Concern over Swazi monarch's exorbitant 'gifts'

The growing bonds of friendship between Swaziland’s King Mswati III and Zambian leader Edgar Lungu have reached new, but worrying, levels for citizens of both countries, says a City Press report. This is after Lungu was presented with a piece of land on the outskirts of Manzini in Swaziland. The property in question was reportedly approved as a residential property in 2009, before it was transferred to Lungu last year. The deed of transfer for the 4 000 square metres of land was done by Sidumo Valentine Mdladla Attorneys. Zambia's Information Minister Dora Siliya said there was nothing sinister with the donation because other world leaders have also been given 'presents'. The report notes that Lungu presented King Mswati with three buffaloes last year which led to the EU banning beef exports from Swaziland over concerns about foot-and-mouth disease. Another high-profile leader from Equatorial Guinea acquired two properties in Swaziland, but failure to remit R3m into government coffers by a senior Swazi lawyer has caused consternation.