It was revealed at a media conference on 22 September 2014 that the Swazi Government had bought 20 new BMW X5 sports utility vehicles.
This comes after Swaziland’s three national
security chiefs were bought bullet-proof cars last year.
Umbutfo
Swaziland Defence Force (USDF) Commander Lieutenant Sobantu Dlamini, Royal
Swaziland Police (RSP) Commissioner Isaac Magagula and His Majesty’s
Correctional Services (HMCS) Commissioner Isaiah Mzuthini Ntshangase each
received BMW 2013 X5 cars at a total cost of E4 million (US$400,000).
They joined
about 20 members of the Swazi Royal family, headed by King Mswati III, who
already had top-of-the-range Mercedes S600 Pullman Guard cars that can
withstand an armoured missile assault.
At the time
of the purchase nobody would go on the record to say why the security chiefs
needed bullet-proof cars.
Ntshangase
did however tell the Times of Swaziland that being
a security force boss required a special car owing to the nature of the
position. Magagula told the newspaper he did not mind if government saw it fit
to buy them the BMW X5s. He said certain positions needed certain cars for
their status.
When the BMW
X5 Security plus was launched in 2009 it was described by
the manufacturers as being capable of withstanding an attack from the AK 47, the world’s
most widely-used assault gun.
It also has
an amoured passenger cabin, bullet-resistant glass and an intercom system
allowing communication with persons outside the vehicle without having to open
doors or windows.
The BMW X5s
are small beer compared to the 20 armoured ‘military style’ Mercedes
Benz S600 Pullman
Guard cars King Mswati got in 2009 … to be used by his wives. King Mswati
rules Swaziland as sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch.
Each car was
valued at E2.5 million (about US$ 250,000) and said to be capable of
resisting an attack with small arms projectiles, a grenade or other
explosive.
At the time
of the purchase the King was furious that his subjects had dared to discuss how
much the cars might have cost.
The Swazi
Observer, the newspaper in effect owned by King Mswati, quoted an unnamed
‘source’ saying the purchase price was ‘far less’ than reported. The source did
not reveal how much the King did pay.
The Observer supported the purchase of the cars. It said, ‘Moreover, the status of our Royalty and the pride and value we attach to the institution of the Monarchy dictates that they project the correct image that inspires confidence. The cars and their safety features befit that status. So there is really nothing wrong with the purchase.’
The ‘source’
told the Observer that the money to
buy the cars was not from the government.
‘This was not abuse of taxpayers’ money and the money was not transferred from a government ministry, but these were private Royal funds. Remember that there is a budget for Royalty in Swaziland as is the case elsewhere in the world. Even the biggest democracies have such budgets,’ the ‘source’ said.
Seven in ten
of King Mswati’s 1.3 million subjects live in abject poverty, earning less than
US$2 a day. The king, whom Forbes magazine in 2009 estimated had a personal
fortune of US$200 million, has 13 palaces, a private jet, a Rolls Royce car and
a fleet of BMW cars, in addition to the Mercedes.
See also
CARS COME
BEFORE DYING CHILDREN
SWAZI KING'S
GRENADE-PROOF CARS
COST OF
SWAZILAND KING’S NEW CARS
http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2009/04/cost-of-swaziland-kings-new-cars.html
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