MBABANE: The twenty-four percent (24%) levy on edible oils imposed by the National Agricultural Marketing Board (NAMBoard) as confirmed by NAMBoard Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Bhekizwe Maziya to the media, might result in the increase of other products using cooking oil like Futis and Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC).
Futis and KFC are the most popular meals in Eswatini and the increase in cooking oil might result in the consumers paying more.
Efforts to reach Sthofeni Ginindza, the African Alliance Partner who operates the KFC, proved unsuccessful at the time of compiling this report, Futis Director Vusi Dlamini’s cellphone rang unanswered when this publication tried to reach him.
Reached for comments by this Swaziland News this week, Mduduzi Gina, the Secretary General of the Trade Union Congress of Swaziland (TUCOSWA) warned that, the “situation is deteriorating” in Eswatini amid escalating costs of basic commodities.
“Cooking oil is a basic commodity and if you increase cooking oil that would mean other edible products using the oil, might increase as well. At the end it’s the consumer who will pay”, said the TUCOSWA Secretary General.
Written by
Zweli Martin Dlamini