MBABANE: Commerce Minister Mancoba Khumalo says workers some who earned a mere $70,00(about R1,100.00) risked loosing their jobs as pro-democracy protests against King Mswati intensify.
Speaking during a press conference held in Mbabane on Monday, the Minister whose government approved Gazettes authorizing employers to ‘underpay’ workers thus throwing them deeper into poverty said the ongoing threats and arson attacks on business would leave more emaSwati jobless, throwing them into poverty.
“We would like to appeal to all emaSwati to discourage this behaviour and reiterate that there is no room for such anarchy in our society,\" said the Minister.
Eswatini is a country with about 70% of the population living below the poverty line, political parties are banned from participating in elections.
Reached for comments, Wander Mkhonza, the Secretary General of the Almagated Trade Union of Swaziland(ATUSWA) said the Minister must stop talking about job security saying workers were struggling while being employed.
“We want to warn the Minister to refrain from using workers when uttering his usual lies and propaganda. He cannot speak about jobs because the people he referred to as workers are like those who are not working, some of them can’t afford to save a mere E50.00($3.30) per month. It’s better for the workers to fight for democracy and live a better life thereafter”, said the ATUSWA Secretary General.
Commerce Minister Mancoba Khumalo