Exiled news editor will return to Swaziland

Editor Zweli Martin Dlamini is set to return to the tiny absolute monarchy of Swaziland. He had fled to neighbouring South Africa in January after he had received death threats from a local businessman and his newspaper was shut down by the government.

“My decision to return to Swaziland has been influenced by minor changes in the political landscape and the fact that two of the powerful people who wanted to kill me are now dead – businessman Victor Gamedze [who was murdered at a petrol station in Mbabane in January] and late Prime Minister Sibusiso Barnabas Dlamini”

Swaziland: Elections without democracy

Swaziland will hold national elections on September 21. But according to reports that examine the country’s last national elections in 2013 and many Swazis, Swaziland’s political system is undemocratic and only serves to keep its absolute monarch in power.

Organised Certainty, a new study published in July by journalist and former associate professor at the University of Swaziland Richard Rooney, concludes that Swaziland’s last national elections in 2013 were “not democratic”

Kongens håndlangere ville dræbe redaktør

Redaktøren for erhvervsavisen Swaziland Shopping skrev en historie om Swazilands enevældige konges lyssky forretninger. Kort tid efter modtog han dødstrusler og måtte flygte til nabolandet Sydafrika.

I juni sidste år skrev og udgav Zweli Martin Dlamini en artikel om Swazi Mobile, et teleselskab der ejes af kong Mswati og administreres af den lokale forretningsmand Victor Gamedze.

Swazi King’s henchmen threaten to kill editor

Swazi editor Zweli Martin Dlamini has fled to neighbouring South Africa after he received death threats. He had written a story about absolute monarch King Mswati III’s shady dealings in the telecommunications industry.

Last June, editor of independent business newspaper Swaziland Shopping Zweli Martin Dlamini wrote and published a story about new telecommunications company Swazi Mobile, owned by King Mswati III and run by local businessman Victor Gamedze.