SWAZILAND: Illegal immigrants joins AIDS-hit workforce

JOHANNESBURG, 14 Nov 2003 (PLUSNEWS) - Illegal immigrants from Mozambique are slowly replacing a workforce hit by HIV/AIDS in Swaziland, the country's Chamber of Commerce and Industry has said.

With up to 40 percent of Swaziland's adult population's estimated to be living with HIV/AIDS, and many Swazis reluctant to do menial work, poor Mozambicans have taken advantage of the opportunities across the border.

Although Mozambique has one of the highest economic growth rates in Africa, after two decades of civil war and post-war instability it is currently still one of the world's poorest countries.

A Swazi Chamber of Commerce official was quoted by the Inter Press Service (IPS) news agency as saying: "Where are the factories going to get labourers? Where are businesses going to find staff? Unemployment is high and opportunities are limited, so the young educated class of Swazis goes to South Africa... The less educated are being decimated by AIDS."

[ENDS]