As the money runs out it seems Swazi people are slowly being awakened to the concept of change, according to this report for the BBC Focus on Africa, broadcast on Tuesday (1 March 2011).
Louise Redvers talks to people who see that the present economic meltdown in the kingdom ruled by King Mswati III, sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch, as an opportunity to press for democratic change.
To hear the report click here.
The national budget for Swaziland presented last month (February 2011) could prove to be one of the most important in the the kingdom’s recent history. Swaziland is close to economic meltdown and the government is prepared to go cap in hand to the African Development Bank to get a loan to allow it to pay its bills.
But, before it can secure a $US75 million (E525 million) loan, it must convince the International Monetary Fund that it is competent to run an economy. The budget is one of the major weapons in its armoury. The details of how much it is prepared to spend in the coming years and how it will do so is contained in the budget estimates.
It will come as no surprise to you to learn that the Swazi Government is reluctant to publish the document widely. Without full disclosure, the government, hand-picked by King Mswati III, sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch, can control what we know and what we don’t know.
As I revealed on Tuesday (1 March 2011), one of the things the government didn’t want us to know is that while most government departments will be expected to slash budget by 20 percent, King Mswati and his Royal Family will get 23 percent MORE in the coming year. And this is an increase of 63 percent on 2009/2010.
I have managed to obtain a copy of the budget and I have uploaded it onto the Internet. You can read it by clicking below. Or you can read and download it here. Or here.
The document is 139 pages long. In the version I have eight pages are missing. These pages detail the capital expenditure plans for the coming three years. Why are they missing? I don’t know, but it makes me suspicious: What is it they are trying to hide from us?
If any reader has the missing pages, I’d be very happy to receive them – no questions asked and all confidences respected.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) delegation to Swaziland has told the Swazi Government some home truths about the economic mess in the kingdom.
Top of the list is that the crisis is of the government’s own making and it is its responsibility - and not the IMF’s - to get Swaziland out of it. The government makes the decisions, the only thing the IMF can do is to give advice, Joannes Mongardini, the head of the IMF delegation to Swaziland, said.
‘It is up to the government to decide on the ways through which it wants to adjust. We are advising the government to adjust for the next three years,’ he said.
He went on, ‘We prescribe the solution and it is up to the patient to comply. You can only help a friend if he wants to be helped. But government is now beginning to understand the situation and seeking our advice.’
Mongardini revealed that it was the Swazi Government that had wanted to cut 7,000 civil servants’ jobs, and not the IMF. The IMF advised the government wage bill should be cut by 5 per cent; how that was done was up to the government.
‘We have advised that it’s better to reduce salaries than to cut employment. The large cuts should come from the top,’ Mongardini said.
This news surprised many people since the Swazi Government had allowed us to believe the jobs cuts were forced upon it by the IMF.
‘Government proposed the 7 000 job cuts, not us. Government came to us with the FAR [Government’s proposals for getting out of the economic mess] and we said we were willing to help. This is a home-grown solution,’ Mongardini said.
The IMF prefers that the savings should come from wage cuts from top earners. When you realise that those earning the most are the Swaziland Prime Minister, his deputy, cabinet ministers and members of parliament, you can see why the government prefers to see jobs cuts so that other people suffer and not themselves.
The IMF also said Tibiyo TakaNgwane should pay tax. Tibiyo was created by Royal Charter in August 1968 by King Sobhuza II. According to the Times of Swaziland, the only independent daily newspaper in the kingdom, at the time of formation it was said that it was being created for government’s national development efforts.
Tibiyo owns the Swazi Observer and many investments in property, agriculture and other industries.
What the Times didn’t tell us is that these days the money generated from Tibiyo goes to King Mswati III, sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch, so the chances of it ever being taxed are remote indeed.
The IMF left Swaziland this week and promised to return soon if there were signs that the Swaziland Government was making a real effort to solve the economic crisis.
It wants to see progress on collecting taxes, reducing the wage bill and abolishing the government’s budgeting and planning committee. If these things are in place by June it is possible that later in 2011 the IMF would support Swaziland’s application to the African Development Bank (ADB) for a $US75 million (E525 million) loan.
See also
WHY THE IMF MUST DITCH SWAZILAND
http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2011/02/why-imf-must-ditch-swaziland.html
The Facebook group formed to ‘topple’ King Mswati III of Swaziland says it does not seek a violent overthrow.
It is just a group of ‘ordinary citizens about to do a very important task in our country of birth’, it says.
The April 12 Uprising group received international attention after it called on Swazi people to take to the streets.
But, it says, its intentions have been misrepresented, especially by the Times of Swaziland, the kingdom’s only independent daily newspaper.
In a statement, the April 12 Uprising said it wants pro-democracy groups to support its call. The Swaziland Solidarity Network (SSN) has given its backing, but the Swaziland Coalition of Concerned Civic Organisations (SCCCO), has distanced itself from the movement.
The April 12 Uprising said it would go ahead with or without the support of other organisations.
The statement said, ‘We want to further clarify that our uprising is a popular mass demonstration which is founded upon the principles of non-violence as espoused by Martin Luther King and followed by the North African states who are currently liberating themselves from oppression. We do not posses any arms, Molotov cocktails or any military training. We are just ordinary citizens about to do a very important task in our country of birth.’
It went on, ‘It is therefore completely sensationalist for agencies like the Times of Swaziland to portray our uprising as being a violent one.’
The April 12 Uprising said, ‘No part of our group’s stated objectives mentions violence as a tactic. The truth is that any logical thinking person would know that no sane group would publicly declare a violent overthrow of its government and even state the date and venue for this.
A vigil for legal reform for women in Swaziland is to be held in London, UK, next Tuesday (8 March 2011).
It runs from 4pm – 5pm at the Swazi High Commission, 20 Buckingham Gate, London, SW1E 6LB (5 mins from St. James’ Park or Victoria tube stations).
The 8 March is the Centenary of International Women’s Day, yet women worldwide still experience gross discrimination and violations of their human rights and fundamental freedoms.
In Swaziland, women are not adequately protected by law from sexual violence, domestic violence or forced marriage. Most married women have no legal status independently of their husbands and cannot own property, leaving some with an impossible choice between violent abuse or utter destitution.
The vigil is organised by Amnesty International UK and Action for Southern Africa (ACTSA).
To find out more please email ACTSA.
