Workshop on the Rule of Law in Swaziland - 16 April 2014, Pretoria

There is mounting concern about the deterioration of the Rule of Law and the human rights situation in Swaziland. An example of this is the recent arrest of human rights lawyers Thulani Maseko and Bheki Makhubu, the Editor-in-Chief of The Nation Magazine for publishing opinion pieces that were critical of the Swazi government. The pair were released following the reversal of their warrant of arrest by the High Court, only to be rearrested immediately. SALO hosted a workshop to look at The Rule of Law in Swaziland. SALO was hoping to include Mr Maseko and Mr Mahkubu in its panel, but they could not participate due to their rearrest. This notwithstanding, SALO was able to secure a number of well-informed speakers, among them seasoned Swazi activists. The meeting brought together a diverse spectrum of relevant stakeholders from civil society, Swaziland activists, SA decision-makers and members of the diplomatic community inter alia. Ms Isabella Matambanadzo, Zimbabwean feminist activist and SALO board member Nicole Fritz - Executive Director, Southern Africa Litigation Centre (SALC) Muzi Masuku - Swaziland Programme Manager, Osisa Lomcebo Dlamini - Director, Coalition of Concerned Civic Organisations (SCCCO) and member of Lawyers for Human Rights, Swaziland Doo Aphane – Director, Women for Women Development Consultancy Advocate Z. Madasa – Clerk of the Pan African Parliament   Ambassador Welile Nhlapo, Outgoing South African KP Chair (2013) Aziz Pahad, former SA Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1999-2008 during the Mandela and Mbeki presidencies