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Swaziland Democratic News, Johannesburg, South Africa, 4TH Avenue MAHLANGU HOUSE OFFICE 4, Johannesburg Central (2025)

17/11/2025

SOUTH AFRICA INVESTIGATES SUSPICIOUS ARRIVAL OF 153 PALESTINIANS, MINISTER LAMOLA WARNS OF POSSIBLE HIDDEN AGENDA

By Anele Dlamini

, 17 November 2025

PRETORIA: International Relations and Co-operation Minister Ronald Lamola has raised alarm over the unexplained arrival of 153 Palestinians in South Africa, warning that the circumstances suggest a possible orchestrated effort to remove Palestinians from their homeland.

The group which included women, children and entire families landed at OR Tambo International Airport last Thursday on a chartered flight and were granted 90-day humanitarian visas. Their sudden arrival, without prior notice to South African authorities, immediately triggered concern within government.

Addressing the media on Monday, Lamola said the incident "raises suspicion" and may be linked to a broader agenda targeting Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank. "We are suspicious, as the South African government, about the circumstances surrounding the arrival of the aeroplane and the passengers," he said.

"This matter is the subject of an investigation that must be thoroughly concluded." Lamola suggested the event appears coordinated, noting that similar flights have landed in other countries. "It does look like it represents a broader agenda to remove Palestinians from Palestine … It is clearly orchestrated."

He added that the government does not want further unapproved flights entering the country, warning that such movements risk contributing to what he described as an attempt to "cleanse out" Palestinians from their territories.

The Palestinian embassy in Pretoria distanced itself from the operation, stating that the trip was arranged by "an unregistered organisation" that exploited desperate families, collected money from them and facilitated travel in an irregular and irresponsible manner.

The government and Parliament have called for a comprehensive investigation to determine who coordinated the flight, who financed it and whether the operation forms part of a broader international pattern targeting displaced Palestinians.

17/11/2025

BROWN MOGOTSI SET TO TESTIFY AT MADLANGA COMMISSION OVER R500K ANC GALA FUNDING AMONG MANY OTHER ALLEGATIONS

By Anele Dlamini

, 17 November 2025

PRETORIA: Brown Mogotsi, accused of acting as a go-between for suspended police minister Senzo Mchunu and alleged criminal figure Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala, is scheduled to testify before the Madlanga Commission on Tuesday.

Commission spokesperson Jeremy Michaels, in a statement confirmed Mogotsi’s upcoming appearance, marking a critical moment in an inquiry that has increasingly drawn political and public attention.

According to evidence already presented, Mogotsi is alleged to have secured R500,000 from Matlala to cover flights and accommodation for ANC members attending a fundraising gala ahead of the party’s January 8 celebrations in Cape Town earlier this year.

In exchange for facilitating the transaction, Mogotsi allegedly provided Matlala with classified police information, a claim central to the commission’s investigation into political interference and the misuse of state security resources.

A recording previously played before the commission features a voice purported to be Matlala suggesting the payment was made in support of Mchunu’s presidential aspirations, further intensifying scrutiny around the suspended minister.

Mogotsi’s testimony is expected to clarify his role in the arrangement, the nature of his relationship with both Mchunu and Matlala and the validity of the allegations regarding the exchange of confidential police intelligence.

17/11/2025

ST ELOI LUPOPO HEAD TO SOUTH AFRICA TO FACE SUNDOWNS

17 November 2025

Congolese giants ST Eloi Lupopo will begin their journey to South Africa tomorrow as they prepare for their CAF Champions League Group Stage opener against Mamelodi Sundowns.

17/11/2025

SNAT DEMANDS CBE AND FOUR-YEAR PILOT PROGRAMME REPORTS

, 17 November 2025

The President of the Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT) has questioned government’s logic in introducing the Competency-Based Education (CBE) system together with the four-year programme in secondary schools without first presenting the reports that informed these decisions.

The CBE syllabus, which was introduced seven years ago in primary schools, is set to be rolled out in secondary schools in 2026 despite concerns over inadequate consultation and a lack of proper equipment in schools.

Government is pushing ahead with the implementation alongside the four-year programme, which concludes its pilot phase this year.

17/11/2025

ANC VETERANS CONDEMN "DIVISIVE" PLOT TO REMOVE RAMAPHOSA AS THE PRESIDENCY DISMISSES EXIT RUMOURS

By Anele Dlamini

, 17 November 2025

Reports of an alleged plan to remove President Cyril Ramaphosa and dissolve the ANC’s National Executive Committee (NEC) have received strong pushback from senior party veterans, who warn that the move would destabilise both the organisation and the country.

According to Sunday World, a letter circulating among high-ranking ANC members in the Eastern Cape outlines a proposal to replace the current leadership with a national task team headed by former president Thabo Mbeki. The report suggests that the initiative is gaining traction within certain party structures dissatisfied with Ramaphosa’s leadership.

ANC Veterans League president Snuki Zikalala condemned the alleged plot as a covert and divisive effort to undermine the sitting president. He told Sunday World that the Veterans League "rejects any attempts to destabilise the government" and maintains that Ramaphosa must be allowed to complete his term. "We, as the league, are behind the president and as far as we are concerned, he must finish his term," Zikalala said.

The claims come amid speculation that Ramaphosa is preparing to step down after South Africa concludes its hosting duties for the G20 Summit. Zikalala refuted this, saying the president has expressed no intention of resigning and that such rumours stem from unnamed sources seeking to sow uncertainty.

Presidential advisor and special envoy Bejani Chauke also dismissed suggestions of an imminent resignation, labelling the speculation "untrue" and harmful to the momentum behind Africa’s first G20 Summit. "This rumour is untrue and aims to cast aspersions on the successful build-up of the first-ever G20 Summit in Africa," Chauke said.

He emphasised Ramaphosa’s international credibility and his mandate to govern, noting the president’s focus on clean governance, anti-corruption reforms and strengthening judicial independence. Chauke added that Ramaphosa has consistently worked to build national unity and uphold constitutional principles. "The South African constitutional framework permits a president to serve a maximum of two terms," he said. "President Ramaphosa completed his first term and was re-elected by parliament, a democratic institution representing the people’s will, to serve a second term."

With internal dissent and competing factions fighting for influence, the ANC’s internal dynamics remain interestung but for now, both veterans and presidential advisors insist Ramaphosa is not going anywhere.

17/11/2025

MEDIA FREEDOM UNDER ATTACK AS ESWATINI TV JOURNALIST HARASSED AT ANGLICAN CHURCH, FORCED TO DELETE PICTURES

, 17 November 2025

Eswatini TV journalist Giyani Msibi has been attacked by Anglican Church members and forced to delete pictures. The Eswatini National Association of Journalists (SNAJ) is yet to release a formal statement and further engage the church in this matter.

17/11/2025

OPIONION : TRADITIONAL ATTIRE IN SCHOOLS WILL FORCE EMASWATI INTO POACHING

By Nokwanda Mamba
, 17 November 2025

The compulsory introduction of traditional attire in Eswatini schools risks pushing already-struggling families into the jaws of poverty, danger, and even death. And this time, the casualties may not only be wildlife, but the very children the education system claims to serve.

Eswatini’s school system currently accommodates about 347,000 learners, nearly half of whom are boys. Under this new policy, these boys will require animal-skin loin attire, and as we all know, animal skins don’t grow on clothing racks. The cheapest loin skin goes for around E1000, and with demand expected to spike drastically, that price can only rise.

But here is the harsh reality:
Most of these learners are OVCs, children who already struggle to secure a daily meal, let alone afford traditional regalia. For them, buying a loin skin isn’t simply difficult; it’s impossible. And when poverty corners people, they start looking for “solutions” that place them in direct conflict with the law,and nature.

If this policy is implemented, we will be pushing desperate parents and children toward illegal poaching, sneaking into game reserves in search of skins they cannot afford to buy. And we already know how these encounters end. Rangers are under strict “shoot to kill” instructions. Families will lose parents and children will die, all for school attire.

And the ripple effects don’t end there.Loin skins are not sourced from cows or goats , they come from protected wildlife. Even if the country were to ignore the legality, ethics, and mortality risks involved, there simply isn’t enough wildlife to skin for 150,000+ learners. To meet that demand would require wiping out large swaths of our already strained animal population, destabilising ecosystems, and crippling a Tourism Industry that is already fragile.

So SNAT President Mbongwa Dlamini is absolutely right to insist on a consultation report before any implementation. These are not small questions, these are existential concerns.

But sadly, Eswatini has a troubling history of declarations masquerading as policy.In December 2016, the late Prime Minister Barnabas Dlamini issued the infamous Kholwane Declaration, abruptly making Religious Education a core subject and sidelining other religions, all in the name of “restoring morality.” The announcement happened not in Parliament, not in a consultation forum, but at a party hosted by then-TSC Chairman Simanga Mamba. Within four weeks, a staggering E20 million had to be scrambled together to implement the decree. Teachers who questioned the move in rushed workshops were intimidated and told to comply “at all costs.”

Fast-forward nine years, and here we are again.This time, Minister Owen is making what many are calling the Somnjalose Declaration ,also at a party, also hosted by yet another Mamba, Headteacher Macandza Mamba, a relative of the former TSC Chairman. The pattern is too loud to ignore.

The uncomfortable truth?
It increasingly feels like national policy in Eswatini is being shaped at private parties, not through democratic processes. And the same surname keeps surfacing in the background. Whether coincidence or not, it leaves citizens wondering who truly controls policy direction in this country.

If Eswatini is to be governed through declarations made at social gatherings, without research, without consultation, without feasibility studies, then we are not moving forward, we are sliding backwards, fast. And the people paying the highest price will be the poorest families, the most vulnerable children, and the wildlife we claim to protect.

17/11/2025

MINISTER GAYTON MCKENZIE DEFENDS PRESIDENT RAMAPHOSA AMID SPECULATION OF HIS RESIGNATION

By Anele Dlamini

, 17 November 2025

Patriotic Alliance (PA) leader Gayton McKenzie has cautioned the African National Congress (ANC) against removing President Cyril Ramaphosa, arguing that any attempt to push him out now would derail the country’s recent economic progress.

Speaking during a Facebook Live address over the weekend, McKenzie described rising tensions within the ANC and said certain factions appeared determined to force Ramaphosa out. He warned that doing so would be “a massive mistake” at a time when the Government of National Unity (GNU) is beginning to show signs of economic recovery.

According to McKenzie, South Africa is “being led into prosperity,” citing a firmer rand, slowing inflation and the creation of nearly 300,000 jobs in the third quarter of 2025. “The GNU is really taking the country up now,” he said, urging South Africans to consider the data and the assessments of economic experts.

His statements come amid speculation that Ramaphosa might resign after hosting the G20 Heads of State Summit in Johannesburg from 22–23 November. ANC officials have firmly rejected the rumours, with acting spokesperson Nonceba Mhlauli stressing that Ramaphosa’s term remains intact until December 2027. “There is no departure lounge for President Ramaphosa,” she said.

For now, ANC leaders and coalition partners seemingly remain united publicly; Ramaphosa is not stepping aside, and the GNU insists it will continue driving economic recovery and political stability.

17/11/2025

MBABANE SWALLOWS OWNERSHIP ROW PUT TO REST

, 17 November 2025

Mbabane Swallows FC has emerged victorious in its legal battle against Swallows (Pty) Ltd after the High Court dismissed the latter’s application. The Pty Ltd faction failed to prove ownership of the club, leading to the application being thrown out.

17/11/2025

OPINION: KING MSWATI’S CIRCLE OF COMFORT - JOSEPH KABILA ACCUSSED OF TREASON AND WAR CRIMES HOSTED BY KING MSWATI AT YEAR END THANKSGIVING PRAYER

By Anele Dlamini

, 17 November 2025

MBABANE: Former Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) President Joseph Kabila, who was sentenced to death in absentia by a DRC military court for treason, murder and supporting the M23 rebel movement was among the high-profile guests at King Mswati’s End of Year Thanksgiving Prayer held at Mandvulo Hall this past weekend. His presence, seated alongside former Botswana president Ian Khama, once again cast an unflattering spotlight on the kind of political company King Mswati chooses to keep.

Kabila’s conviction is a serious indictment; he stands accused of backing one of the deadliest rebel insurgencies in Central Africa. That he finds a warm welcome in Eswatini raises unavoidable questions about the Kingdom’s moral and diplomatic posture. Khama, too, took refuge in Eswatini at the height of his political standoff with Botswana’s government, forging yet another bond in a network of leaders facing turbulence at home. The late Edgar Lungu of Zambia, another of Mswati’s allies also considered Eswatini a safe political haven. These patterns point to a broader trend; Mswati’s consistent alignment with leaders viewed internationally as controversial, authoritarian, or linked to conflict.

Individually, these associations may be framed as friendships among former heads of state. Collectively, however, they paint a picture of a monarch who gravitates toward legally disgraced leaders. For a ruler already criticised for authoritarian excesses and human-rights abuses by his own people, Mswati’s embrace of figures like Kabila only deepens concerns about the Kingdom’s political direction and ethical compass.

In sum, while Mswati’s tradition of hosting dignitaries regardless of their baggage might reflect his diplomatic style, it also exposes a strong contradiction; praying for moral renewal while embracing a figure recently condemned for treason and war crimes. For Eswatini, the company it keeps could come at too high a price.

17/11/2025

OCTOBER CONSUMER PRICE INDEX (CPI) SHOWS SLIGHT INFLATION RISE DRIVEN BY HOUSING, ALCOHOL AND TO***CO

, 17 November 2025

Eswatini’s Central Statistical Office (CSO) has reported a marginal increase in headline inflation, with the October 2025 Consumer Price Index (CPI) rising to 2.9%, up from 2.8% in September. Despite the month-on-month slight increase of 0.4%, overall inflation remains below the 3.3% recorded a year earlier.

Goods inflation stood at 3.3%, while services was recorded at 2.3%, reflecting steadier price movements in non-goods sectors. Housing and utilities remained the largest driver of headline inflation, contributing 1.2 percentage points, followed by alcoholic beverages, to***co and narcotics at 0.7 percentage points, boosted by sharp year-on-year increases in spirits and beer prices. Clothing and footwear added 0.3 percentage points to the overall rate.

Year-on-year data shows mixed trends: alcohol and to***co prices surged 13.8%, clothing and footwear rose 5.7%, and health costs increased by 3.5% due to slower growth in medical services and medicines. In contrast, restaurants and hotels recorded a 4.2% decline, largely attributed to reduced accommodation prices.

17/11/2025

QUESTIONS RISE OVER ISRAEL’S ALLEGED ROLE IN THE DISPLACED 153 PALESTINIANS' WHO LANDED IN SOUTH AFRICA

By Anele Dlamini

, 17 November 2025

JOHANNESBURG: Serious questions are emerging over the circumstances that led 153 Palestinians fleeing the war-torn Gaza Strip to arrive in South Africa last Thursday, with humanitarian groups and activists pointing to the possible involvement or omission of Israeli authorities.

As reported by the Sunday Tribune, the group which paid around US$2,000 (E34 000) each for what they believed was safe evacuation, landed at OR Tambo International Airport traumatised, exhausted and stripped of almost all their belongings. Most only learned they were bound for South Africa when issued boarding passes in Nairobi, Kenya.

Sarah Oosthuizen of Gift of the Givers said the refugees arrived with nothing but their passports, a little cash and mobile phones. She confirmed that many were malnourished, emotionally shattered and suffering untreated chronic illnesses. A pregnant woman and several children were among the arrivals.

Oosthuizen also noted that the group had no Israeli exit stamps, following a similar case on 28 October involving 180 Palestinians who likewise departed Gaza without formal documentation. She urged authorities to investigate, saying the missing stamps raise concerns about “who authorised or facilitated their departure, and under what conditions.”

Activist Na’eem Jeenah, who has been assisting the refugees since their arrival, said the group is now dispersed across Johannesburg, hosted by families, placed in hotels, or accommodated in temporary housing. He warned that the organisation they each paid, named Al-Majd, appears questionable, with unclear registration details and potentially misleading claims.

Jeenah described the group’s psychological trauma as severe: “They have emerged from an active genocide. Every person in this group has witnessed horrors that no human being should experience. The children have spent their entire lives fleeing bombs and sniper fire.”

Home Affairs Minister Dr Leon Schreiber confirmed that the group arrived via a chartered flight from Nairobi. Border Management Authority officials initially delayed their entry due to missing documentation and lack of return tickets. Once local organisations guaranteed accommodation and care, the minister authorised their admission on a standard 90-day visa exemption.

The Embassy of the State of Palestine confirmed that it is working with South African authorities to manage the situation and condemned unregistered groups that “exploited desperate families under the guise of evacuation assistance.”

United for Palestine president Abdool Valodia commended the government’s humanitarian response but warned of “entities whose actions amount to human trafficking,” stressing that forced displacement schemes constitute crimes under international law.

For now, community organisations say the priority is stabilising the refugees’ physical and mental well-being as investigations continue into who arranged and who may have enabled their exit from Gaza.

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