MBABANE: Government now survives with donations from private companies and international partners while billions of taxes paid by the people sustain King Mswati’s lavish lifestyle.
Taxes in eSwatini include the Value Added Tax(VAT), Pay as You Earn(PAYE) and Corporate Tax among others.
On Wednesday, Minister of Health Lizzie Nkosi received a donation of Two Hundred Thousand Rands(R200,000.00) from MTN Foundation towards the Ministry of Health\'s Cataract Project.
According to a Government online report, the project is based at the Mbabane Government Hospital and has benefitted mostly the elderly afflicted by cataract,an eye condition which is also one of the leading causes of blindness.
“In addition to the support for surgical procedures to remove cataracts, the project has also been instrumental in ensuring an uninterrupted supply of eye medication, consumables and surgical instruments. In 2015, MTN donated a 15-seater mini bus towards the project\",said Dr Vusi Magagula who was representing the Minister of Health.
Reached for comments, Wandile Dludlu, the Secretary General of the People’s United Democratic Movement(PUDEMO)said there was enough evidence suggesting that more taxpayers money is used for royal pleasure and leisure.
“That is not just a Hospital but a National Referral Hospital, even if they donated R20million that would have been too little, then what is R200,000.00? Under the current political system, more money is used for royal pleasure and leisure,” said the PUDEMO President.
MTN Foundation donated R200,000.00 to ESwatini government.