Story by: Phumlani Dlamini

Government of the Kingdom of Eswatini is too broke to pay suppliers who rendered their services during the 50/50 Celebration.

The Swazi News (sister publication of the Times of Swaziland) reported that suppliers expressed shock upon submitting their invoices as they were told that they would recieve their payment directly from some of the companies that made pleages during fundraising for the celebration. The suppliers who are expecting payment from the ministry of Home Affairs which was governing the whole celebration expressed that they had been dealing with the ministry for years and they have never had a situation where they had to get their money from someone else.

Speaking to the Swazi News, Home Affairs Principal Secritary, Anthony Masilela acknowledged that the suppliers will be getting their payment directly from the pledges. On the question of whether government has taken long in paying suppliers of the 50th aniversary celebration, the PS said according to the time that government ussually takes to pay suppliers, they are still on point.

Last Wednesday, Eswazi Finance Minister Martin Dlamini told the House of Assembly that government was experiencing cash flow problems. There has been a number of public outcry regarding government’s financial situation. Public servants have not been given salary increases for the past two years, and nurses and doctors have been locked in a series of meetings about their poor working conditions.

Primary school pupils in major public schools have gone hungry after the government failed to deliver food for feeding programmes, and some pupils in southern Swaziland reportedly fainted from hunger. The school feeding scheme was introduced after enrolment and performance was found to be poor because of the severe drought, as well as the increase in child-headed homes as a result of HIV/Aids.

On Wednesday, Swazi Finance Minister Martin Dlamini told the House of Assembly that government was experiencing cash flow problems.