General Swaziland Information: Economic

By Richard M. Patricks, SNTC. July 2000.

Business

Mines:
currently: asbestos (Havelock Mine / Bulembu), coal (Maloma in south-east) & quarried stone formerly: iron (Ngwenya in 1 970s), diamonds (Dvokolwako in I 980s), gold (various mines in north-west, 1880 - 1920) and tin (central Swaziland, 1880 - 1920)

Forests: timber and pulp;

Agriculture: sugar citrus and pineapples, a little cotton.

Biggest foreign earners:
sugar, currently about 500 million tons Coca Cola concentrate from Conco, Matsapha

Most employees: agriculture & forestry (31%);

Formal work-force: about 100,000 people

Unions: were powerful - led nation-wide strikes in 1995, 1996, 1997, and were active in lobbying for political change, especially introduction of parties. Charismatic leader Jan Sithole.

Government Revenue
March 2000: 3.2 billion Emalangeni (Rands) (54% of this comes from SACU (Southern African Customs Union)

Financial
Li-langeni (plural Ema-Iangeni) is on a par with Rand. (one meaning of "Langeni" is "royal person")

Coins And Notes
Coins minted in South Africa, notes currently printed in Germany.
(All shops accept all South African notes, and South African coins from RI to R5. A few shops accept smaller South African coins.)

Swaziland notes:
All notes show Mswati Ill with three lourie ("ligwalagwala") feathers in his hair.
E 200 reverse side: Swazi homestead
E 100 reverse side: huge stone landmark (Khambi's stone, near Pigg's Peak)
E 50 reverse side: Central Bank, Mbabane
E 20 reverse side: agricultural produce
E 10 reverse side: Luphohlo Power Station (between Sun Hotels and Mbabane)
(E I, E 2, and E 5 notes now out of circulation)

Swaziland coins:
reverse side (tails)
S cents: flower
10 cents: sugar cane
20 cents: elephant
50 cents: Royal crest / coat of arms / Government emblem
E 1: a. large old silver coins: Sobhuza II as a boy with mother (Lomawa Nxumalo)
b. small new bronze coins: current Queen Mother (Mswati III's mother Ntombi Tfwala)
E 2: flower (arum lily)
E 5: Royal crest/coat of arms/Government emblem