The SWAZIS FIRST DEMOCRATIC FRONT’s Founding Principles adopted in Mpumalanga in December 2022.

Therefore, several programs of principles have been laid out for the policy direction of the party, and will be used as compasses of guidance within the organization. The fundamental values and founding principles are freedom, equality, solidarity, Diversity, and Fairness.

The SFDF’s ideological position is social democrats, and the belief in democracy and the struggle for social equity that will drive policies that are pro-people.

The SFDF considers values to be of paramount importance. Without them, there would be no party. Values are fundamental in everything that the political party will do, and they set the direction for SFDF’s political programs.

Nevertheless, the SFDF acknowledges that these values are not limited to Swaziland. However, they are part of an international socialist movement that the SFDF will join in due course.

In most parts of the world, the gap between the rich and the poor is widening, while socialist democratic values are confined to a few countries where they have proven to work with much effectiveness. We therefore need a strong Social Democracy with strong values internationally.

The world needs a strong Social Democracy with strong values internationally.

Solidarity and community

The SFDF believes in community. It is through strong and committed communities, that we will best ensure the individual’s opportunity to live a prosperous life and fulfil their personal potential. In a solidary community, people seek to do their best while assisting one another. This affirms well with the bantu adage that “I am because you are” umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu.

In Swaziland, the people are there for one another as evidenced in social rites like funerals, weddings and other social events. It remains a myth that individuals are responsible for their success and prosperity. Instead, SFDF believes that all people have a responsibility for one another, mainly for those who are disadvantaged. No man is an island, in a society where people look up for one another; a person shall never feel like a burden or left out. The SFDF advocates that all people must be treated with respect and dignity.

As a matter of fact, the social democratic society builds on the principle that public services are universal. This means, that although we have a particular responsibility towards the vulnerable amongst us, society will not only help those in need but social welfare is for everyone who lives in Swaziland.

As a result, the SFDF shall advocate for the building of strong community institutions, such as public schools, day care centres, and the health care system where Swazis encounter one another across economic, social, and cultural differences. It is in these spheres that broad support and participation contributes to everyone’s social welfare and creates social reflection.

Furthermore, it makes social agility possible for the most vulnerable in society. State financing of strong public institutions is fundamental to this equality, which ensures freedom for everyone regardless of their background. The SFDF believes in communities in all parts of life: family life, work life, leisure time, and politically. The SFDF believes in strong communities locally, nationally and internationally.

Freedom and equality

All people are equal, but this does not mean identical. People have individual aspirations and requirements in life. All children, who grow up in Swaziland, shall have the same opportunities of becoming part of society and making the most of their own potential.

All Swazis shall have equal access to the state resources that will assist them to mould their life, no matter one’s gender, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, disability, social status or economic background.

Therefore, SFDF aspires to promote a society that has the responsibility to fight barriers and inequalities that deprive some people of the freedom to pursue their dreams. The SFDF shall support by all means people’s initiatives to improve their social status.

However, the true goal of SFDF’s politics is to ensure social upward mobility for everyone. We are against all forms of discrimination. No one shall be treated with injustice or derogatory. Gender equality is of particular priority for the Swazis First Democratic Front and shall be entrenched in all parts of society.

Rights and responsibilities

With rights come responsibilities. People have the right to access all the help that the state can provide; while people have the responsibility to contribute in society to make sure the rights are accessed by everyone.

All Swazis have a responsibility to determine their individual lives as well as contribute to society. The people must be there for one another and keep one another accountable. Without diligence, willpower, and civic responsibility the Swazi social welfare cannot be sustainable and develop. The SFDF strives to build a wealthy and productive society, where people are able to participate and contribute to their personal prosperity and the social welfare of others.

The Swazi people are well educated and ready to work; providing a potential for a thriving workforce. The priority is to make available job opportunities mainly to the youth and the middle class as this provide people with an opportunity for self-identification and enable fulfilment to the individual and ensures prosperity for the broader society. Working is both a duty and a right. The creation of employment opportunities is a priority, so that the SFDF can ensure a social welfare, and assist the unemployed.

Simultaneously, it is the community’s task to ensure that employment is as high as possible. It requires a free labour market, where it allows for the accommodation of the elderly and people living with disabilities.

Trust and cohesion

A trustworthy society with cohesion is a good and safe place to live. Swaziland must be trustworthy and cohesive society. The Swazi people deserve to feel a sense of belonging to the same community and that they share the same values and respect for each other. A society with significant rights and responsibilities, as we have in Swaziland, can only function, if there is trust and there is a coherent social life.

The individual shall be assured that contributions to society through taxes and other efforts are administrated in a good and fair way. This requires openness and transparency. Without security, there is no cohesion.

Swaziland shall be a country, where people feel safe in regards to their social welfare, economic and physical safety. There shall be a rule of law, where people can live in peace, without fear for violence, criminality, or terror.

The SFDF shall fight systematic crime by all means possible. The SFDF shall strive to eradicate the root causes of crime and prioritize crime prevention and resocialization. The SFDF shall advocate for a judicial system that is consistent and fair.

Democracy and civic education

The SFDF believes in democracy. It is the only just and most effective form of government in the world. A democracy should not have boundaries or contradictions between those who rule, and those who are ruled.

Any legally responsible person has the right to participate in democracy. It shall be exercised by voting at multiparty elections, where people shall exercise their freedom of expression and right of association. Through the vote, individuals are granted the opportunity to determine their own life.

Democracy requires access to information and opportunity for involvement. Swaziland must be an enlightening and inclusive society, based on the active engagement of citizens. General civic education is necessary in a democracy hence this requires that education in democracy is from preschool through the entire education system. In addition, it requires that the people are educated in rich cultural and social life of the Swazi people.

Sustainability and responsibility

In a modern world, it is important to remember, that even today humankind lives in symbiosis with nature and its forces. The SFDF believes that mankind has a responsibility for taking care of nature and animals with which we share the planet. Plants and animals are valuable to mankind, but they also have their own value.

Therefore, we must take care of the environment around ourselves and always seek to set up sustainable types of production that are considerate of animal welfare.

Furthermore, our generation has an obligation to show responsibility towards future generations. We must beware of nature’s resources, so that our children and grandchildren do not inherit a planet in a worse state, than it is now.

Internationalism and human rights

The SFDF values have no boundaries. The SFDF seeks to promote both in Swaziland and the world the advancement socialist democratic principles. The SFDF is an international party, and believes that cross-border alliances are beneficial. The SFDF advocates for a world system built on fair and just rules and norms. The SFDF advocates for a world that builds on the rule of law, and not rule of power.

Therefore, the SFDF is in support of active and committed to the aspirations of the African Union and the United Nations. The SFDF insist that Swaziland should have a notable voice and a seat at the table in those arenas where international decisions are made. We commit to complying with the UN’shuman rights and believe that they should apply to all people on earth. We believe in the power of the good example and know that Swaziland can make a difference in the world by taking the lead with clear and strong values.