The Kingdom of Eswatini has reignited its historical land dispute with South Africa following the appointment of a new Border Restoration Committee (BRC), tasked with negotiating the return of territories the kingdom claims were lost during colonial rule.
King Mswati III announced the formation of the 15-member committee on Monday, composed largely of royal family members and traditional loyalists. The BRC, which will serve a five-year term, is the latest in a series of similar bodies established over the years — none of which have yielded concrete progress.
Appointed as chairperson is Chief Mgebiseni Dlamini, a distant relative of the monarch. During the announcement, King Mswati reaffirmed Eswatini’s claim to lands that are now part of South Africa, particularly in Mpumalanga province — historically known as the Eastern Transvaal. The King argued that these territories were unfairly taken through colonial manipulation, particularly by Afrikaner farmers who converted leaseholds into permanent ownership under questionable terms.
Eswatini’s claims also extend to areas in Gauteng province, including the town of Springs near Johannesburg, and parts of KwaZulu-Natal such as Pongola, Ingwavuma, and Kosi Bay. The kingdom contends that the Pongola River was the traditional boundary between the Swazi and Zulu kingdoms and that the disputed lands hold cultural and spiritual importance, including coastal areas used for sacred rituals like the Incwala.
A previous agreement reached in 1982 between Eswatini and South Africa’s apartheid-era government aimed to transfer parts of Ingwavuma to Eswatini. However, the move was blocked in court after opposition by the late Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi, then leader of the KwaZulu homeland. The land ultimately remained under South African jurisdiction, with the KwaZulu government later reinforcing its presence through development and cultural events.
While the re-establishment of the BRC signals Eswatini’s continued resolve, critics remain doubtful about its impact. Past committees have seen little success in advancing the territorial claims, despite their symbolic significance.
The South African government has yet to issue a response to Eswatini’s renewed demands. The move adds to a broader regional discourse on colonial-era borders and the unfinished business of historical land justice across the African continent.