 million, including foreign payments and unbudgeted accruals. According to Auditor General Timothy Matsebula, this unlawful spending “translated to fictitious assets” on the government’s books as of 31st March 2024. He further warned that “unauthorised expenditures and unappropriated budgets are not only unlawful but also provide room for misappropriation of public funds and result in serious repercussions in the entire fiscal budget.”

A significant portion of the fictitious assets (E70,465,085.94) resulted from “Unappropriated Expenditure on Accounts Payable – Foreign Payments”, with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation contributing 50 per cent of this amount.

This practice is not an accounting error but a calculated act of financial deception. Funds were spent without the legal authorisation from Parliament, and then, instead of being accurately recorded as unauthorised expenditures, they were disguised as “assets” to artificially balance the books. This mechanism effectively conceals illicit spending, allowing ministries to bypass critical parliamentary oversight and potentially divert public funds without transparent accountability...."

Click to read more

By Zwelethu Dlamini  Part One: Eswatini’s multibillion Emalangeni accounting scandal For nearly a decade, the public accounts of Eswatini have been shrouded in a fog of financial irregularities, material misstatements, undisclosed liabilities, a pervasive lack of accountability and unauthorised e...

21/06/2025

MP MTHANDENI: TO POLOGISE OR NOT TO APOLOGISE?
...In a previous podcast interview with Sicelo Mngomezulu, who doubles as their lawyer and current Multi Stakeholder Forum Chairperson, this is what he said following suggestions that the MPs must seek forgiveness from the King..

21/06/2025

On Mthandeni and Bacede get out of jail card.

Here is a throwback podcast interview by Marwick Khumalo, the veteran Lobamba Lomdzala Member of parliament.

Click here to watch the full podcast: https://youtu.be/VFCuTtg1Dak?si=OZv1KV7aNG1iCnTf

14/06/2025

"Financially distressed Eswatini Posts and Telecommunications Corporation (EPTC) has quietly written off E13.5 million, 30 per cent of a E45 million debt owed by Eswatini Mobile, a private telecommunications company owned by the billion-emalangeni Inyatsi Group Holdings.

The controversial debt discount was approved despite a standing board resolution explicitly capping any settlement discount at 20 per cent, raising serious governance concerns and prompting demands for accountability.

In a “Deed of Settlement and Agreement to Pay” signed in January 2025 and seen by Inhlase, EPTC Managing Director Themba Khumalo and Eswatini Mobile Chairman Michelo Shakantu formalised a repayment agreement of E31.5 million, written down from an initial E45 million.

Eswatini Mobile was to pay the balance in eight equal monthly instalments, beginning January 2025 and ending August 2025. The terms appear routine until internal documents obtained by Inhlase are compared.

A board resolution dated 9 August 2024, signed by EPTC Chairperson Mtiti Fakudze, authorised a discount “between 15 and 20 per cent” on Eswatini Mobile’s debt. The 30 per cent discount signed off by Khumalo in January exceeds this mandate by 10 per cent.

Why did Khumalo authorise the excessive write-off? Was the board consulted or bypassed? Who benefits from the deviation? Inhlase posed these questions to the Board Chairperson, who said: “These matters were internal and discussed at the boardroom, and I can’t discuss them with the media as they are private to the company.”

The agreement further states that if Eswatini Mobile defaults in payment, the Corporation shall give fourteen (14) days to remedy the default. Section 6 of the clause further states that the Deed does not absolve Eswatini Mobile from obligations and does not prevent the Corporation from proceeding against Eswatini Mobile to recover any balance due. It further states that the Corporation reserves the right to call up the outstanding debt at any time and demand full settlement.

However, a deeper dive into EPTC’s internal documents unearths a crucial discrepancy that suggests a troubling disregard for established corporate governance and possibly, a deliberate subversion of board directives. A board resolution, bearing the signature of EPTC Board Chairperson dated August 9, 2024, explicitly authorised a settlement discount of “between 15 per cent and not more than 20 per cent” on Eswatini Mobile’s outstanding balance, which stood at E47 077 931.09 at that time. The 30 per cent discount subsequently granted by EPTC’s managing director in the final agreement with Eswatini Mobile far exceeds this board-approved range, leaving a chilling trail of unanswered questions about who authorised this deviation and why....."

Click to read more

By Inhlase Reporter                                                                                      Financially distressed Eswatini Posts and Telecommunications Corporation (EPTC) has quietly written off E13.5 m...

11/06/2025

OncAura Starts Free Cancer Screening for Pensioners

By Staff Reporter, 11 June 2025

OncAura Wellness Centre, previously called Swaziland Radiology Services, has started a month-long campaign offering free breast, cervical, and prostate cancer checks targeted at up to 300 pensioners across Eswatini. The campaign, which began on June 2 and is worth about E600,000, aims to tackle the high number of late cancer diagnoses in the country.

Dr Mbongeni Dlamini, the centre’s Managing Director, stressed how important the project is. “Cancer is a major problem in Eswatini because it is often found too late. Eswatini has the highest rate of cervical cancer in the world, with 84.5 cases per 100,000 women,” he said.

The campaign focuses on helping pensioners get early cancer checks. “We want to make it easy for those who need it most. This is not just about medical tests, it is about encouraging families to care for their elderly relatives’ health,” Dr Dlamini added.

The free checks are open to members of the Eswatini Civil Service Pensioners Association and other older people. They take place at OncAura Wellness Centre at Philani Clinic in Manzini, weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

“Some people avoid tests because they think they are painful or complicated. We have made it easy and friendly, with trusted staff to help pensioners feel relaxed,” said Dr Dlamini.

Eswatini struggles with limited access to healthcare and high costs, which stop many from getting early cancer checks. Older people are often overlooked, so according to Dr Dlamini OncAura’s campaign aims to help them directly.

“Our elderly are so important to our society. We urge families to encourage their parents and grandparents to get checked,” Dr Dlamini said.

The campaign also aims to make cancer checks less scary and promote early detection. By focusing on breast, cervical, and prostate cancer, OncAura is targeting cancers that are easier to treat if found early.

Dr Dlamini said the OncAura team is ready to welcome pensioners throughout June and provide care in a friendly environment. He said the centre is now fully equipped to test for many cancers, including breast, cervical, prostate, colorectal, and lung cancer, and is open to paying customers too.

"To book a check-up, pensioners and others can call 78029604 or 78022842," he said.

10/06/2025

JOURNALISM AND AI: GIVE US YOUR OPINION ON THE ETHICS OF IT ALL

As AI tools become more deeply integrated into newsrooms, from assisting with research to drafting headlines and even generating full articles, we are increasingly confronted with complex ethical questions. Where should we draw the line between acceptable use and misrepresentation? Should journalists and editors disclose when content is partially or fully generated by AI? What are the ethical implications of presenting AI-assisted work as solely human-authored especially in a profession that prides itself on transparency and accountability?

In a time when trust in the media is fragile, how can newsrooms strike a balance between embracing technological innovation and upholding journalistic integrity? Should there be clear policies or industry standards around attribution and disclosure when AI is used in the production of stories? And how might failure to acknowledge AI-generated contributions impact credibility, audience trust, and the value we place on human creativity in journalism?