By 
By Bahle Gama
The Eswatini Consumer’s Forum has questioned what informed the decision to approve a yearly 4 per cent water tariff hike by Members of Parliament (MPs).
On October 30, 2024, MPs approved the proposed 12 per cent water tariff hike, following a lengthy debate in parliament. The increase will be staggered in the next three years.
The tariff hike was approved through the adoption of a report by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Energy House of Assembly Portfolio Committee, despite opposition by other MPs.
The MPs who supported the hike were convinced by the idea that the hike would fund Eswatini Water Service Corporation’s (EWSC) initiative to expand to rural areas.
The increase to be effected from April 2025 will affect members of the public who will consume above 10,000 litres per month.
According to reports, 14 MPs made their submissions, and a majority of those in favour of the increase are from remote rural areas, as well as those who were part of the portfolio committee tasked with debating the Fixation of Water and Sewer Tariffs Regulations.
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Of the 14 MPs, four rejected the increase arguing that the government is commercialising water, which is a natural resource that ought to be accessible to every liSwati.
Those who were in support of the hike based their argument on the country’s goal of achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6, through decentralisation of the availability of clean water for emaSwati by 2030.
It was further argued that the increase would go a long way in the successful implementation of the ongoing water projects in Manzini which will benefit over 127,000 homesteads, as well as the Shiselweni and Lomahasha projects.
Portfolio Committee Chairman and Deputy Speaker Madala Mhlanga said it was well documented that the government implemented similar programmes in the past and people could not afford to pay.
This resulted in hundreds of millions of infrastructures lying idle because EWSC could not afford the operational costs.
He urged MPs not to stand in the way of the government’s development vision and goals.
Consumer’s Forum Chairperson Mandla Ntshakala said water is a basic need which people should not be forced to pay for.
“It does not make sense because they should know to engage all the affected people including the bodies representing consumers to find out whether such a decision would be appropriate.
As we speak, many people cannot afford to pay their water bills, and now we are agreeing to implement such when salaries and other means of generating income in homes remain stagnant,” he argued.
Ntshakala further stated that this increase will put a lot of pressure on an ordinary liSwati, taking into consideration that electricity and food are already expensive and a heavy burden to the public.
In response to the sentiments towards achieving SDG 6 by 2030, Ntshakala said Eswatini is a country with a lot of rivers hence an abundant water supply.
“In a way, as a country, we have achieved that goal because the water we consume comes from the country’s rivers which supplies emaSwati. Commercialising such a resource in an economy like ours seems unfair,” he said.
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The Chairman further argued that the MPs are in Parliament to represent the view of the people, which plays a role in passing certain bills. He questioned what then informed the MPs to approve such without properly consulting and getting a view.
“We are aware of the ongoing projects, but the issue here is that the hike is not just a once-off 4 per cent but 12. It will be staggered in the next three years, and the question is, the liSwati that survives on barely anything to date, what would have changed for them in three years,” he said.
Ntshakala said it was unfortunate that the legislatures had already approved the tariff, leaving emaSwati to take what is and have no say.
