By Zweli Martin Dlamini
Africa-Press – Eswatini. Perhaps it important to correct this narrative, paying tax is a social obligation and as citizens we should be proud taxpayers.
As the media, it is important to put this into proper perspective because when criticizing Government, we are doing so in demand for transparency and accountability not to discourage the payment of taxes because doing so, would be misleading the public on issues impacting their lives.
Under normal circumstances, taxes are used to maintain roads, pay salaries for civil servants including teachers, police, soldiers, nurses and all workers rendering services to the public.
It should be noted that, these workers provide services to the Nation and therefore, if we can discourage the people from acting as responsible citizens and voluntarily pay taxes, the State machinery will collapse and critical services will be affected, no sane citizen can intentionally destroy his own country.
I once told someone who was complaining about tollgates in South Africa that, as long as my car is cruising nicely on a well-maintained road, I can even pay double because a quality road ensures that, my car remains in good condition.
It is therefore, stupidity of the highest order to avoid a tollgate where you will pay less than one hundred Rands(R100.00) and then travel on a long-road with potholes and spend more petrol thus exposing your car to damages that will cost more than the amount you could have paid.
But Sicelo ‘KhungaNkhosi’ Dlamini, the Mayiwane Member of Parliament(MP) made very informative submissions in Parliament during the Value Added Tax(VAT) increase debate, he suggested that, Government must consider increasing salaries for civil servants and all workers in the country and then, consider issues of tax.
Well, it is my first time to see such a brilliant MP coming from the police service, this is an MP who wears “simohlwana”, a traditional attire and is a strong supporter of the Tinkhundla system.
This should be a lesson to others that, stupidity is not linked to our culture, you can wear a traditional attire and be intelligent or wear a suit and speak nonsense, stupidity exist in the head not clothes.
The Mayiwane MP is not a progressive MP but a Member of Parliament tackling issues affecting emaSwati.
But everytime this MP opens his mouth, the people are beginning to “fall in love” with his submissions such that, on social media, some even said, “we want to vote at Mayiwane in the next elections”.
Such public opinion is a clear indication that, some people are not concerned with the political ambitions of others to seize power, all they want is to see the socio-economic challenges to be addressed and their lives improved.
As a result, they always appreciate those who raise these issues whether pro or anti-Tinkhundla, this MP is a good example that criticizing Government does not mean, one is an enemy of the State.
But the problem is that, this country is ruled by a bunch of corrupt political thieves who want criticism immunity, they always label all those who criticize Government as enemies of the State just to escape or evade accountability.
The proposed Value Added Tax(VAT) should not be a problem but, citizens have a right to complain because VAT is not only paid by employed individuals, even the poor or unemployed will be affected by the proposed increase because they pay VAT.
MP ‘KhungaNkhosi’ Dlamini suggested that, the priority should be about improving the lives of the people and then, collect tax.
Well, I grew-up in extreme poverty, I had to work extra hard to defeat poverty even when facing serious challenges and threats from the eSwatini Government that strives in suppressing the people, ensuring that, they remain poor.
So I know both the painful experience of being poor and, the feeling of having a good life, choosing “what you want to eat today”.
But poor people does not enjoy the privilege to choose what they want to eat, they eat what is available and, the most basic food to them that is also enjoyed by the middle class and the rich is “bread”.
Increasing VAT might result to an increase in the price of bread and other basic commodities, this means thousands will struggle to afford bread and, I know this because I once struggled to afford bread and I’m writing based on experience.
It is therefore important, as the Mayiwane MP articulated, to consider what increasing VAT mean to the poor, the MPs who laughed while MP Sicelo ‘KhungaNkhosi’ Dlamini was speaking for the poor will learn once they lose the next elections what the VAT increase mean.
But even before they lose elections, maybe, the MPs can call removed Government Spokesperson Alpheous Nxumalo in the next six(6) months and ask if he can defend the VAT increase or defend the increase in the price of bread.
But in conclusion and as mentioned, the Eswatini Revenue Service(ERS) should be left out in all this political squabbles regarding the VAT increase, paying tax is a social obligation and, the ERS is a tax compliance law enforcement agency.
It is the political thieves ruling this country who must be forced to utilize the taxes for the benefit of the people.
But alas, these thieves always strategize how to steal from the pockets of the poor, they increased water, electricity, introduced Roads Authority Levy and now, they are approving the VAT increase.
On the other hand, they are depriving emaSwati scholarships, those who previously benefited are forced to pay under the Scholarship Recovery Fund, Tinkhundla undemocratic regime must be removed.
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