Another 2,500 people will no longer be public servants as their jobs will be privatised. And, another 1,000 jobs will remain, but they will be in organisations such the Swaziland Revenue Authority and the Civil Aviation Authority which will become ‘semi-autonomous’ from government and not therefore on its payroll.
The figures were published by the Times of Swaziland, the only independent daily newspaper in the kingdom, today (12 August 2011).
The newspaper reports that the majority of the privatised jobs will be low grade cleaners and security guards.
The 7,000 job losses are to meet the requirements of the Swazi Government’s Fiscal Adjustment Roadmap (FAR), which it drew up in response to the International Monetary Fund’s demands that public sector wages in Swaziland be cut.
The Times’ report comes from the Manzini region Smart Partnership Dialogue presentation on the FAR.
It reports that Budget Director Bheki Bhembe gave the figures.
The Times also reported Bhembe saying the Swazi Government owed E1.2 billion to creditors in the kingdom, ruled by King Mswati III, sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch, for work done.
‘The IMF wants us to expedite payment of these debts because the economy is generated by the circulation of money. If the private sector does not have this money with them, then the economy will reach crisis point,’ he said.
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