POVERTY IS A CRUSHING WEIGHT

Sir,
As a young, unemployed resident of Eswatini living under the crushing weight of poverty, allow me to express my deep concern about the increasing prioritisation of profit over people, particularly when it comes to essential services like electricity. It’s becoming painfully clear that the current capitalist model is failing us, the most vulnerable members of society.While inflation soars, making even basic necessities like food and transportation increasingly unaffordable, we are also facing the constant threat of rising costs for electricity.

Right

This is not a luxury; it is a fundamental right in the 21st century. How can we be expected to find jobs, access education or even stay informed without reliable internet access? How can families cook, clean or keep their homes warm without electricity? The narrative we constantly hear is that these essential services must be profitable, that they must be run like businesses. But when the pursuit of profit becomes the primary driver, the needs of the people are inevitably put to the side, like always. We see this happening in Eswatini. Companies are allowed to disconnect services for non-payment, even when families are genuinely unable to afford them and cannot go without them.

Hungry

This is not only just about inconvenience; it has real-life consequences. It means children studying in darkness, families going hungry because they can’t cook and people losing their connection to the outside world. It also means that some of us must now prioritise lighting our houses over groceries or even getting on a bus to work or school. We are told that privatisation and market forces will lead to better services and lower prices, but the reality is often quite different.

Instead, we see essential services being treated as commodities. This is not about efficient management like they tell us; it’s about maximising profits, often at the expense of the most vulnerable, us, the lowest in society, who are trying to make ends meet. I urge our leaders to reconsider this approach. We have already seen some standing up for us in the wake of this ridiculousness.

Access

Access to things like electricity and even water and internet should be a right, not a privilege. These are things we need in order to compete competitively in this century. We need a system that prioritses the well-being of all citizens, not just the bottom line of corporations. We need a government that is willing to invest in these essential services and ensure that they are accessible and affordable for everyone, regardless of their income. We, the youth, the unemployed, the poor, deserve better than to be left behind in the relentless pursuit of profit.

Post your comment

Your name:

Your e-mail address:

Add your comments:

Please enter the code you see in the image:

Image:

Code: