Firewood vendors Moses Ginindza and Mphumuzi Magwagwa. Credit: Mantoe Phakathi

By Mantoe Phakathi

MBABANE, (IPS/TerraViva) – For close to three decades, Jeremiah Mkhonta has earned a living by selling firewood by the roadside. It’s not exactly lucrative: the father of 15 often goes for a fortnight without even selling a single four dollar bundle of firewood. But slow business is not what is bothering this ex-miner right now. He lives in fear that one day soon, he and his peers across the country could be arrested.

“I’ve learnt from the radio and from some of my customers that the Minister of Tourism and Environment said that we’ll get arrested for selling firewood,” Mkhonta told IPS. Continue Reading