SWAZIS READ OF QUEENS’ EXCESSES

Despite the effort of Swaziland’s ruling elite, news of King Mswati III’s extravagant spending is getting through to the kingdom.

Barnabas Dlamini, Swaziland’s illegally-appointed prime minister, threatened Swazi media with sanctions, including closure, if they revealed that five of the king’s wives were off on a global shopping spree, spending at least six million US dollars.

There has been no word about this in the Swazi media, but as I wrote yesterday the story is being reported worldwide.

Today (23 August 2009), the Sunday Times, a newspaper based in Johannesburg, South Africa, carries the story. The newspaper is freely available to buy in Swaziland. Yesterday another South African newspaper, the Saturday Star, also available in Swaziland, ran with the story.

Today, the Sunday Times reprints an article previously published by the Times, London. Headlined Mswati raids treasury for wives’ R50m the Sunday Times' report tells how King Mswati, sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch, has blown millions on a ‘secret shopping tour’ while his subjects live on less than R10 (one US dollar) a day.

Swaziland is heavily dependent on aid from the international community, and the UK has been drawn into the row because of the millions of pounds it reportedly gives to the kingdom.

The UK is said to pay a large part of an estimated R835-million in annual European Union aid, the newspaper reports.

HOW WORLD SEES SWAZILAND QUEENS

If King Mswati III of Swaziland and his illegally-appointed prime minister Barnabas Dlamini thought they could hide from the world the E50 million (6 million US dollars) shopping trip made by the king’s wives they must think again.

As I reported on Wednesday (19 August 2009) the media in Swaziland were warned not to report on the trip because it would harm the king’s reputation. Media houses were told they would face sanctions, including possible closure, if word got out.

But after my report appeared the cat is now out of the bag and the news has gone global and King Mswati, sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch, is once again branded for the lavish lifestyle he and his family lead while seven in ten of his subjects barely exist in absolute poverty.

Newspapers, radio and websites across the world have followed up on the story. Lucky Lukhele, spokesperson for the Swaziland Solidarity Network, says he has personally been contacted by 15 international media houses and he believes at least five are on their way to Swaziland to follow up the report themselves.

The Saturday Star from Johannesburg, South Africa, today (22 August 2009) covers the story and highlights the belief that South African taxpayers are footing the bill for the king’s extravagances.

The Star is freely available to buy in Swaziland, so this undermines the Swazi ruling elite’s attempt to keep information about the king’s wives’ shopping trip away from ordinary Swazis. Short of rounding up every copy of the newspaper from the vendors in Swaziland there is little that can be done to suppress the news.

The official voice of Swaziland is mute in the face of growing criticism across the world. In all the reports I have read no one from the Swazi Government or the office of King Mswati has been ‘available’ for comment.

If you want to see the reports yourself here are some of them.

Saturday Star

Times, London , UK

The Australian

Herald, Ireland

SW Africa Radio

All Headline News

Bizcast

Capto Varitas News From Everywhere

Socialist Banner

Royalty in the News

Way Odd

Froxter

Monsters and Critics