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.

Alternative Mining Indaba 2026

Rabia Mayet | rabiamayet@radioislam.co.za 19 February 2026 1-minute read The Alternative Mining Indaba which concluded in Cape Town brought together an array of people under the theme: Alternative Stories of Mining, united in solidarity with the mining communities...

SANDF deployment to Cape Flats, parts of Gauteng sparks debate over long-term solutions

Neelam Rahim | neelam@radioislam.co.za 4-minute read 16 February 2026 President Cyril Ramaphosa’s decision to deploy the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to combat gang violence on the Cape Flats and in parts of Gauteng has been met with mixed reactions,...

ASRI Report: Key SONA 2026 Takeaways on Water, Crime and District Six

Neelam Rahim | neelam@radioislam.co.za 4-minute read 13 February 2026 President Cyril Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) has placed renewed attention on some of South Africa’s most urgent crises — from water insecurity and violent crime, to the fragile...

SONA 2026: Calls for Action on Frontline Public Services

Neelam Rahim | neelam@radioislam.co.za 3-minute read 11 February 2026 As South Africa prepares for the 2026 State of the Nation Address (SONA), renewed calls are being made for the government to prioritise the rebuilding of frontline public services, which analysts...

ActionSA’s Proposal For Immigrants

Rabia Mayet | rabiamayet@radioislam.co.za 17 February 2026 2-minute read On the revised ‘White Paper on Citizenship, Immigration and Refugee Protection’ published last year, Actions SA has proposed for only 10 thousand applications for asylum seekers to be considered...

What DA Premier Expects From SONA

Rabia Mayet | rabiamayet@radioislam.co.za 12 February 2026 2-minute read With 345 murders in the Western Cape this January, DA Premier Allen Winde states that his expectations from SONA this year are levelled towards crime. The party has been calling for a long time...