The proposed introduction of toll gates in the country as per the Road Authority Bill will not only dig deeper into the pockets of motorists but it will further push ordinary citizens who use public transport deeper into poverty as public transport operators would be forced to increase bus fares to cover the costs.
Perhaps, it is now becoming clear even in the eyes of the illiterate that this Government that belongs to King Mswati wants to push more Swazis into poverty by collecting almost everything from their pockets regardless of the financial challenges among the citizens that was worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic.
It should be noted that systems are already in place to make sure that even before they are born, Swazis are systematically made to permanently sink in poverty. It doesn’t matter whether you are educated or not, employed or unemployed, the ultimate goal here is to make sure only the royal family and King’s loyalists enjoy a luxurious life not the ordinary citizens who were referred to as timfucuta by the late Ludzidzini Governor Timothy Velabo(TV)Mtsetfwa.
As a result, we are now beginning to see even Lecturers who produce graduates engaging in strike actions. These are highly regarded professionals but as poverty knocks in their doors, they now forced to protest just like the other Swazis. particularly members of the progressive movement, some who went through torture, trying to open the eyes of the citizens so they can see that royalty is the greatest enemy of the people.
This means as Swazis delay to remove this illegitimate government, we will see even professionals with highest qualifications begging for food, for now Lecturers are complaining with working equipment, the time will come when they will report for duty on empty stomachs, that’s the ultimate goal of this regime.
Now, if Government frustrated Lecturers with ‘low wages’ such that they subsequently resolved to protest, what are about the ordinary Swazis in the various industries who are paid less than $100.00(E1500.00) and they are expected to survive with that money in a country where electricity and other basic commodities and or necessities of life were intentionally made expensive?.
As if that was not enough, the King's Government now wants to subject ordinary citizens to a systematic hike in bus fares through the proposed toll gates that will result to high costs of living,, life is literally becoming a struggle for the poor in this country.
It should be noted that apart from the toll gates, Swazis are already buying medication from Pharmacies because the health system has collapsed, no drugs in hospitals. This means there are costs that were added to the monthly budget of every Swazi caused by Government's failure to fulfil social obligations despite the fact that the Eswatini Revenue Authority(SRA) continues to grab more money from the people.
It is for these reasons we are now seeing even Lecturers engaging in strike actions, the political system has been developing strategies not to improve the lives of the citizens but to push even professionals deeper into poverty.
Even those who tried to establish businesses have a story to tell as the King unleashed SRA to grab everything, as mentioned, the ultimate goal for this current Government is push more Swazis into poverty.
As SRA continues to terrorise businesses and ordinary citizens grabbing almost everything from their bank accounts, no maintenance of roads, no working equipment in schools and the health system has been turned into a slaughter house for Swazis, people go to hospitals to die due to the non-availability of drugs.
This means, the taxes collected from the people sustain the lavish lifestyle of the King and as his children grow, producing their own children, institutions like the SRA are expected to intensify the collection of taxes to strengthen Mswati's empire.
But then, we can’t expect King Mswati to take care of the Nation, he was never elected by the people and as a result does not have a political bond and or a social contract with the people, he was just lucky to be born and found a Nation that was bullied into submission.
Despite the fact that he was never employed, the King has become one of the richest Monarchies in the world, he accumulated his wealth by stealing money from the people and as his appetite for money grow, he wants to steal more hence the introduction of the toll gates.
It should be noted that in a democratic country where the Government is accountable to the people, funds collected through toll gates are used to improve roads and or enhance infrastructure development for economic growth, however, in this tiny Kingdom ruled by an absolute Monarch who accounts to himself, toll gates would be turned into money generating machine for royalty.
King Mswati is a shareholder at Eswatini MTN, Swazi Mobile and through his Government, he owns the Eswatini Post and Telecommunications Corporation(EPTC). He holds shares through the multi-billion Tibiyo TakaNgwane in various companies in the country that underpay workers with impunity so that the King and his capitalists can generate more profit.
But despite the multi-billion investments and or shares from various giant companies, the King felt that cannot be enough, he wants to grab more money from the poor through this politically motivated toll gates project.
This country is now sustained by foreign donors who donate even vaccines, but more money is collected from the people to sustain the lavish lifestyle of the King.
In conclusion, it is of paramount importance to state that the problem here is the political system that gave the King absolute powers, Swazis must elect their own Government that would account to them on how monies collected from the people through these proposed toll gates were utilised.
King Mswati(pic: DM)