Swazi King Mswati III has bought a new Mercedes limousine, the latest in a string of luxury car purchases for himself and his 10 wives in the Southern African kingdom, according to a royal source.
The 36-year-old king caused a stir on Friday when he turned up at the opening of Parliament in his latest acquisition and ordered his bodyguards to block photographers from taking pictures of the new Mercedes S-Class Pullman.
”We were strictly told that we cannot take pictures of the king while alighting from his car,” said a local photographer.
In his speech in Parliament, Mswati urged the nation to join hands to fight poverty, which he said has reached alarmingly high levels.
More than 65% of Swaziland’s 1,2-million inhabitants live on less than one dollar a day and about 200 000 people depend on food hand-outs to survive in the kingdom, wedged between South Africa and Mozambique.
The Times of Swaziland reported on Sunday that the king was the first person in Africa to own such a limousine, which it said boasts a separate air-conditioning system for passengers in the rear and an ultra-modern audio system.
A royal source said that the Mercedes arrived at Ludzidzini on Wednesday.
The Times earlier this month reported that the king had purchased 10 new BMWs for his wives at a cost of five million emalangeni ($820 000).
Mswati, who has ruled Swaziland by decree since he ascended to the throne in 1986 at the age of 18, in November bought himself a $500 000 luxury Maybach 62
sedan from Daimler Chrysler.
That vehicle is equipped with a television, DVD player, 21-speaker surround-sound system, refrigerator, heated steering wheel, interior pollen and dust filter, and sterling silver champagne flutes. – Sapa-AFP