More than 8,000
people have been laid off from their jobs in Swaziland (eSwatini)
because of the coronavirus lockdown presently gripping the kingdom.
The figure, released
by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, does not include unknown
numbers of people who work for themselves or in the informal economy. The
figures only included those firms that had officially informed the ministry.
The number out of work is therefore expected to grow.
In a statement released on Monday (4 May 2020) Minister
of Labour and Social Security Makhosi Vilakati said 43 companies had laid off a
total of 8,429 workers. Of those 8,121 were from six companies in the textile
industry.
Swaziland has been in a partial lockdown since 27
March with only essential services allowed to operate. The laid-off workers are
not being paid.
Vilakati said he expected the workers to get their
jobs back when the crisis was over.
Meanwhile, the Times
of eSwatini reported, the Acting
Commissioner of Labour Mthunzi Shabangu said that there were more than 20
companies which had reported that they would be forced to lay off workers
because of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Shabangu said more than 5,000 workers had been affected to date and that
figure might double.
Landlords in the industrial town of Matsapha where many
textile firms are based have reportedly evicted tenants from their homes
because of non-payment of rent. The eSwatini Observer reported on Monday that people had
been seen vacating one-bedroom flats during the weekend.
It reported, ‘Most of those who were moving out
made it clear that they could no longer stay in the rented flats because they
were in arrears for March and April and landlords were uncompromising when it
comes to rent.
‘What makes the situation worse, according to some textile workers, is
that they are not sure if they would still have their jobs when the situation
normalises.’
One woman told the Observer, ‘I am a textile factory worker and
due to the spread of the COVID-19, we were told to stay home without pay.
Things have been hard for me, I can barely put food on the table for my
three children.’
See also
Swaziland
Govt. confirms it will not feed the starving in towns and cities during
coronavirus lockdown
People
face ‘imminent death from hunger’ in Swaziland as coronavirus lockdown hits
poorest
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