Story By: Lee Bullen,Sub Editor: Joseph Golder,Agency: Central European News
An opposition MP has claimed that the extravagant King of Swaziland has bought a further “120 BMWs and 30 motorbikes” after sparking outrage last week with the purchase of Rolls Royce cars for his 15 wives.
According to local media, the secretary-general of the People’s United Democratic Movement (Pudemo), Wandile Dludlu, called the monarch’s lavish spending a “blatant display of arrogance”.
At a time when civil servants are demanding a pay rise and escalating cost of living affects residents, King Mswati III reportedly imported 19 Rolls Royce vehicles at a cost to the taxpayer of 250 million SZL (13.2 million GBP).
Dludlu said: “The shameless King continues to spoil himself and his family, totally oblivious to the myriad of problems afflicting the people he claims to lead. Last week, a total of 19 Rolls Royce cars were delivered to Swaziland for the exclusive use of the King, his mother and wives and the total cost of these vehicles to the Swazi taxpayer was over 250 million SZL.”
Mswati III is the 51-year-old king of Eswatini, also known as Swaziland – and dubbed by some as the world’s most unequal country.
According to NGOs, 10 percent of the population is responsible for around half of the nation’s consumption.
In criticism of the king of the small landlocked country in southern Africa, award-winning journalist Mzilikazi wa Afrika wrote: “Heartbreaking news: Amidst all the economic challenges [in] eSwazitini, King Mswati III decided to bless his wives with very expensive wheels.”
The post, which was widely circulated on social media, included images of the vehicles arriving on transporters.
Opposition secretary general Dludlu said: “Notwithstanding the outrage of Swazis over the purchase of the Rolls Royce vehicles, the King Mswati-led government continued to rub salt into the gaping wound suffered by people by purchasing a further 120 BMWs and 30 motorbikes.
“He is basically showing them a middle finger and proving to all and sundry that he is a law unto himself and not at all concerned about the people’s concerns. As Pudemo, we strongly condemn in the strongest possible terms this brazen looting of the oppressed people of Swaziland’s hard earned taxes.”
Dludlu called on residents to “stand up and face up to this evil regime that continues to keep us in bondage”.
He added: “Under no circumstances can we allow one family to continuously condemn us to poverty. It is about time that we fight back and reclaim what rightfully belongs to us.”
Dludlu also claimed that civil servants have not received a promised pay rise in three years while the country’s healthy system is on the verge of collapse.
Earlier this month, public service workers took to the streets of the capital Mbabane to protest against the king’s spending.
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