SADC to dispatch team of ministers to Eswatini following unrest

MBABANE, Eswatini

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) Troika is expected to urgently dispatch a team of ministers to Eswatini in a bid to further encourage the southern African country to find a lasting solution.

The announcement was made on Saturday by Mokgweetsi Masisi, chairperson of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defense and Security and president of Botswana following reports of recent unrest in Eswatini.

"The disturbances have resulted in widespread destruction of property and injuries to people with at least one death reported,” said Masisi, further noting the disruption to normal personal, community and daily economic activities including critical COVID-19 response.

Critical COVID-19 response strategies are essential for the health and safety of the people of Eswatini and the entire humanity, he said.

Masisi called upon all individuals, groups and organizations to desist from acts of violence and urged the security services to exercise restraint in restoring order and normalcy.

Following weeks of demonstrations in Eswatini, protests spiraled out of control early this week with the situation on the ground becoming extremely volatile where public and private properties were set on fire.