The South African Department of International Relations and Cooperation has said the upcoming Southern African Development Community Summit in Harare is expected to receive a progress report from the SADC security organ about engagements with roleplayers in Eswatini.

Activists calling for political reforms in Eswatini have urged the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to take decisive action to deal with the deteriorating situation in the kingdom, ahead of the 44th SADC Summit in Harare, Zimbabwe, this week.

In a 1 August letter addressed to the SADC Secretariat and its member states, the Multi-Stakeholder Forum (MSF) - a coalition of political parties and civil society pro-democracy organisations - called on the regional bloc to "intensify its engagement with the Eswatini government" and apply "pressure to ensure that the recommendations previously made by SADC are fully implemented".

advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads"As the 44th SADC Summit approaches, we implore you, the Heads of State and Government, to take decisive action to address the deteriorating situation in Eswatini. The time for collegial approaches has passed; SADC must now assert its position firmly and revive the stalled and prolonged efforts to resolve the situation in Eswatini," the letter read.

"Despite numerous recommendations from SADC and the international community, the Eswatini government continues to violate the fundamental civil rights of its citizens, contravening several SADC protocols and...