Swaziland Govt publishes long list of exceptions to coronavirus ‘lockdown’

The Government of Swaziland (eSwatini) has published a long list of occupations that will be exempted from the 20-day lockdown against the coronavirus recently announced.

The Minister of Public Service Christian Ntshangase said at any one time half all public servants will be expected at work while the other half worked from home.

He told a press conference on Wednesday (25 March 2020), ‘All essential services within the civil service including fire and emergency services, health services, meteorology services and security services will not be affected by this new system as they are expected to be fully at work.’

At the same press conference the Swazi Commerce Minister Manqoba Khumalo identified the following industries as essential during the partial lockdown: food retailers, consumer goods suppliers, manufacturers, agriculture and agro-processing, public transport, cross-border transport, fuel stations, financial services, waste disposal services, health workers and emergency response workers, fire and emergency services, security services, water and sanitation services, pharmacies and telecommunications.

On Tuesday King Mswati III, Swaziland’s absolute monarch, declared the kingdom was to go into partial lockdown for 20 days from 27 March 2020.

He banned people from making all unnecessary movements and visits outside the perimeters of their home ‘except to provide or acquire essential services’.

Non-essential travel between towns, cities and regions of the country is no longer permitted, except for medical reasons or to provide or acquire essential services. Public transport will continue to operate only for essential movement and with one metre distance between passengers. All bars are to closed but bottle stores will be allowed to operate from 11am–6pm on Mondays to Saturdays. 

Schools, colleges and universities were closed last week after King Mswati declared a state of emergency.

As of 25 March 2020 there have been no reported deaths in Swaziland from coronavirus. Five people have reportedly tested positive.

At Wednesday’s press conference Agriculture Minister Jabulani Mabuza said the government would ensure that there were no food shortages during the partial lockdown. ‘We have instructed all importers of critical grains to stock up sufficient volumes,’ he said.

Mabuza added, ‘We request community leaders to indicate shortages of basic food items in their communities so that we can facilitate availability. We also encourage those who have food commodities to use them sparingly and practice barter trade with those in need.’

See also

King puts Swaziland into partial lockdown in bid to beat coronavirus. Army and police on standby

https://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2020/03/king-puts-swaziland-into-partial.html

 

Swaziland King declares state of emergency over coronavirus. Schools closed, foreign travel suspended

https://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2020/03/swaziland-king-declares-state-of.html

Swaziland King in self-isolation over coronavirus threat, more cases confirmed

https://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2020/03/swaziland-king-in-self-isolation-over.html

Coronavirus: Swaziland hospitals in crisis, PM forms emergency task groups

https://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2020/03/coronavirus-swaziland-hospitals-in.html
 

Swaziland hospital thrown into confusion as suspected coronavirus patient admitted

https://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2020/03/swaziland-hospital-thrown-into.html
 

Swaziland nurses refuse to treat patients until they get protective equipment

https://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2020/03/swaziland-nurses-refuse-to-treat.html

Swaziland Freezes Govt Recruitment and Promotions as Cash Crisis Bites, But PM Will Still Get Retirement Home

The Government of Swaziland (recently renamed Eswatini) has frozen all job hiring, promotions and creation of new posts because it is broke.

The decision had been long expected but was finally confirmed at the beginning of August.

Evart Madlopha, Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Public Service, announced this to principal secretaries and heads of departments through Establishment Circular No. 3 of 2018.

It read in part, ‘This state of affairs has been necessitated by the current financial situation in the country and the cash flow problems faced by government.’

Meanwhile, the Swazi Government confirmed it would go ahead with building the outgoing Prime Minister Barnabas Dlamini a retirement home worth at least E3 million.

According to a report in the Observer on Saturday newspaper in Swaziland (11 August 2018) the government plans E560 million (US$40 million) in cuts, including more than E49 million to upgrade schools and colleges in the kingdom. E50 million will be cut from the health budget.

As of 30 June 2018 Swaziland owed a total of E12.9 billion, the equivalent of 20.8 percent of the kingdom’s GDP. Of that nearly E3 billion was owed to suppliers of goods and services.

All areas of public services have been hit by the financial crisis as companies refuse to supply the government until outstanding bills are dealt with, announced it had run out of stocks of medicines because the government has not paid its bills.

In July Swazipharm, Swaziland’s largest distributor of pharmaceutical products and medical equipment to the healthcare system of Swaziland, including government hospitals, private hospitals, local government, clinics, humanitarian organisations, private organisations, missionaries, pharmacies and chemists, reported it was running out of stocks because bills had not been paid.

Long before Swazipharm’s announcement medicines, including  vaccines against polio and tuberculosis had run out in many government hospitals and clinics because drug suppliers had not been paid. In June 2017, Senator Prince Kekela told parliament  that at least five people had died as a result of the drug shortages. About US$18 million was reportedly owed to drug companies in May 2017.

In June 2018 it was reported that children collapsed with hunger in their school because the government had not paid for food for them. The kingdom had previously been warned to expect children to starve because the government had not paid its suppliers for the food that is distributed free of charge at schools. The shortage was reported to be widespread across the kingdom.

Meanwhile, King Mswati III who rules Swaziland as one of the world’s last absolute monarchs wore a watch worth US$1.6 million and a suit beaded with gold weighing 6 kg, at his 50^th birthday party in April. Days earlier he took delivery of his second private jet, a A340 Airbus, that after VIP upgrades reportedly cost US$30 million. He received E15 million in cheques, a gold dining room suite and a gold lounge suite among his birthday gifts. He now has two private planes, 13 palaces and fleets of top-of-the-range BMW and Mercedes cars.

Seven in ten of Swaziland’s 1.1 million population live in abject poverty with incomes less than the equivalent of US$2 per day. 

Despite the funding crisis, the Swazi Government has also earmarked E1.5bn to build a conference centre and five-star hotel to host the African Union summit in 2020 that will last only eight days. There are also plans for a new parliament building that will cost E2.3 billion.

Meanwhile, the World Food Program has said it cannot raise the US$1.1 million it needs to feed starving children in the kingdom in the coming six months.

See also

Only 12 Govt Ambulances in Whole Kingdom

https://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2018/06/only-12-govt-ambulances-in-kingdom.html

Swaziland Admits it is Broke

https://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2018/06/swaziland-admits-it-is-broke.html