By Zweli Martin Dlamini

MBABANE:King Mswati’s recent trips came at huge costs for taxpayers, over R500million public funds have been spent in the last six(6) months according to information sourced from the Ministry of Finance-Treasury Department.

This disclosure comes at the time when the country is facing shortage of drugs in the various public hospitals, dozens have died since the crisis erupted triggered by rampant corruption in the public administration.

The costs include transport with the private jet, traveling allowances for the King, his children and a huge delegation with over one hundred(100) people for each trip.

The delegation normally include the King’s security personnel, Cabinet Ministers, King’s Office officials, members of the royal family including King’s children and their wives, girlfriends and boyfriends, each member of the delegation normally “receives over five hundred thousand Rands(R500,000.00) as a traveling allowance.

But it has been disclosed that, as a result of the huge royal expenditure, “the payment of eSwatini Government suppliers is normally halted to allow or enable the King to have enough funds for his trips”.

King’s Spokesperson Percy Simelane previously told this Swaziland News that, his Office was not responsible for King’s trips, he then urged this journalist to contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

Reached for comments by this publication on Saturday, Wandile Dludlu, the Deputy President of the People’s United Democratic Movement(PUDEMO) said in the absence of democracy and good governance, emaSwati are paying with their own lives amid shortage of drugs in public hospitals.

“In the absence of democracy and good governance, the price is too big to be quantified. Swazis are paying not only with their taxes to sustain the Monarchy but, they are equally paying with their own lives, the cost is just too big to be quantified. We hope that one day emaSwati will see and then rise-up against the Monarchy,” said the PUDEMO Deputy President.

King Mswati is highly expected to leave the country on Saturday afternoon to attend the Southern African Development Community(SADC) Summit in Madagascar, he recently travelled to Ghana, Mozambique, Turkmenistan, South  Africa and other countries.