MBABANE – A high powered delegation from the European Union (EU) is in the country for political dialogue with government.

Yesterday, the EU team met with the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Lutfo Dlamini and Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Ndumiso Mamba.

President of the EU, accompanied by ambassadors from Belgium, Sweden, Denmark and the EU took part in the meeting. Matters that formed part of the discussions included the death of political activist Sipho Jele, who died after allegedly committing suicide while incarcerated at the Sidvwashini correctional facility.

Jele had been arrested on Workers Day and terrorism related charges were preferred against him for wearing a T-shirt of the banned People’s United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO).

Minister Dlamini said the EU team asked about the death of Sipho Jele because all along they had been reading about it in the newspapers and had not heard government’s side. "They asked about Jele’s issue and we told them where the coroner was and what government has done. All along they were hearing about this in the media and they had to get government’s side and they got it today," Dlamini said. The minister said although the meeting had nothing to do with the recently ended ILO Conference in Geneva, the EU team was nonetheless briefed on what transpired there.

"The justice minister (Ndumiso Mamba) is from the ILO Conference so he briefed them on what was discussed there," Dlamini stated. The minister said other issues that were discussed with the EU team included the political situation in Swaziland, negotiations on the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) as well as budget support by the EU.