SADC calls for urgent dialogue in Eswatini following the death of human rights activist

2 min read
3 February 2023 | 11:53 CAT

Leaders of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) are calling on the Kingdom of Eswatini to urgently initiate a national dialogue as tensions continue to rise in the region.

Picture: Daily Sabah

The SADC leaders convened a regional bloc troika meeting in Windhoek, Namibia this week, where they condemned the assassination of Eswatini human rights activist Thulani Maseko.

The bloc leaders say they want a thorough investigation of the murder of Maseko.

Political tension in Eswatini, Africa’s last absolute monarchy, remain a challenge for SADC since 2021 as protest erupted over the leadership of King Mswati III.

In June 2021 , at least 37 people were killed in violently suppressed anti-regime demonstrations, since then protests and strikes have continued quietly.

According to Eswatini laws, the king can dissolve parliament, the government and appoint or dismiss judges. He also commands the police and the army.

King Mswati III did not attend the extraordinary SADC troika meeting in Namibia.

Meanwhile, the leaders also discussed the current situation in northern Mozambique as it battles insurgency, the eruptive situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and called on Lesotho to expedite reforms meant to bring it stability.

50 Years On

Rabia Mayet | rabiamayet@radioislam.co.za 16 June 2026 3-minute read 50 years since the Soweto uprising, when thousands of schoolchildren took to the streets to protest Bantu education and the imposition of Afrikaans as a medium of learning, questions on whether the...

Iran-US Deal

Rabia Mayet | rabiamayet@radioislam.co.za 15 June 2026 2-minute read Diplomatic efforts between Iran and the US have culminated in a “done deal” barring Israel spoiling it, with both Iran and the US agreeing to the Memorandum of Understanding which will be signed on...

Middle East Report

12 June 2026 | 12:25 CAT 2-minute read Iran-US Negotiations Possible; Deep Disputes Remain During this week’s Middle East Report, analyst James Dorsey examined the latest signals of shifting tensions between the United States and Iran, as reports of renewed diplomatic...

UUCSA Engages Political Parties on Muslim Civic Consensus

10 June 2026 | 21:53 CAT 2-minute read The United Ulama Council of South Africa (UUCSA) convened a Municipal Elections Indaba in Ormonde, Johannesburg. The three-day event, which concluded earlier today, was hosted by the UUCSA Political Strategy Committee to...

Ramaphosa’s immigration plan faces criticism over leadership gap

9 June 2026 | 11:35 CAT 4-minute read Immigration address indicates response, not leadership President Cyril Ramaphosa's address to the nation on immigration and rising tensions targeting foreign nationals has drawn both praise and criticism. The president outlined a...

Extortion Threats

Rabia Mayet | rabiamayet@radioislam.co.za 08 June 2026 2-minute read Across the Western Cape, extortion has become a growing threat facing many communities, with criminal gangs targeting schools, community organizations, businesses and even places of worship like...