Swazi queen's hotel splurge - at R17,000 a night!
The queen's huge accommodation expenses in Johannesburg - estimated at half a million rand for a month-long stay - and her son's private healthcare have caused outrage among ordinary Swazis in the poverty-stricken kingdom
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The second wife of Swazi King Mswati III has been living at an exclusive hotel in Joburg paying more than R17,000 a night for her stay, The Star has learnt.
For at least a month, Sindi LaMotsa has been living in the presidential suite of the Westcliff Hotel to be close to her son, who is being treated at a private Joburg hospital.
The king's son, Prince Majaha, is recovering in a Netcare hospital in Joburg after he was involved in a motorbike accident last month and critically injured.
The newspaper said several hotel sources and individuals close to the queen confirmed that LaMotsa was staying at the luxurious hotel, where the presidential suite costs R17,250 a night, and includes breakfast.
For a 30-day stay the bill would be a whopping R517,500, or more than half a million rand.
On Wednesday, Swaziland government spokesman Percy Simelane said the royal family was paying for Prince Majaha's medical expenses and for the queen's accommodation at the hotel.
"This is a private matter. It is handled by the royal family privately," Simelane said.
According to a report in the Swazi media, the Swazi government allocates a budget of R400 million a year to the upkeep of the royal family.
When questioned about how the royal family could justify spending thousands on luxury accommodation and private healthcare in SA while ordinary citizens were struggling to get medication from public hospitals, Simelane said: "We have our own challenges, but the situation hasn't come to a complete standstill".
Simelane said Mswati, who has been criticised for his lavish lifestyle, was the head of state and could afford to pay for his son's wellbeing and the queen's stay in SA.
"If President Zuma's son was admitted to Milpark I would not ask who is paying for his medical expenses," he retorted.
Simelane said the prince had to be treated in SA because he had "complicated injuries".
Majaha was injured a few days before his father's birthday on April 19, when he turned 44, and got a private jet, in spite of the country's financial collapse.
Simelane, however, denied there was a crisis in the country.
He said it was an exaggeration to say that.
The queen's accommodation expenses in Joburg and her son's private healthcare have caused outrage among ordinary Swazis in the poverty-stricken country.
A Swazi citizen, who refused to be identified, said she had recently taken a relative to a public hospital after a car accident, but was offered only painkillers.
"When the king's son is involved in an accident, he is rushed to South Africa to get the best treatment at a private hospital. This is unacceptable," she said.
Meanwhile, Swaziland Diaspora Platform spokeswoman Ntombenhle Khathwane has slammed the Swazi government.
"We hope the government will realise there are many other Swazis like Prince Majaha who face life-threatening medical emergencies, but do not have the luxury of a prompt medical response like the young prince.
"These are the Swazis who die every day in ill-equipped Swazi hospitals owing to the government's neglect of our health system," Khathwane said.
Swaziland Solidarity Network spokesman Lucky Lukhele said the health system had collapsed in Swaziland.
"You can get sick at your own risk in Swaziland.
"There is no country that can allow people to die from TB, which is a curable disease," he said.
He added there was no doubt that it was the taxpayers who were paying for the queen's stay at the hotel as well as Majaha's medical expenses.
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Comments
DJWinner
Yoh R17,000! Some people are loaded neh?Report Abuse
TsundzuLance
Swazi-landers must wake up n get rid of dis sh!t, R400m/yr 4 a R-fam while ordinary citzns r suffring...Report Abuse
NeliZar
Why am i not suprised......Report Abuse
Bizzabo
Ke kgosi ya lona moes!Report Abuse
KukuyaLethosa
This brainless king Mswati is a true definition of airhead. His people are being ravaged by diseases, unemployment, poverty, illiteracy and famine, whilst he's busy wasting the little precious resources the country still has. Needless to mention that all his extravagant expenditure is sorely from his poor subjects’ taxes. He doesn't do any work himself that generates revenue for the country. I haven’t seen such a stupid king who doesn’t care about his people, but claims to rule them.Report Abuse
CheeseBoy
YOUr people are living like dogs yet you throw money around like its the ned of the world. Its time this king is de throned and beaten in public. Swaziland needs to uprise against this fcuken idiot like the Arabs did.Report Abuse
MsKinkyakaKamaSutra
Majaha was injured a few days before his father's birthday on April 19, when he turned 44, and got a private jet, in spite of the country's financial collapse********************************************************************************************
A libambe lingashoni (excuse the sp)
Mswati this is nothing, there is still more calamities that will befall your family..... the poor's tears shall not be in vain
Report Abuse
ApelMankotsana
In South Africa we have a certain Goodwill Zwelithini with an annual budget of over R 700 million from our tax payers which is aimed at upkeeping him and his Moria of wives...We have a budget to upkeep Mr Kangaman and his wifes and yet we have schoolkids in Limpopo who does not have books. Yet we have schoolkids in the Eastern Cape who are still studying under mud houses. Yet we have children dying of hunger in the North West........Report Abuse
Rabubi02
"For a 30-day stay the bill would be a whopping R517,500, or more than half a million rand"is R517, 500 more than half a million rand? come on sowetan
Report Abuse
Fefi
Why do you want to kiss diamond everyday but you dont even want others just to see silver. Let the will of God takes place. Please King Mswati this is not right.Report Abuse
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