BY MBONO MDLULI
MBABANE – Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini has weighed in on the issue of extending border gate operating hours at Lavumisa and Mananga.
The PM weighed in on the matter by raising it up with the High Commissioner of the Republic of South Africa to Eswatini, Her Excellency Advocate Thokozile Majokweni-Sipamla. This was yesterday when Majokweni-Sipamla paid a courtesy visit to the Prime Minister and his team at Cabinet Offices in Hospital Hill, Mbabane.
The Prime Minister wrote on his Facebook page that apart from the border gate issues, he also raised the issues of work permits that were supposed to be obtained by Emaswati in South Africa.
“We also spoke about the proposal to extend border hours in Lavumisa and Mananga. Further, we discussed how delays in the issuance of work and study permits to Eswatini citizens can be prevented. We agreed that we need to urgently work on the Joint Bilateral Commission for Cooperation between the two countries. I mentioned that during Sibaya, I submitted that I am a former student of the development and economic models of South Africa, pre and post-apartheid,” Dlamini said.
The Prime Minister said as neighbours, Eswatini and South Africa had shared very strong bilateral, historical and cultural ties since pre-colonial times, and the two countries cooperated in many areas, including agriculture, health, energy and others. “We recalled that many South Africans found solace in Eswatini during apartheid because Eswatini has always been peaceful and stable and we would like to maintain and keep the cordial relations that existed then,” the Prime Minister said.
