Southern African countries have deployed envoys to Eswatini, formerly known as Swaziland, to try to stem the unrest that saw one person killed and at least 80 people wounded by security forces in the latest wave of pro-democracy protests.
"The army and the police killed one person at about 3pm today," union president Oscar Nkambule said. Fifty of its members were taken to hospital in the capital Mbabane, with another 30 hospitalised in the city of Manzini, including some with gunshot wounds, he added.
In the midst of mounting frustration in the kingdom, Eswatini has been on high alert amid weeks of rolling mass action calling for an end to the regime under King Mswati III.