MONTHLY REPORT -- SWAZILAND BUREAU -- OCTOBER 1985

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP86-00040R000300620003-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 7
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 8, 2010
• Sequence Number: 3
• Publication Date: November 6, 1985
• Content Type: MEMO

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EMBASSY OF THE
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
P. 0. Box 199
Mbabane, Swaziland
6 November 1985
MMB-5012
MEMORANDUM FOR: Director, FBIS
THROUGH Chief, Operations Group
SUBJECT Monthly Report -- Swaziland Bureau -- October 1985
I. GENERAL
Ambassador Harvey Nelson arrived in Swaziland on the 7th.
Country team members greeted the ambassador at the airport and then
attended a dinner for him on the 8th, hosted by DCM Gerald Scott and
his wife. On the 10th the ambassador visited the bureau for a general
tour and briefing. He had previously served as a political officer
in South Africa and expressed keen interest in the bureau's coverage.
He asked to receive regularly the bureau's South African press review.
On the 14th Ambassador Nelson and other Embassy officers attended
dinner at the bureau chief's house to meet the visiting IG team.
II. OPERATIONS
A. Editorial/Monitorial
1. On 30 October, South Africa held by-elections in five consti-
tuencies located in various parts of the country and in both rural and
urban areas. Both the government and observers regarded them as a
referendum on State President P. W. Botha's reform policy. Headquarters
analysts expressed interest in detailed coverage of the campaign, and
the bureau filed considerable material both from the radio and SAPA;
but even more from the South Africa press in the bureau's press review.
On election night, 30-31 October, the bureau remained open all night
to provide prompt coverage. The results trickled in all night, the
last being recieved at 0615 local. Although the National Party won
four out of five seats, it lost one seat it had previously held.to the
extreme right-wing Reformed National Party; and its margins of victory
in the constituencies it won were ocutf r hathe lf. BBoth left band8right in
interpreted the results as a vic y
a post-election statement, said the results were good considering the
unrest and pledged to continue reform.
2. During the month, the Commonwealth countries met and, with
Prime Minister Thatcher staving off the worst sanctions, gave South Africa
six months to reform or face more than the minimal sanctions imposed.
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In response, at a by-election meeting on the 21st, Botha warned the
West that sanctions could hurt the U.S. and Europe, noting that a
million Americans would lose their jobs if the RSA cut off its export
of chrome. The bureau stayed open late to file this 'threat,' although
Botha subsequently issued a statement claiming it was not really a
threat.
3. Rioting broke out in Cape Town during the latter part of the
month. Unlike much of the unrest which has been mostly confined to the
black townships, much of this unrest touched white residential areas;
and one incident, reported fully on SABC-TV, took place in front of a
posh white shopping center in the center of the city. On the 25th,
SAPA announced that Botha had extended the state of emergency to eight
Cape districts, only days after he had ended it in six others. Stone
throwing also took place in downtown Johannesburg on two successive
Fridays, causing a considerable amount of damage. The first such
disturbance came after a meeting to commemorate ANC member Benjamin
Moloise, hanged on the 18th despite pleas for mercy from all over the
world, including from prominent South Africans.
4. At the request of BBC, the bureau arranged with SAPA to
receive an advanced text of the SABC comment normally carried by the
radio at 0700 local each weekday morning. The commentary is considered
to be a highly authoritative statement of government views. The
advanced copy is sent priority only to BBC and the wire and bears the
FOUO caveat per guidance from MOD. It is then usually sent to
normal consumers the following day with a radio sourceline. BBC
expressed appreciation for this service and said the commentaries
were "extremely useful."
5. On the 2nd, Swazi Prime Minister Bhekimpi announced the ouster
from the Liqoqo of Prince Mfanasibili and George Msibi and the firing of
Commissioner of Police Majaji Simelane, which the bureau filed immediate
from Mbabane, radio. Although Mfanasibili and Msibi held no high
government positions, they were regarded as being the de facto rulers of
the country. Subsequently, it was announced that the Liqoqo had been
downgraded from being the "supreme council of state" to merely the
"council of state." At the end of the month, it was announced that the
Crown Prince, now attending school in England, would be crowned next
year. Mfanasibili was quoted as saying cryptically: "Sometimes it
thunders in Swaziland and men are swept away." At an impromptu
country team meeting on the 2nd, DCM Gerald Scott highly praised the bureau
for its rapid processing of the statement, which was first announced in
SiSwati. The statement was also provided to the British High Commission.
6. On the 24th, the bureau provided reaction to President
Reagan's speech at the United Nations proposing Soviet-American
cooperation in dealing with Third World disputes, one of which is in
Angola. RSA President P. W. Botha and Foreign Minister Pik Botha both
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highly praised the speech and agreed with Reagan's assessment of Angola.
Luanda Radio reported the speech, but failed to report the portions
dealing with the conflict in the country except for noting Reagan's
pledge to continue supporting "counterrevolutionary organizations"
in Angola and elsewhere.
B. Lateral Services
1. The director of AID in Swaziland asked to receive the bureau's
file on Mozambique. USAID Swaziland is handling much of the new AID
program being put into Maputo and Embassy personnel regularly travel there.
III. ADMINISTRATION
A. Personnel
1. Editor
Headquarters.
departed 11 October for PCS to
2. Portuguese monitor lone of two monitors
who came to the bureau from EAU, resigned 12 October to accept a
fellowship in the States. The bureau has advertised locally for a
replacement and is currently testing candidates.
IV. VISITS
A. To the Bureau
1. Two IG Inspectors visited the bureau 13-17 October.
2. London Bureau teletypist ::Iarr7ed on the 11th
to provide support to the bureau's teletype section.
returned to London on the 13th.
Chief, Swaziland ureau
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SWAZILAND BUREAU PRODUCTION REPORT FOR OCTOBER 1985
1. TOTALS FROM ALL SOURCES:
TOTAL PUBLISHABLE WORDAGE FILED DURING MONTH
TOTAL NON-PUBLISHABLE WORDAGE FILED DURING MONTH
TOTAL NUMBER OF PUBLISHABLE ITEMS FILED DURING MONTH : 1,120
BROAD- PRESS
CASTS AGENCIES
PUBLI-
CATIONS
II.
INPUT OF REGULAR COVERAGE:
605 8,040
5
95
minu es or issues per week)
,
III. OUTPUT FROM ALL SOURCES:
190,980 219,800
64,600
(publishable words per month)
Luanda Domestic Service in
Portuguese
27,820
Luanda ANGOP in English
1,270
Luanda ANGOP in French
1,250
Luanda ANGOP in Spanish
1,010
Gaborone Domestic Service in
English
Gaborone BOTSWANA DAILY NEWS in
English
CLANDESTINE
(Clandestine) Radio Truth in
English to Zimbabwe
(Clandestine) Radio Truth in
Ndebele to Zimbabwe
(Clandestine) Voice of Resistance
of the Black Cockerel in
Portuguese to Angola
(Clandestine) KUP in
Portuguese to Southern & Central Africa
(Clandestine) KUP in
English to Southern & Central Africa
(Clandestine) KUP in
French to Southern & Central Africa
(Clandestine) Voice of Truth in
Portuguese to Angola
Maseru Domestic Service in
English
Maseru Domestic Service in
seSotho
4,090
1,890
4,380
2,960
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LESOTHO
Maseru Domestic Service in
seSotho
Maseru THE NATION in
English
Maseru THE COMMET in
English & Maseru
MOCHOCHONOCHO in
seSotho
MADAGASCAR
Antananarivo Domestic Service in
French
MALAWI
Blantyre Domestic Service in
English
Blantyre DAILY TIMES in
English
Blantyre MALAWI NEWS in
English
MAURITIUS
Port Louis Domestic Service in
English
Port Louis Domestic Service in
French
MOCAMBIQUE
Maputo Domestic Service in
Portuguese
Maputo in
English to Southern AFrica
Beira DIARIO DE MOCAMBIQUE in
Portuguese
Maputo NOTICIAS in
Portuguese
Maputo TEMPO in Portuguese
Windhoek Domestic Service in
Afrikaans
Windhoek DIE REPUBLIKEIN in
Afrikaans
Windhoek THE WINDHOEK ADVERTISER in
English
Windhoek WINDHOEK OBSERVER in
English
Windhoek DIE SUIDWESTER in
Afrikaans
BROAD- PRESS PUBLI-
CASTS AGENCIES CATIONS
22,330
2,580
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UI'.UfU- 1 ILJJ 1 VYL1-
CASTS AGENCIES CATIONS
SOUTH AFRICA
Johannesburg Domestic Service in 1,130
Afrikaans
Johannesburg Domestic Service in 25,190
English
Johannesburg International Service in 6,610
English
Johannesburg Television Service in 13,660
Afrikaans
Johannesburg Television Service in 23,180
English
Umtata Capital Radio in 13,980
English
Johannesburg SAPA in
English .
Durban ILANGA in
Zulu
Johannesburg BEELD in
Afrikaans
Johannesburg CITY PRESS in
English
Johannesburg O'SECULO in
Portuguese
Johannesburg RAPPORT in
Afrikaans
Johannesburg BUSINESS DAY in
English
Johannesburg SOWETAN in
English
Johannesburg SUNDAY STAR in
English
Johannesburg SUNDAY TIMES in
English
Johannesburg THE CITIZEN in
English
Johannesburg THE STAR in
English
Johannesburg THE WEEKLY MAIL in
English
Pretoria DIE TRANSVALER in
Afrikaans
RSA Press Review
SWAZILAND
Mbabane Domestic Service in 1,460
English
Mbabane Domestic Service in 800
Siswati
Mbabane Television Service in 370
English
Mbabane Television Service in
Siswati
Mbabane THE SWAZI NEWS in
English
Mbabane THE SWAZI OBSERVER in
English
Mbabane THE TIMES OF SWAZILAND in
English
212,700
1,130
1,590
1,280
56,130
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~RUY1U- 1 /EN\VJ
ASTS AGENCIES CATIONS
UNITED KINGDOM
London BBC World Service in
English
USSR
Moscow in
Ndebele to Zimbabwe
Moscow in
Zulu to Southern Africa
15,370
6,620
ZAMBIA
Lusaka Domestic Service in
English
Lusaka Voice of Namibia in
English
Lusaka Voice of Freedom in
English to Southern Africa
Lusaka SUNDAY TIMES OF ZAMBIA in
English
Lusaka TIMES OF ZAMBIA in
English
Lusaka ZAMBIA DAILY MAIL in
English
7,450
2,960
1,650
ZIMBABWE
Harare Domestic Service in
English
Harare Domestic Service in
Ndebele
Harare Voice of Namibia in
English
Harare THE HERALD in
English
Harare THE SUNDAY MAIL in
English
Harare THE FINANCIAL GAZETTE in
English
7,780
1,040
1,230
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