Monarch sacks PM by text message

The practice of breaking bad news by text message is a growing trend as people increasingly shun face-to-face confrontation. In the most unusual instance of such an act to date, the King of Swaziland has sacked his Prime Minister in 160 characters or less.

King Mswati of Swaziland has enraged local lawmakers after it emerged he instructed his attorney general to fire Prime Minister Sibusiso Dlamini by SMS text message.

The sacking happened last September but details of the task being carried out by text have only come to light this week, according to a Reuters report.

Magwagwa Mdluli, who serves on Swaziland's parliament, described the whole episode to the news agency as an "embarrassment".

Swaziland's parliament is regarded as little more than a puppet show, with Mswati pulling the strings, but despite this his disregard for protocol - or even 'common decency' - has enraged many, who fear that the King's treatment of a loyal Prime Minister bodes badly for the future.

One Mbabane attorney told Reuters: "If a loyalist [Sibusiso] could be kicked out so rudely, it says a lot about palace attitudes towards those who serve them."

Instances of people hiding behind SMS are not uncommon. For years now, people have been breaking up with partners by text, or lying to their bosses by SMS, but incidents are becoming more and more serious.

Some countries have sparked heated debates over plans to offer SMS divorces while some employees have been enraged by their bosses' attempts to sack them via text message.

Last year, UK no-win, no-fee 'ambulance chasers' the Accident Group fired 2,000 employees by SMS.