Posted on 04/17/2005 6:17:11 PM PDT by blam
King buys golden car fleet with 'purses of the poor'
By Christopher Munnion in Johannesburg
(Filed: 18/04/2005)
King Mswati III of Swaziland has enraged the people of his impoverished kingdom once again by splashing out on a fleet of luxurious German cars at a cost of £500,000.
The 36-year-old absolute monarch, under pressure at home and abroad over his autocratic rule and personal profligacy, has bought eight S-350 Mercedes Benz vehicles with gold-plated number plates.
In 2004 the King bought BMWs for his 11 wives
"He was so taken with the car when he saw it in a brochure that he ordered eight on the turn as a birthday present for himself," said a South African dealer.
"He could not wait for them to be shipped in the normal way so they were air-freighted directly from the factory in Germany." King Mswati, educated at Sherborne School, in Dorset, will be able to show off the fleet during his lavish birthday celebrations next week. But there will be few opportunities to take a spin, as Swaziland has only a tiny network of tarred roads.
The monarch pays little heed to growing discontent in his landlocked kingdom, where 70 per cent of people live in dire poverty and 40 per cent of adults are HIV positive.
Last year, he bought a stretch limousine to add to his Mercedes S-600 Pullman, which has a television, DVD player, fridge and 21-speaker sound system. Earlier this year, he bought 10 BMW saloon cars for his 11 wives and three teenage fiancées.
Three years ago, only the threat from foreign donors to withhold aid persuaded him not to buy a £27 million personal jet.
Musa Hlope, the co-ordinator of the Swaziland Coalition, the country's largest civil action group, said the king's latest indulgence was "very unfortunate" considering most Swazi's live on just 50 pence a day.
"The king is using public money that comes from the purses of the poor," he said.
Sounds like he's qualified for a position with the UN's human rights commission.
The fact that his citizens are starving is obviously the fault of the United States. And Bush.
Any oil down there in Swaziland? He could start an oil for food progam! Kofi might be interested in overseeing the operation.
Don't forget to blame capitalism, on principle. Only a world-wide socialist revolution will help them.
I don't want to hear any more stories about starving, diseased, homeless, thirsty Africans until we have heard a few stories about the thieving corrupt lunatic "leaders" of those nations being stoned to death or their eyes gouged out by outraged citizens with bare hands..
Any people that endure these assholes - deserves their fate.
Semper Fi
You have a point. These oligarchs have the loyalty of their military because if you are a soldier, you know you can at least eat. Therefore, with what will the peasants fight if they are unarmed?
You can't be serious.
This guy has all the qualifications to be the next UN Sec Gen, after Kooky Koffe gets his and quits.
It would be the perfect job for another fine, upstanding example of what the Third World nations can produce.
I'm sure his contributions to the upcoming global society will be many and profound.
LVM
More likely he is using public money that comes from foreign aid.
Now what was it Bono was saying about debt relief?
Soon, I hope.
Some things you just know before you click.
Swaziland to Buy King $45M Jet
Swaziland bans sex for five years
King of Swaziland pays fine of 1 cow for violating [his own] sex ban; girl 17, 9th wife
If Mercedes Benz didn't produce luxury cars, this mis-guided monarch wouldn't be buying them when he should be helping his starving citizens. Of course, Mercedes Benz must cease luxury car production immediately.
Also don't forget the illustrious Nobel Prize-winning EX-prez, Jimmuh Cawtuh, who says that we Americans just "....don't give a damn."
It's tyrants like this that keep tribalism alive and the people oppressed in Africa, not the lack of foreign aid.
He gets the fleet of Mercedes but his wives have to make do with BMWs.
I guess he doesn't want to spoil them.
"More than 25 percent of adults in Swaziland are infected with HIV, according to the United Nations. The disease has already killed tens of thousands of Swazis."
Did I ever tell you about this most marvelous goose I once had?
Ooh, I think we should give them billions of dollars in aid!
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