Madam,
You can’t run a successful entity in a sea of chaos. Government incompetence, corruption and policy paralysis have left critical infrastructure in the country in tatters. The public healthcare sector has collapsed and outside of the kingdom’s highways, many roads have more potholes than the roads. Poorly maintained State schools are keeping a whole generation from access to a decent education. Theft of everything from copper cables to household items are common, and crime has soared to such an extent that we wouldn’t be surprised that private security companies now employ more people than the police service.
We are indeed, as many have said, running the risk of becoming a failed State because we’re already on borrowed time. This isn’t how it was supposed to be. Government’s role as a provider of basic services is virtually non-existent in large parts of the country. Government has failed people of the country in terms of what it’s supposed to do, which is provide services for citizens. The divide between rich and poor is widening in a country that is among the most unequal nations. The inability of the State to meet the needs of emaSwati in public healthcare services has reached unprecedented levels. Government is struggling with corruption such that it is delaying sustainable development goals. And as a result of this, the marginalised people of this country are hurting the most.
A huge percentage of the country’s population, of just over one million, lives in poverty. And a huge percentage of the country’s workforce is unemployed. Many of government’s entities are in financial distress, mostly because they lack credible financial management. People are politically appointed to managerial positions that they aren’t qualified for. While the evils of corruption are well documented, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has been rendered useless by a justice system that should have protected it. Things are falling apart right before our eyes and trust in government has plummeted. And as a result, the country’s governance system has been attacked because of government’s failures. Government is currently a leaking bucket and we are not seeing a concerted effort from our leaders to stop this leakage.
Anthony