By Bongiwe Dlamini

MBABANE: After purchasing two more jets, King Mswati’s Government allegedly reduced a budget of R120million for health workers’ salaries and subsequently retrenched them.

Eswatini is facing a health crisis in the midst of a political unrest, about 70% of the population living below the poverty line is struggling to access health care, this include women and children.

An independent investigation by this Swaziland News uncovered that four hundred and ten(410)nurses who were employed on contracts were retrenched, this comes after Government failed to sustain their salaries due to the reduced budget that now stands at R70million.

Reached for comments, Mayibongwe Masangane,the Secretary General of the Swaziland Democratic Nurses Union(SWADNU)confirmed that Government reduced the budget and subsequently retrenched the nurses after struggling to pay their salaries.

“You will recall that when the COVID-19 pandemic started, Government employed four hundred and ten(410) nurses on contracts, their salaries were under a R120million budget.Government later told us that the budget has been reduced to R70million and contracts for these nurses were not renewed.These are the nurses who risked their lives to fight the COVID-19 and now Government is treating them like this,”said Nurses Union Secretary General.

A questionnaire was sent to Health Minister Lizzie Nkosi,however,she had not responded at the time of compiling this report.

Reached for comments, Mbongseni Shabangu, the Secretary General of the Swaziland Democratic Party(SWADEPA) said as a political organization, they were aware of the matter and described it a total disregard of human rights.

“Access to health is a human right and what is happening is a total disregard of human rights by the Government.This means most clinics particularly in the rural areas would be closed due to the shortage of nurses,” said the SWADEPA Secretary General.

On another note, it has been disclosed that Mswati spent more millions hosting his Buganu ceremony this weekend in the midst of a health crisis with various hospitals facing the shortage of drugs.