[LINK] "South Africa Key to Swazi Protest Outcome"

[rfmcdonald]

Inter Press Service's Mantoe Phakathi points out that liberalization in Swaziland depends heavily on the South Africa that nearly surrounds and certainly dominates it.

The question of [South African Customs Union] revenue highlights the enormous economic power South Africa wields over Swaziland. The five member countries of the pooled customs and tariff income – Botswana, Lesotho and Namibia are the others – are discussing changes to the world’s oldest customs union. South Africa generates the bulk of the income, but Africa’s largest economy is proposing changes to a revenue-sharing formula presently tilted heavily in favour of its smaller neighbours.

“The new formula is putting member countries in a worse-off situation,” said Minister of Finance Majozi Sithole.

If the proposed new formula were to be implemented in the 2011 financial year, Sithole says, Swaziland’s income would fall from 614 million dollars to just $185 million, putting the country’s budget in even worse trouble. Income for Botswana and Namibia would fall by roughly two thirds, while Lesotho’s share would increase slightly.

[. . .]

“South Africa is Swaziland’s key trading partner – more than 90 percent of Swazi imports are from South Africa and we buy two-thirds of the country’s exports,” said Mokgalapa.

He urged Zuma to use the economic levers at his disposal – including the SACU sharing formula – to bring pressure to bear on King Mswati III.

Across the border, the powerful Congress of South African Trade Unions staged a solidarity action on Apr. 12 at the major border crossing between the two countries, also demanding that King Mswati III introduce multi-party democracy.

“We’re in solidarity with the Swazi trade unions,” said Zanele Mathebula, COSATU international deputy secretary general.

[. . .]

Members of the Swazi Senate expressed disappointment at South Africa for not protecting the country from its media and COSATU – angered both by the border protest and by the generally negative coverage of Swaziland’s government in the South African press.

Senator Prince Magudvulela said the South African media has taken the side of the protesters in this matter.

Senator Ngomuyayona Gamedze said the African National Congress-led government in Pretoria should prevent its nationals from making negative comments about the king.

“Are we still friends with South Africa?” he wondered.

Go, read the whole thing.