The newly appointed Minister of Justice & Constitutional Affairs and former head of the (as-yet-to-be-functioning) Commission of Human Rights & Public Administration changed his oath of office (HERE). He added one word to the oath so that it sounded as follows:
‘I, Reverend David Matse, do swear, that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to God, His Majesty King Mswati III, his heirs and successors according to the law’.
The Reverend added ‘God’ to the oath. This violates the Second Schedule of the Constitution where the oaths are stipulated and might raise the question of whether the appointment is official.
It might also cast a shadow over the relationship between the King and his Minister. One wonders if either of them knows the story of Sir Thomas More (HERE)?
