PAY US BEFORE YOU GO BARNEY!

Sir,

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are the backbone of the economy of Eswatini. They represent a large percentage of all businesses in the country. Economists consider SMEs and entrepreneurship as key to ensuring economic growth, innovation, job creation and social integration in the SADC region.

Our government doesn’t seem to share this sentiment. At present, my company, that is liSwati-owned and employs 23 Eswatini nationals, is owed over E1.9 million for over eight months with no hope of payment on the horizon.

One just needs to drive around the Matsapha Industrial Site to witness how many small firms have closed. We continue to face the uncompromising Swaziland Revenue Authority that wants what is due to it while we wait for government to pay months later…if ever, even imposing penalties for late payment. This is a double blow as SRA hands over revenue collected from VAT to Treasury which in turn spends this money on vanity projects and roads that aren’t really required…INSTEAD OF PAYING SMEs.

The reality is such, Mr Prime Minister, your government is broke and the backbone (SMEs) of our economy is fast crumbling under your watch where wasteful expenditure is almost normal and acceptable. Will this be your legacy?

Mr Prime Minister, do something with urgency or you will have an unpaid civil service and that will lead to political unrest. If we couple that to the numbers in relation to the unemployed / poor, disaster is imminent. We are sitting on a ticking time bomb which will be irreversible when the many emaSwati say enough is enough.

Anonymous by choice

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