Times Of Swaziland: NO BETTER TIME TO UNITE

NO BETTER TIME TO UNITE
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Martin Dlamini on 17/01/2025 07:54:00


We are transitioning from one emergency to the next. Just how well will emaSwati
unite to weather the storms and the destructive effects amid several demanding
socio-economic challenges, remains to be seen. How well Hospital Hill
coordinates the relief efforts will be the deciding factor. The quality of
response to the current challenges facing the country will also give us an
indication of the unity that prevails at various levels of our political,
economic and social structures. A clarion call for unity was made by His Majesty
the King when dispersing regiments to mark the end of the Incwala ceremony; it
was for the emaSwati to unite in addressing the social and economic ills facing
this country.
Approach
At the time, the floods had not landed to wreak the havoc we see on our roads
and in our communities. Among the issues he raised as needing a united approach
to solutions is job creation and food security, which would pave the way for
broader economic self-sufficiency. To succeed in this requires a consistency in
the application of effort and Prime Minister Russell Dlamini and his Cabinet
must lead the way in all spheres of their responsibility. For instance, there
can be no job creation without a united effort to eliminate all the elements
that are negating the attainment of this goal. On this front, the pervasive
cancer of corruption stands out starkly. It is spoiling the appetite of would-be
investors. We need unity in our Labour Advisory Board (LAB), which seems to be
struggling for consensus on key employment issues that need to be addressed
sooner rather than later. We also need a united effort to address the challenges
facing our judiciary, whose malfunction is seriously hampering the functionality
of numerous sectors, including business, as companies have cases dragging for
years while employees sit at home; the Galp vs. Big Tree filling station comes
to mind.
Attached
Addressing the drug crisis and the corruption attached thereto does not seem to
enjoy a united front among Cabinet in the eyes of the public. If people’s
lives really mattered beyond selfish interests, this crisis would have been long
resolved. Then we have an education sector where all the stakeholders are
singing from different hymn books. This critical sector can never be sound if
teachers and the ministry of education are at odds over just about every other
essential requirement for our schools and tertiary institutions. On a social
level, we must align our efforts to address issues like gender-based violence.
We need to promote a culture of respect for the rule of law, but if we are not
united in adhering to it by breaching constitutional obligations, such as
declaring their assets, how do we expect citizens to do so?
Communities need to unite to fight crime, not to engage in mob justice.
Community policing, extending a helping hand to the needy and ensuring that no
elderly or orphaned and vulnerable children exist in our society are what we
desire of our society. We now see a noble initiative by the Deputy Prime
Minister (DPM), Thuli Dladla, who has launched a family reunification programme
dubbed ‘Asibambaneni Sibe Ngumndeni’. The core mandate of the programme is
to reach out to fathers who have abandoned their children as well as children
who have forsaken their elderly parents in a quest to foster meaningful
engagements and reach mutual agreements on how implicated persons will deliver
on their respective obligations and expectations. Sometimes having a third party
bring families around the table can go a long way to mend broken relationships
that often become a taxpayer’s burden due to neglect of responsibilities such
as abandoning children and parents.
Warrant
Our society does not really need old-age homes, but circumstances warrant this
nowadays. The success of the DPM’s initiative heavily depends on a united
family structure and a responsible citizenry. To coordinate all this, we need a
united leadership. However, based on our daily observations, the Cabinet office
does not appear to be united, raising the question of how will it manage to
unite us to action. It was concerning to see a few ministers attending a very
important announcement of the government program of action (GPA). This is no
small event, as it signifies the transformation of the government system and its
programmes and policies to which every minister is aligned. In speaking to some,
you get a sense that not all is well up at Hospital Hill.
This lends itself to the critical need for a champion unifier in government to
bridge the divide, foster collaboration and address these challenges
effectively. He need not be a Nelson Mandela, but he ought to have the ability
to forgive, reconcile and inspire hope and foster a shared vision for the
future. Would we be asking too much for someone who is a skilled communicator, a
patient listener and a champion of inclusivity who can build bridges between
different communities and create a sense of shared purpose? Of course not.