Jacob Zuma may mock South Africans and their obsession with Nkandla (HERE), but the fact remains that if your citizens struggle whilst you spend lavishly people will get angry.

I imagine our friends in Swaziland may be feeling a little antsy about the spending habits of King Mswati III then, especially as the country is in the midst of a massive drought crisis.

How out of control is he? City Press with the details:

[He] ignored appeals from diplomats and activists who objected to him sending his wives on a holiday to Orlando, US, with more than 100 people.

The cost of the holiday is the same as the total amount of the US’s contribution for Swaziland’s drought relief aid – close to R16 million…

The entourage, consisting of the queens, bodyguards, protocol officers, family and other “support personnel”, left for Orlando last Saturday…

This is not the first time that Mswati’s wives have come under fire. In 2012, three of the women flew to Las Vegas with a following of 55 for a gambling vacation.

Unicef estimates that at present there are 350 000 Swazis affected by the droughts, and they even brought Becks over last month to help raise funds (HERE).

Despite diplomats meeting with the King ahead of the trip he stuck to his guns, saying that some of the money had already been paid in advance – and cancelling would have been a waste of money.

That’s kind of like sticking the tip in, and then when your partner says to use protection you claim the damage is done. In other words, it’s kak stupid.

But one thing Zuma still has over the King is all that jet business. Oh, hang on:

Meanwhile, Mswati is waiting for the delivery of his “new” jet with enough room for his 13 wives, children and their minders, cooks and bodyguards.

The aircraft, an Airbus A340-300 that previously belonged to China Airlines in Taiwan, also has a big enough range to fly to Taiwan without stopping for fuel.

Imagine being so out of touch, or caring so little for the people over whom you rule, that you would wantonly spend money like this?

No JZ, this doesn’t mean you’re off the hook either.

[source:citypress]