MANZINI:Sihawu Simelane(30),a Diploma in Business Management graduate is now a street vendor selling chicken insides after failing to secure employment for the past five(5)years.
Eswatini is a tiny Kingdom with about 70% of the population living below the poverty line, the country is ruled by multi-billionaire King Mswati as an absolute Monarch.
Speaking to this Swaziland News on Friday, Simelane said she used to operate a boutique business at Madlangemphisi, but it was unfortunately looted during last 29th June 2021 political unrest.
“We can’t be sitting and doing nothing because we are not employed,but we need to venture in whatever business so we can earn a living since the cost of living is very high",she said.
When reached for comments, Lucky Dlamini, the President of the Swaziland Unemployed People's Movement (SUPMO) said it was becoming very hard to survive in this country due to high unemployment rate.
“If the Government is committed in ending poverty as they say,they should train the young enterprenuers on finances and skills needed for them to successfully run businesses,”said the SUPMO President.
Phila Buthelezi, the Minister of Labour and Social Security had not responded at the time of compiling this report.
According to statistics from the International Labour Organisation (ILO) ,the unemployment rate among the youth in Eswatini is at 46.22%.
Reached for comments, Colani Hlatswako, the One Billion Rising Africa Coordinator said the level of poverty remained high in eSwatini adding that women were the most affected.
“As a country, we must work towards eradicating poverty instead of dealing with the symptoms. We would like to applaud this woman for being brave and think of other alternative means of survival instead of sitting down. But as mentioned,we need to eradicate poverty because it also contributes to Gender Based Violence(GBV)”, said the One Billion Rising Africa Coordinator.
Graduate Sihawu Simelane is now a street vendor.