KWALUSENI Member of Parliament Sifiso Shongwe says he does not want to believe that the location of the university influenced the closure of liquor outlets around Kwaluseni.
He said this was because only adults were enrolled at the university and liquor was sold to Emaswati over the age of 18.
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This was said by the MP during the ministry’s second quarter performance debate in the House of Assembly on Wednesday.
Shongwe began by questioning the ministry’s stance on the closures, arguing that the move had stalled businesses and affected livelihoods in the area.
He recounted how a visitor from South Africa once observed the vibrancy of the street in front of the University of Eswatini (UNESWA) two years ago, describing it as the “Vilakati Street of Eswatini” because of the economic activity there.
“Those who were running shisa nyamas were earning a living. Within a radius of a kilometre, there were eight Mobile Money vendors and five mini-groceries,” he said.
Shongwe said there were also nail technicians, salons, and barbers who had established small businesses in the area, and questioned the impact of the ministry’s actions on these locals.
“We are pushing the Citizenship and Economic Empowerment Act as the ministry, but we are infringing on those who are trying to run businesses — the same ones I just listed. How are we going to make this effective if we remove the very economic zones Emaswati have created?” he asked.
Shongwe urged the ministry to explain the reasons behind the closures, noting that there had been no reported incidents of minors being sold alcohol.
“What was the reason behind it, as the grapevine says university students do not pass? I stay opposite the university, and last year, for 13 weeks, the students were not learning — seven weeks were spent demanding allowances and five weeks workers were rioting,” he said.
Shongwe added that student failures were not linked to liquor outlets, suggesting that other factors may have influenced the ministry’s decision.
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