The caption of this photo from England says:
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince [Consort] Philip, Duke of Edinburgh greet King Mswati III of Swaziland as he arrives at a lunch for Sovereign Monarchs held in honour of Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee, at Windsor Castle, on May 18, 2012 in Windsor, England. May 17, 2012 – Source: WPA Pool/Getty Images Europe.
Translated from NOS TV in the Netherlands:
King Mswati gives himself a pay rise
Thursday, May 15, 2014, 16:56
King Mswati of Swaziland has given himself a raise. The ruler of one of the poorest countries in Africa gets 10 percent more, bringing the salary to a cool 45 million euro per year.
The contrast with his fellow Swazis is big. The average person in Swaziland lives on less than 75 euro cents a day. Human rights groups have also strongly criticized the extravagant lifestyle of the king.
Luxury goods
Mswati has absolute power in his country. Therefore, he can decide on the increase of his allowance and budget himself. The parliament does not dare to contradict him.
A part of the salary increase is for the maintenance of his palaces. The king has more than a dozen wives who need to be housed separately and must be fitted with cars and other luxury goods.
King Mswati III has 24 children with these women.
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Totally immoral. King Mswati also refuses to acknowledge the prevalence of HIV in his country. Consequently thousands of people never go on treatment.
And even if His Majesty would not be in denial about HIV, then most people would not have the money for treatment.
Swazi sugar workers strike
Around 3,000 plantation workers at Ubombo Sugar, Swaziland, part of Illovo Sugar Company, have come out on strike for pay increases of between 10 and 14 percent. The company has offered 7 percent. One of the striking workers said, “We have learnt the lessons from our brothers in South Africa, at Marikana. We must fight injustice even at the cost of our lives.”
Members of the Swaziland Agricultural Plantation Workers Union (SAPWU) are into their second week of action.
In addition, 1,000 sugar cane workers at Tambankulu Estates Swaziland, controlled by South African-based Tongaat Hulett, came out on strike June 12. Seven hundred protested at the company’s administration offices, hoping to confront management over their demand for a 10 percent pay increase.
http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2014/06/27/work-j27.html
Swazi sugar workers end strike
The six-day strike at the Tambankulu sugar estate in Swaziland has been resolved, with workers getting a 10 percent wage increase and incremental increases. The Swaziland Agricultural Plantations Workers Union (SAPWU) conceded on a key demand for a subsidy of E2,200 (US$204) to each family towards education expenses for their children. Meanwhile, the dispute at Big Bend’s Ubombo Ranches has gone into arbitration, and negotiations are continuing at the Tambuti sugar estate.
http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2014/07/04/wkrs-j04.html
Workers at Swazi Wire end strike
Workers employed by Swazi Wire, which manufactures wire, fence and other steel products, were sent back to work last week following a nine-day strike. They went back, having to accept the original company offer of a 7.6 percent pay increase and under the threat of prosecution. The 7.6 percent was agreed Thursday of last week and the workers were back at work June 27.
Workers were accused of trying to poison the tea of those who continued to work throughout the strike. They have also been accused of burning five of the company’s fencing poles. Police are to investigate these events.
A deal was struck between the Swaziland Processing and Allied Workers Union (SPRAWU) and management. Management stated, “We have also agreed with the workers’ union that the company will alert it when an employee who is also a member of the union faces charges. We agreed that the company will not take action without alerting the union and in the case where there will be an employee who is supposed to be taken to the disciplinary committee, the union will decide whether it wants to be present or not.”
http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2014/07/04/wkrs-j04.html
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