Swaziland takes loan to pay 35,000 workersBy BBC | Wednesday, November 16  2011 at  10:33

Swaziland has taken an emergency loan to pay the wages of 35,000 public sector workers, spokesman Percy Simelane has told the BBC.

The privately owned Times of Swaziland newspaper reported that the government needed to raise more than $42m within two days to pay its bills.

Swaziland - ruled by King Mswati III - has been in a deep financial crisis this year.

It has not yet accepted a $355 million bailout from neighbouring South Africa.

Pretoria had demanded a series of reforms - including dialogue between the government and the opposition - as a condition for the loan.

Mr Simelane told the BBC the government had raised a loan from Swazi banks and other companies to pay wages this month.

"I don't expect it to happen again," he said.