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A politician from the [tiny / tinny] southern African kingdom of Swaziland has proposed a [hike / hiking] in the tax rate on the nation's traditional healers. Majahodvwa Khumalo has [urged / purged] the government to levy the tax to help solve his country's [worsens / worsening] economic situation. He believes the time is [ripe / raw] for upping the tax on the healers, known as 'sangomas'. Mr Khumalo said the sangomas have [quadrupled / quadruplets] their fees in recent years but are still [paying / paid] very little in tax. He told the Swazi parliament the healers needed to pay their [fair / fare] share towards the country's economic recovery, [saying / said] : "A majority of our people consult traditional healers but the money they pay to government falls far too [short / shorten] of the money they make."

The sangomas currently pay an [annually / annual] fee of 10 emalangeni ($1.15) to [ply / play] their trade. Many Swazis visit the healers, who are a [key / lock] part of the nation's health service. Opponents say [raising / rising] taxes on the sangomas would bring in very little revenue. Swaziland is in dire financial [straits / straightens] . Its budget deficit has skyrocketed to 15 per cent [for / of] its GDP. Many say King Mswati III should do more to help his country. He spends a small [fortunate / fortune] on his many wives, [lavish / slavish] lifestyle, and a bloated military. The sangomas feel they are being singled [out / in] . They have already spent decades trying to rid themselves of a "witch doctor" label given to them by Europeans. Western pharmacists are now studying their cures and [medicinal / medicines] .