Behind the Mask

BEHIND THE MASK a website on gay and lesbian affairs in Africa

swaziland

about swaziland
official name: Kingdom of Swaziland
capital: Mbabane
head of state: King Mswati III
head of government: Prime Minister Sibusiso Barnabas Dlamini
state: monarchy
population: 1,2 million
independence: from Britain in 1968
languages: English (official), siSwati (official)
religion: Protestant 55%, Muslim 10%, Roman Catholic 5%, indigenous beliefs 30%
currency: lilangeni (SZL)
media: The Swazi Observer at http://www.swaziobserver.sz
The Swazi News at http://www.swazinews.co.sz
legal wise
status of homosexuality: illegal
age of consent: 16
laws covering homosexual activity: The common law criminal offence of sodomy applies to both males and females and prohibits persons of the same sex engaging in a sexual relationship. The possible penalty is imprisonment or a fine. The last offence was tried in 1983
background information and government attitudes: When gays and lesbians in Swaziland formed an association, GALESWA, defying abuse from traditionalists who say that homosexuality is "ungodly, unSwazi and unacceptable". The association had been formed by 21 year-old Mangosutho Dlamini, who went public on national television about his homosexuality. Apart from inciting the wrath of the majority of the nation, the announcement also cost him his job with an Mbabane security firm. At a press conference the Prime Minister, Dr Sibusiso Dlamini, called homosexuality an "abnormality and sickness". Former Prime Minister Prince Bhekimpi, who is also a chief, threatened the gays and lesbians from his area. "Homosexuality is regarded as Satanic in Swaziland. Therefore, I am forced to evict all gays and lesbians in my area". But he showed some tolerance by saying that if the practice is accepted and allowed by the constitution he would have no objections to his subjects joining GALESWA. (now defunct)

July 1993: At UN ECOSOC meeting in Geneva, voted against ILGA's application for consultative status (ILGA press release)

1992: A judge in the state of Swaziland has ruled that a marriage between two lesbians is valid there. According to Swazi tradition, two women can lawfully contract a marriage, and the woman who pays the "bride price" (lobola) can delegate a man to father children on her behalf. The judgement confirming the legality of this ancient practice was issued following a trial in which Thalita Mngomezulu had accused a man of defrauding her of four cows. Ms Mngomezulu gave evidence before the President of the Lubuli National Tribunal, Mbalekelwa Mngomezulu (no relation), that the cattle had been given as lobola for a woman she wished to marry. Her brother was to have the task of fathering children for the woman, whose name was not revealed during the hearing. Judge Mngomezulu, ruling in favour of the plaintiff, stated that such an arrangement was not new according to Swazi law and custom, and was valid so long as the parents of both women gave their consent.

There is no tradition of democracy in the Swazi polity. Since its emergence in the early 19th century, the Swazi state's political culture has been authoritarian with power centralized in a hereditary monarchy. The late colonial period and early years of independence introduced an element of choice and party-political competitiveness into the polity but this ended in 1973 with the suspension of the independence constitution and the proscribing of political parties.
… In 2002, all the judges of Swaziland's highest court, the court of appeal, resigned in protest at the government's refusal to implement two rulings whose effect would have been to overturn previous state measures. In September 2004, the Commonwealth Secretariat brokered a settlement under which the government agreed to be bound by the orders of the kingdom's courts. As of September 2004 this settlement had not been implemented.
In addition to a crisis over the rule of law, Swaziland is confronted by a human disaster of epic proportions in the form of one of the highest - and possibly the highest -HIV/AIDS prevalence rates in the world. According to the Swazi Ministry of Health, the rate in 2002 for adults aged between 15 and 49 years was 38.6%. For those in the age brackets 20-24 and 25-29, the rates were 45.4% and 47.7% respectively. By
2004, it was estimated that one in two Swazis in their twenties would be HIV positive. In the period 1980-2005, life expectancy for Swazis almost halved from 60 years of age to 34. By 2010, it is projected that it will have fallen to 27 years of age. Furthermore, by then it is estimated that 12 percent of the population - some 120,000 children - will have been orphaned.
From Freedom House's Countries at the Crossroads: 2005 A Survey of Democratic Governance www.freedomhouse.org/research/crossroads/2005/swaziland2005.pdf
communication
mainline telephones: 33,500 (2000)
cellular telephones: 30,000 (2000)
internet country code: .sz
internet service providers: 3 (2000)
internet users: 4,000 (2000)
links and contacts
NA

gay teacher: i sodomised pupil
July 19, 2005: A gay teacher has admitted to sodomising a pupil in his house after sending him on a fake errand. More...

defiant gays: please accept us
July 17, 2005: The five gay people who went public about their sexuality recently have appealed for public acceptance. More...

swazi gays get first same-sex club in kingdom
April 4, 2005: a swaziland heterosexual entrepreneur starts the kingdom's first m2m club in a traditional society where even gay people find themselves in marriages. More...

no condoms in prison
October 8, 2003: Mnguni Simelane, commissioner of His Majesty's Correctional Services, said the government does not recognise homosexuality, and would not encourage it by giving out condoms. This despite the findings of a recent survey by UNAIDS on same-sex practises in prisons. More...

amantanyula
July 2002: BTM correspondent reports on this same sex Swati tradition. More...

swazi queen visits gay centre
June 5, 2001: Her Royal Highness Queen LaMagwaza of Swaziland and the nation's health minister visited the Los Angles Gay and Lesbian Centre. More...

april fool
April 6, 1997: A man harassed because he looks like gay chief . An obvious April 1 joke The Times of Swaziland announced that it had 'physical evidence on video showing some of the most prominent figures engaged in the various acts that are being perpetrated by the homosexual movement. More...

leave gays alone

gays are forever
March 23, 1997: In The Babazile Magongo Profile (The Times of Swaziland) Magosuthu Dlamini, who after his coming out formed the Gays and Lesbians of Swaziland (Galeswa) says: 'I thought this was the right time to speak out so that we be heard. If we don't speak out now then we will be left out because now is the time for the making of the new constitution.

schools: breeding grounds for homos
March 23, 1997: Sikhomba Gumbi argues (The Times of Swaziland that that the community never came out to accept homosexuality, but at the same time adopted a tolerant attitude towards prostitution. 'The answer probably lies in our culture and social upbringing. We can accept a vegetarian but we have problems dealing with sexual vegetarians. (…) There is a belief that boarding schools are breeding ground for homosexual behaviour. (…) What may start as a funny game can end up an enjoyable habit and before you know it, a lesbian is born.

away with all the lesbians and gays
March 19, 1997: Vusie Ginindza respond in the Times of Swaziland. 'If this is democracy then we are taking it to far. Absolute freedom is absolute nonsense. (…) It's a social syphilis in brief. (…) If sodomy was God's making, I'm prepared to go to hell for it.'

swazi comes out
March 15, 1997: After a Swazi guy, Mangosutho Dlamini, came out publicly, The Swazi News reported on the public opinion concerning this issue. More...