And, more than eight in ten say they did not have a cash income.
Also, more than half said they did not have clean water
to use at home.
These indicators of the extent of poverty in Swaziland were
revealed in research conducted by Afrobarometer.
The research organisation interviewed 1,200 people aged
18 or over across the whole of Swaziland on their living and economic
conditions.
Afrobarometer asked about conditions over the past 12
months: 19 percent of people questioned said they did not have enough food to
eat, ‘many times / always’ over the past year. Another 46 percent said they had
gone without food, ‘just once or twice / several times’.
A total of 47 percent said they did not have a cash
income, ‘many times / always’ over the past year. Another 38 percent said they
had no cash income, ‘just once or twice / several times’.
Twenty-four percent said they did not have enough water
for home use, ‘many times / always’ over the past year. Another 29 percent said
they did not have enough water, ‘just once or twice / several times’.
Afrobarometer is an African-led network of survey
researchers and analysts, working in up to 35 countries on the continent.
It states its goal is, ‘To give the public a voice in
policy making processes by providing high-quality public opinion data to
policy-makers, policy advocates and civil society organizations, academics,
media, donors and investors, and ordinary Africans.’
The experiences of poverty uncovered by Afrobarometer confirm
what is already known about hunger in Swaziland. Earlier this year the United Nations
World Food programme reported that Swaziland lost US$92 million per year in the
economy because people
were too hungry to work properly.
In 2012, three separate reports from the World Economic Forum, United Nations and the Institute for Security Studies all concluded the Swazi government was largely to blame for the economic recession and subsequent increasing number of Swazis who had to skip meals.
In 2012, three separate reports from the World Economic Forum, United Nations and the Institute for Security Studies all concluded the Swazi government was largely to blame for the economic recession and subsequent increasing number of Swazis who had to skip meals.
The reports placed the blame at the financial mismanagement of the Swazi government.
The reports listed low growth levels, government
wastefulness and corruption, and lack of democracy and accountability as some
of the main reasons for the economic downturn that has led to an increasing
number of starving Swazis.
In 2012 a report published
by 24/7 Wall St in the United States, and based on data from the World Bank, identified
Swaziland as the fifth poorest country in the entire world.
See also
ECONOMY FAILS, ONE IN TEN GO HUNGRY
GOVT SELLS MAIZE DONATED FOR HUNGRY
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