Times Of Swaziland: SIKHANYISO SLAMS TAX LAWS

SIKHANYISO SLAMS TAX LAWS
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 BY NTOMBI MHLONGO on 06/12/2018 05:26:00


EZULWINI - The country’s strategies of making money through tax should not be
at the detriment of emaSwati.
This was said by Minister of Information, Communication and Technology (ICT)
Princess Sikhanyiso, who said the country’s tax laws were adverse towards
investor appetite to participate in business.
As a result, the country was only focused on making money through taxing the
people instead of reviewing the laws that stifled foreign investments.
In vernacular the princess said, “Live aliyakhe imali kodvwa hhayi
ngemaSwati”.
Making her submission after a presentation by the Eswatini Revenue Authority
(SRA) at the Happy Valley Hotel yesterday, the minister first stated that she
wanted to mourn (kulila) for the country, and then started describing the many
ways in which she felt the tax laws were a problem.
“Right now as we are speaking, there are companies all over the country that
are being owed by government. How do you collect taxes from such companies when
they are being owed? I am asking this because we all know the current financial
situation of the country,” she said.
Concerned
She said she was also concerned about how the country’s laws allowed for the
taxation of donations made by foreign organisations.
“One example I have is that of a broadband innovation that was to cater for
hospitals. The technology came and could not be used because of the demand for
tax. Why are donations taxable? My view is that they are as good as coming from
NGOs,” she said.
In jest, she mentioned that she was even surprised that the country now taxed
churches, which meant that Jesus Christ Himself was the victim.
Expanding on her submission, she mentioned that His Majesty King Mswati III had
given the new government a mandate to identify economic development projects on
various sectors, including agriculture.