African National Congress secretary general Gwede Mantashe said he agreed with Swazi activists that their government should unban political parties, the Sunday Times reported.
Mantashe defended South Africa’s decision to give Swaziland a R2.4-billion, saying it was a loan and not a donation.
“If you allow Swaziland to collapse you will have short-term satisfaction but you will pay dearly — more than the R2-billion loan in the form of the influx [of Swazis],” he said.
“We are paying more than R2-billion on Zimbabweans … if you open another front of crisis … we are going to pay a heavier price politically.”
South Africa said on Wednesday it had agreed to lend Swaziland R2.4-billion with conditions. These included Swaziland’s undertaking confidence-building measures and implementing fiscal and related technical reforms required by the International Monetary Fund.
King Mswati II has often been accused of fiscal mismanagement and autocratic rule. He has also been criticised for his lavish lifestyle while his subjects live in abject poverty, exacerbated by high levels of Aids. — Sapa