President Cyril Ramaphosa has called on Eswatini’s King Mswati III to ensure that peace returns to his country.
This as protesters in Eswatini are calling for democratic reforms and the release of the two arrested Members of Parliament.
Last week, Ramaphosa sent a special envoy led by Jeff Radebe to the kingdom, to try and quell the violence there.
Ramaphosa says the Eswatini government must ensure that stability is restored to South Africa’s neighbour.
He says he wants to see peace in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region.
“Prior to that, I spoke to the King and I said I’m extremely worried about the situation there. I’d like you to meet my envoy, he’s carrying a message from me which is a message from the region. The message is straight forward,” says Ramaphosa.
“We want to see peace in Eswatini and we’d like to see a dialogue beginning between the government and various organisations. I said to him on the phone : I’d like you to allow the envoy to meet you and thereafter meet other stakeholders. It is on that condition that I will sent this envoy. He agreed,” explains President Ramaphosa.
King Mswati calls for a meeting with citizens and pro-democracy groups:
‘Hope for change’
Meanwhile, People’s United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO) in Eswatini hopes the envoys sent by President Cyril Rampahosa would bring about change in that country.
PUDEMO says King Mswati III should be forced to relinquish power as the people of Eswatini are determined to reform the country.
PUDEMO President, Mlungisi Makhanya says South Africa should impose sanctions on the monarch.
In the video below, Spokesperson of the pro-democracy Swaziland Solidarity Network, Lucky Lukhele, gives more details about the pro-democracy protests:
