News from and about Swaziland, compiled by
Global Aktion, Denmark (www.globalaktion.dk)
in collaboration with Swazi Media Commentary (www.swazimedia.blogspot.com),
and sent to all with an interest in Swaziland - free of charge.
Budget
should address unemployment – economist
By
Stanley Khumalo, Times of eSwatini, 10 February 2025
MBABANE: The youth need employment and the
National Budget Speech on Friday [14 February 2025] should address that, says
an economist. An economist in the banking sector said citizens are looking
for a budget that balances fiscal responsibility with sustainable economic
growth and social welfare, given the country’s economic challenges, rising
unemployment and cost of living pressures. With youth unemployment
estimated at 56 per cent, while overall unemployment is 35.4 per cent, the
economist said government should deliver on vocational training centres that
align with market demands.
According to the budget Circular from the
Ministry of Finance, it suggests increased allocations for key sectors.
The Ministry of Education and Training is projected to receive E4.120 billion,
up from E3.938 billion in 2024/25. Increased budgets are also anticipated
for the Ministry of Health and the Ministry for Labour and Social
Security. However, experts caution that the actual distribution of these
funds will be crucial for meaningful development. The economist said there
is need for government to prioritise job creation through targeted
infrastructure funding.
He said the construction sector was vital
for employment opportunities, adding that the budget should allocate sufficient
funds to infrastructure projects. The assertion by the economist is in
line with the mid-term budget by the minister for Finance wherein he
articulated infrastructure projects such as the Mkhondvo-Ngwavuma 1A and 1B
initiatives, the construction of a new Parliament building, water projects in
Manzini and Shiselweni, the International Convention Centre, and the Five-Star
Hotel (ICC/FISH). The economics scholar also said the budget should
accommodate skills development and capacity building. This, he said, would
equip young people with job market skills and contribute to economic growth.
The economist suggested that improving
roads and infrastructure which stands to bring returns to the taxpayer in the
short-term could have benefits by facilitating trade and market access.
Turning to education, the economist said the budget ceiling of E4.120 billion
for the Owen Nxumalo-led Ministry of Education and Training was a valuable
opportunity to reform the educational framework to meet current job market
demands. He said the urgent need to align curricula with industry needs
was essential and the economist suggested creating strong partnerships between
educational institutions and the private sector to ensure students gain
practical experience and are more employable after graduation.
To read more of this report, click
here
http://www.times.co.sz/news/149376-budget-should-address-unemployment-economist.html
See also
Budget speech: civil servants expect
at least 20% pay review
http://www.times.co.sz/news/149428-budget-speech-civil-servants-expectat-least-20-pay-review.html
King Mswati and his
delegation spending over R250million taxpayers’ money on accommodation and
allowances amid shortage of drugs in public hospitals
By
Zweli Martin Dlamini, Swaziland News, 13 February, 2025
MBABANE: King Mswati and his delegation is
allegedly spending over R50million on accommodation at the United Arab Emirates
(UAE), Dubai Atlantis expensive Hotel.
This ongoing extravagant spending within
the corridors of power, escalates at the time when the country is relying
heavily on foreign aid to fund critical social services particularly in the
health sector affected by the recent Executive Order signed by newly
inaugurated United States (US) President Donald Trump, halting donor funding.
It has been disclosed that, the King who
attended the recently held World Governments Forum this week, travelled with
about one hundred and fifty (150) members of the delegation including his
children, wife Inkhosikati Zena Mahlangu, members of the Governing Councils,
senior Government officials, security personnel, brothers and sisters.
But an investigation conducted by this
publication uncovered that, one night costs over eighty-six thousand
Rands(R86,000.00) at the Dubai Atlantis, according to information sourced from
the Hotel’s website.
This means taxpayers are paying over
R12million per-night as accommodation for the over 150 members of the King’s
delegation and this, amounts to over R50million for the four (4) days or more
King might spend in Dubai enjoying himself after attending the World
Governments Summit.
But apart from that, each member of the
delegation stands to benefit about five hundred thousand Rands (R500,000.00) as
a travelling allowance depending on the seniority and this means, taxpayers
will pay about R75million as travelling allowances for the benefit of the
King’s loyalists and close relatives within the royal family.
The total costs of the King’s trip who
will then travel to Ethiopia for the African Union Summit, allegedly amounts to
over R250million and this include his personal allowance, accommodation and
allowances for the entire delegation, costs of the private jet including
parking and security.
King Mswati’s Spokesperson Percy Simelane
told this Swaziland News earlier to contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for
a comment on issues involving traveling allowances but, Foreign Minister
Pholile Dlamini-Shakantu was not immediately available for a comment.
On another note, eSwatini is struggling
with a health crisis amid shortage of drugs in public hospitals, dozens have
died within the various hospitals since the crisis erupted.
But suppliers are also struggling to
receive payments from Government for services rendered, resulting to the
collapse of the Small and Medium Enterprise(SME) indigenous companies who do
business with the State.
The King’s Government is also struggling
to fund the University of Eswatini (UNESWA) and other State institutions of
higher learning, while a majority of civil servants are financially broke with
no salary increment.
King Mswati rules eSwatini as an absolute
Monarch and therefore, his extravagant spending is not questioned by
Parliament.
The Dubai Atlantis Hotel (pic: Atlantis)
eSwatini’s E1.2 billion corruption drain
By
Stanley Khumalo, Times of eSwatini, 11 February 2025
MBABANE: Eswatini loses an estimated E1.2
billion annually to corruption, with the health sector a prime example of
misappropriated State funds, according to an economist. As per a 2022
Public Accounts Committee (PAC) submission, the country loses approximately E91
million monthly due to corruption in government ministries and
departments. This E91 million monthly figure translates to E1.2 billion
annually, a trend reportedly ongoing since 2019. The PAC reported this figure
represents a E51 million increase from the previously reported E40 million
monthly loss, a more than 100 per cent increase. University of Eswatini
economics lecturer Sanele Sibiya said the country will not progress, regardless
of budget resources, unless corruption is addressed. He cited the Funduzi
Forensic Investigation report alleging widespread corruption in the public
health sector, calling for further investigation and prosecution by law
enforcement.
“Medication was reportedly paid for but
never delivered. There is also the 10 per cent demanded when you seek to supply
government, which in turn skyrockets the cost borne by the taxpayer,” Sibiya
said. He said all budgets outline plans to address corruption and he
expects Minister for Finance Neal Rijkenberg to do the same in his upcoming
budget address.
Sibiya urged Rijkenberg to distribute taxpayer money responsibly, with proper
accountability measures. He argued that corruption currently renders government
inefficient.
“With corruption at its current rate, nothing can be achieved.
The health crisis is a prime example of
how easy it is to loot taxpayer money and face no repercussions, as shown by
the forensic report,” he said. Sibiya emphasised that those responsible
for corrupt practices should be arrested. Echoing public sentiment from the
2023 Sibaya national dialogue, he lamented the existence of seemingly
‘untouchable’ individuals, who obstruct progress. He added that the
purported demands for money by unscrupulous civil servants in order to render
free government services, negatively impact the country, frustrating potential
investors.
The Funduzi Forensic Report, nearly a year
later after being presented to Parliament, has resulted in no arrests or
subpoenas being issued against implicated entities or individuals.
To read more of this report, click
here
http://www.times.co.sz/news/149393-eswatini%E2%80%99s-e1.2-billion-corruption-drain.html
Powering
women entrepreneurs in eSwatini
United
Nations Development Program (UNDP), February 13, 2025
The Powering Gender Equality Project is a
transformative initiative designed to address gender disparities in the energy
sector by empowering women and promoting gender equality within clean energy
systems. The project aims to strengthen gender-responsive energy governance,
enhance policy frameworks that accelerate gender equality, and promote women’s
economic empowerment. Launched as part of UNDP’s Gender Equality Strategy
2022-2025, the project aligns with the organisation’s broader mission to
challenge and reshape the social, economic, political, and environmental
systems perpetuating gender inequality. The Powering Gender Equality project is
possible thanks to the support of the Governments of Luxembourg and the
Republic of Korea through the UNDP Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment
Funding Window.
Objectives
• Building women entrepreneurs’ capacity by developing
their business and technical skills, enabling them to enter the renewable
energy market.
• Supporting the
government in enhancing gender-responsive governance in the energy sector by
increasing women’s participation and leadership in decision-making processes.
• Creating and
implementing policy frameworks accelerating gender equality in the energy
sector.
Implementation
From 2023 to 2024, the Powering Gender
Equality Project was implemented in four African countries: Ethiopia, Eswatini,
Malawi, and Madagascar.
In Eswatini, the project has supported 50 rural women with basic literacy
across the four regions, including Hhohho, Manzini, Shiselweni, and Lubombo, to
gain skills in clean technologies. UNDP implemented the project with the
Ministry of Natural Resources and Energy.
Like much of sub-Saharan Africa, Eswatini
faces significant energy access challenges, with women and girls
disproportionately affected by energy poverty. The project recognises energy
access as a critical enabler of health, education, and economic prosperity
development, directly impacting women and girls’ well-being.
In this storybook, we share the
experiences of some of the project’s participants in Eswatini and discuss how
this initiative impacted their lives. We also include interviews with our
resident representative and implementing partners.
To download the report, click here
https://www.undp.org/eswatini/publications/powering-women-entrepreneurs-eswatini
eSwatini to introduce AS-Level in
schools 2026
By
Musa Simelane, Saturday Observer (Press Reader edition), 8 February 2025
The ministry of education and training has
announced that Eswatini will officially introduce the Advanced Subsidiary (AS)
and Advanced Level (A Level) qualifications in selected schools starting in
2026.
This move is expected to significantly
enhance the country’s education system and improve students’ prospects in
global academic and professional arenas.
Speaking at a press conference, Minister
of Education and Training Owen Nxumalo emphasised the government’s commitment
to elevating Eswatini’s education standards. He stated that the introduction of
AS-level will enable local students to compete internationally.
“We must move to this level and improve
the standard of education in the country. The government is fully committed to
ensuring this is achieved,” Nxumalo said.
The ministry revealed that a pilot phase
of AS-level had already been conducted, and feedback from headteachers and key
stakeholders, including the Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT),
was positive. The Education Council of Eswatini (ECESWA) CEO Mandlenkhosi
Dlamini confirmed that preparations were well underway, including teacher
training initiatives.
According to Dlamini, ECESWA has partnered
with Cambridge University, which will initially set and mark AS-level
examination papers. Cambridge will also conduct training sessions for local
teachers, who will later transfer their knowledge to fellow educators.
To read more of this report, click here
https://www.pressreader.com/eswatini/saturday-observer-eswatini-9ZB4/20250208/281612426105251
King’s
housing plan for poor delayed 15 years
By
Mfanukhona Nkambule, Times Sunday, 9 February 2025
MBABANE: On February 12, 2010, His Majesty
the King emphatically commanded government to lay the foundation for a national
housing project. This was during his speech from the Throne, which
marked the official opening of the second session of the ninth
Parliament. Envisioning a grandiose plan encapsulated in a budget of E1.5
billion, Ingwenyama’s aspiration was crystal clear – ‘to guarantee the
provision of decent housing for citizens’. “Yet, over a decade and a half
later, one cannot help but question whether this royal edict has faded into an
echo within the corridors of power,” a concerned government official,
preferring to speak on condition of anonymity, said.
The King’s royal directive emphasised that
access to adequate housing is a fundamental need, not only for public servants,
but also for every member of the nation. Back in 2010, His Majesty opened the
second session of the ninth Parliament with these poignant words, urging both
the private and public sectors to galvanise their resolve and consolidate
efforts towards this noble endeavour. However, the Times SUNDAY can reveal
that governmental efforts veered towards what became widely known as the ‘institutional
housing project’, a shift which honed its focus primarily on lodging for public
servants.
This, perhaps, inadvertent neglect of the
King’s broader vision meant many of those most in need continued to
wait. Fast forward to January 31, 2025, the King once again seized the
opportunity to revive his unfulfilled edict. In his address marking the
official opening of the second session of the 12th Parliament, the King
reiterated, with evident candour, the critical need to provide decent shelters
for the less privileged.
His words echoed a growing national
concern about the rising spectre of urban slums, necessitating urgent
government intervention to ensure vulnerable emaSwati are not condemned to such
conditions. Echoing his previous speeches, His Majesty noted: “Further
efforts are being made by government and its partners to accord decent shelters
for the less privileged.”
His call was not merely for government intervention, but also for collaborative
efforts with the private sector, underlining the necessity for a unified
approach in providing affordable housing solutions for emaSwati. This, he
emphasised, is a basic necessity for everyone, reinforcing sentiments he first
expressed 15 years ago.
The King said ‘urgent attention’ needs to
be given to avoid emerging slums in the future.
To read more of this report, click
here
http://www.times.co.sz/news/149356-king%E2%80%99s-housing-plan-for-poor-delayed-15-years.html
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