Lawsuit over kingdom's renaming

A human rights activist has launched a legal challenge over the King of eSwatini's decision to change the country's name, arguing it is against the Constitution. As previously reported in Legalbrief Today, King Mswati III suddenly renamed Swaziland on the 50th anniversary of its independence in April. A report on the News24 site notes that activist Thalane Maseko, who said he has brought his case to the High Court, accuses the monarch of acting outside of the Constitution and failing to consult the nation. ‘The name of the country is spelled out in the constitution and the constitution is the supreme law,’ he said. Government spokesperson Percy Simelane said eSwatini was the country's name before the era of colonial rule by Britain.