MBABANE: King Mswati, an absolute Monarch, now owns watches collectively worth close to R1billion in a country where about 70% of the population lives below the poverty line.
The World Food Programme(WFP), in its 2021 report, disclosed that over two hundred and thirty-four thousand (234 000) eMaswati who are urgently in need of food-aid, were supported by the United Nations(UN) agency through various programmes.
“WFP supported over 234,000 food insecure people through activities implemented to support shock-affected communities, smallholder farmers as well as people living with HIV in Eswatini. This fact-sheet outlines WFP’s key achievements in providing lifesaving assistance in Eswatini in 2021,” reads the WFP report in part, seen by this publication.
But, apart from the hunger affecting the majority of the citizens particularly, in the poverty stricken Lubombo region, eSwatini is facing serious shortage of drugs and as result, hundreds of eMaswati are reportedly dying within the various government hospitals.
The watches allegedly owned by the King include, among others,a Ruby Set Jacob and Co worth R9million($500,000.00), a Twin Turbo Baquette worth R23million($1.3million) a Billionaire Ashoka worth R126millon($7million) and a Brilliant Art Deco R13million($750,000.00).
The King also owns an Astronomer Tour-billion Art Lion worth R10million($600,000.00) a Ghost with Baguette Diamonds worth R10million($600,000.00), a Grand Baguette Time Zone worth R18million ($1million), a Rolex GMT Master II in Diamond worth R5million ($264,000.00), a Rose Gold Royal worth R750,000.00($42,500.00), a Yellow Gold RolexDay Date with Diamond worth R700,000.00($42,219.00).
Reached for comments on Saturday afternoon, King Mswati’s Spokesperson Percy Simelane said, he was aware of the allegations suggesting that the King owns expensive watches.
But the King’s Spokesperson clarified that, such allegations were not supported and/or substantiated with proof like purchase receipts.
“We find it difficult though to base our response on allegations that are not supported by copies of purchase receipts.Secondly we feel it would be invasion of privacy on our part to commit on the King's wardrobe because it is privately run and replenished confidentially.We also are not aware of any public policy on his private expenditure,” said the King’s Spokesperson when responding to a questionnaire from this Swaziland News.
On another note,Mswati extravagant spending continues amid public outcry regarding the non-availability of drugs in hospitals.
The Swaziland United Democratic Front(SUDF), a coalition of eSwatini pro-democracy groups, has been delivering petitions within the various hospitals and/or clinics, they are demanding that government must supply the drugs as crisis escalates, resulting to the death of dozens of patients.
Reached for comments, Lucky Dlamini, the SUDF Chairperson said, eSwatini was struggling in terms of social services,Dlamini attributed the crisis to poor leadership.
“The people are feeling abandoned by the King and the Tinkhundla government particularly, on the issue of the health crisis where hospitals are struggling due to the non-availability of drugs. We can’t have a leader who behaves like the King, taking care of himself while neglecting the people.This problem of poor leadership under the authority of the King will not just go-away. Swazis must solve it, they must stand-up and fight for their rights,” said the Chairperson of the Swaziland United Democratic Front(SUDF).
Eswatini has about 70% of the population living below the poverty line, a majority of the citizens survive through subsistence farming.
But, with the scarcity of farming equipment and/or material and the ever-changing weather conditions influenced by climate-change, some eSwatini citizens are struggling to afford a decent meal.
The country relies heavily on foreign aid to fund social services services that include Free Primary Education(FPE) and health while public funds and/or taxes are used to sustain the lavish lifestyle of King Mswati.
King Mswati wearing one of his expensive watches.