MBABANE – Swaziland’s parliament is on the war path against taxes, customs payments and failed government financial delivery. This week MPs demanded the resignation of finance minister Martin Dlamini on the grounds that money is no longer available for public service projects despite everincreasing taxes. Regarding taxes, MPs are furious with the Swaziland Revenue Authority (SRA) and have grilled officials over their failure to strike deals with importers for deferred payment of customs duties. Some firms have gone out of business because their goods have been confiscated by the SRA when duties went unpaid. MPs find such business closures counterproductive to government’s desire for more tax revenue, which in the long term can only be obtained from functioning businesses.
