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Nkululeko Hlophe is a Swazi judge and High Judge of the Court of Swaziland. [1]
Eswatini, formally the Kingdom of Eswatini, also known by its former official name Swaziland and formally the Kingdom of Swaziland, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. It is bordered by Mozambique to its northeast and South Africa to its north, west, south, and southeast. At no more than 200 km (120 mi) north to south and 130 km (81 mi) east to west, Eswatini is one of the smallest countries in Africa; despite this, its climate and topography are diverse, ranging from a cool and mountainous highveld to a hot and dry lowveld.
The Umbutfo Eswatini Defence Force (UEDF) is the military of the Southern African Kingdom of Eswatini (Swaziland). It is used primarily during domestic protests, with some border and customs duties; the force has never been involved in a foreign conflict. The army has struggled with high rates of HIV infection. Since measures were put in place the rate is dropping.
Eswatini is a member of the United Nations, the Commonwealth of Nations, the African Union, the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, and the Southern African Development Community. Currently, the Kingdom of Eswatini maintains 11 embassies and High Commissions along with 15 consulates and other representations around the world, while there are five embassies and High Commissions in Eswatini as well as 14 consulates and other representations.
Artifacts indicating human activity dating back to the early Stone Age have been found in the Kingdom of Eswatini. The earliest known inhabitants of the region were Khoisan hunter-gatherers. Later, the population became predominantly Nguni during and after the great Bantu migrations. People speaking languages ancestral to the current Sotho and Nguni languages began settling no later than the 11th century. The country now derives its name from a later king named Mswati II. Mswati II was the greatest of the fighting kings of Eswatini, and he greatly extended the area of the country to twice its current size. The people of Eswatini largely belong to a number of clans that can be categorized as Emakhandzambili, Bemdzabu, and Emafikamuva, depending on when and how they settled in Eswatini.
Mswati III is the Ngwenyama (King) of Eswatini and head of the Swazi royal family. He heads an absolute monarchy, as he has veto power over all branches of government and is constitutionally immune from prosecution.
"Nkulunkulu Mnikati wetibusiso temaSwati" is the national anthem of Eswatini. It is a compromise between Swazi and Western styles of music and was adopted after independence in 1968. The lyrics were authored by Andrease Enoke Fanyana Kukies Simelane, and the composer of the tune was David Kenneth Rycroft.
The People's United Democratic Movement is the largest opposition party in Eswatini. It is a democratic socialist party. Formed in 1983 at the University of Eswatini, it is led by Mlungisi Makhanya.
The COSAFA Cup is an annual tournament for teams from Southern Africa organized by Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (COSAFA), inaugurated after the ban against the Republic of South Africa had been lifted and the African Cup of Nations had been staged there in 1996.
Miss World 1977 was the 27th edition of the Miss World pageant, held on 17 November 1977 at the Royal Albert Hall in London, UK. The winner was Mary Ann-Catrin Stävin from Sweden. She was crowned by Miss World 1976, Cindy Breakspeare of Jamaica. Runner-up was Ineke Berends representing Holland, third was Dagmar Gabriele Winkler from West Germany, fourth was Madalena Sbaraini of Brazil, and fifth was Cindy Darlene Miller from United States. Stävin was awarded a $37,000 cash prize as the winner of the pageant.
The Eswatini national cricket team represents Eswatini, a country in Southern Africa, in international cricket. The Eswatini national cricket team, which is administered by the Eswatini Cricket Association (ECA), became an affiliate member of the International Cricket Council (ICC) in 2007. The ECA, along with the cricket associations of Cameroon, the Falkland Islands and Peru, was promoted to affiliate status in 2007 by the ICC. In 2017, they became associate members. Eswatini is also a member of the African Cricket Association. The Eswatini national cricket team would compete in the World Cricket League Africa Region and the ICC Africa Twenty20 Championship.
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people in Eswatini have limited legal rights. According to Rock of Hope, a Swati LGBTQ advocacy group, "there is no legislation recognising LGBTIs or protecting the right to a non-heterosexual orientation and gender identity and as a result [LGBTQ people] cannot be open about their orientation or gender identity for fear of rejection and discrimination." Homosexuality is illegal in Eswatini, though this law is in practice unenforced. According to the 2021 Human Rights Practices Report from the US Department of State, "there has never been an arrest or prosecution for consensual same-sex conduct."
Princess Sikhanyiso Dlamini is a Swazi princess and politician. She is the eldest daughter of King Mswati III of Eswatini, and is the country's former Minister of Information and Communication Technology.
Eswatini, then known as Swaziland, was allocated the country code +268 by the International Telecommunication Union, in the late 1960s. To call a telephone number in Eswatini, the following format is used:
Eswatini–South Africa relations refers to the current and historical relationship between Eswatini and South Africa. South Africa surrounds Eswatini on the north, west and south. The two states share strong historical and cultural ties. Mutual High Commissions were established in Pretoria and Mbabane at the end of the apartheid era in 1994. Eswatini's High Commission in Pretoria is also cross-accredited to Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Eswatini (Swaziland) competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, which was held from 27 July to 12 August 2012. The country's participation at London marked its ninth appearance in the Summer Olympics since its debut at the 1972 Summer Olympics. The delegation included two track and field athletes: Sibusiso Matsenjwa and Phumlile Ndzinisa, and one swimmer, Luke Hall; the first two competitors qualified for the Games through wildcard places while Hall was awarded a universality place by FINA. Hall was selected as the flag bearer for the opening ceremony and Matensjwa held it for the closing ceremony. All three competitors did not advance further than the heat stages of their respective events.
Michael Mathealira Ramodibedi was a jurist from Lesotho who has served on the courts of several Commonwealth countries in Africa. A graduate of the University of Botswana, Lesotho, and Swaziland, he began his law career in Lesotho, and would later go on to hold positions on the bench there as well as in Seychelles and Botswana. He was the Chief Justice of Swaziland until 17 June 2015, when he was fired by King Mswati III for misconduct.
The Miss Eswatini is a national beauty pageant in Eswatini. The pageant was named Miss Swaziland beauty pageant and rebranded to be Miss Eswatini Organization in 2018. The pageant winner aims to be an ambassador of her country. Eswatini last competed at Miss Universe 1994 when Nicola Smith, Miss Swaziland 1994 competed for the crown. This year winner is Tania Nunn who crowned on November 28, 2022.
The 2005 constitution is currently in force. The constitution of 6 September 1968 was suspended 12 April 1973 by a State of Emergency decree imposed by King Sobhuza II, the father of the current King Mswati III. The decree gave absolute power to the monarchy and banned organised political opposition to royal rule.
The Communist Party of Swaziland (CPS) is a Swazi communist party founded on 9 April 2011. It was banned by the Swazi king, Mswati III, shortly after its foundation, and operates clandestinely. The party is headquartered in Kamhlushwa, South Africa.
Majahenkaba James Dlamini is the Attorney-General of the Kingdom of eSwatini and the son of Prince Bhekimpi Dlamini..