By Zweli Martin Dlamini

MBABANE:Jeremy Liang,the Taiwan Ambassador, allegedly influenced Natural Resources and Energy Minister Prince Lonkhokhela to remove Chief Executive Officer(CEO) of the Eswatini National Petroleum Company(ENPC) Nhlanhla Dlamini merely for resisting the under-construction R5.2billion Strategic Oil Reserve corruption oriented project.

Secret Intelligence information from the Taiwan Embassy suggests that on or around May 2024, the Taiwan Ambassador held a series of meetings with the Natural Resources and Energy Minister to discuss among others, what was described as resistance by the then Board of Directors led by Muzi ‘MA’ Dlamini with the then Chief Executive Officer(CEO) acting as the Board Secretary.

CEO Nhlanhla Dlamini as he then was, and the Governing Board had identified a Botswana company that agreed to construct the Strategic Oil Reserve with only R2.2billion however, the Ambassador who was eyeing the tender for Taiwan and for alleged personal benefit did not take kindly to the recommendations by the Board seeking to engage a Botswana company.

As a result, a high level intelligence team from the Taiwan Embassy-Embassy allegedly conducted an investigation and subsequently recommended to the Ambassador that, he must consider advising the Natural Resources Minister to remove CEO Nhlanhla Dlamini and the entire Board and soon thereafter, the tender was subsequently awarded to a Taiwan company after the removal of the Board and Chief Executive Officer Nhlanhla Dlamini.

But an independent investigation conducted by this Swaziland News uncovered that, shortly after Natural Resources Minister Prince Lonkhokhela announced the new Board, Pius Gumbi, the influencial Eswatini National Petroleum Company(ENPC) Board member allegedly colluded with other members of the Governing Board to conduct a highly questionable investigation.

The investigation was conducted with an alleged intention to systematically dismiss Chief Executive Officer Nhlanhla Dlamini who vigorously opposed the inflated Taiwan R5.2billion Strategic Oil Reserve controversial Project.

It has been disclosed that, Gumbi was acting on instructions allegedly issued by the Natural Resources and Energy Minister who, after firing the previous Board led by businessman Muzi ‘MA’ Dlamini, appointed another Board with individuals of highly questionable characters with a mandate to dismiss the Chief Executive Officer.

An audit and risk investigation report seen by this publication suggests that, towards the end of the Chief Executive Officer’s contract of employment this early this year, the new Governing Board launched a probe that “defeats the fundamental principles of a fair and credible investigation”, they were allegedly acting on the Natural Resources Minister’s instruction who had previously engaged the Taiwan Ambassador on the subject matter

The Governing Board subsequently took a decision not to renew CEO Nhlanhla Dlamini’s contract based on a report and findings compiled by it but, the principles of a fair investigation suggest that, an investigation must be objective and impartial and that, a conflict of interest that might comprise the credibility of the findings must be declared.

But documents seen by this publication further suggest that, after conducting the said investigation, the ENPC Board held an urgent meeting and resolved not to renew the CEO’s contract of employment.

The ENPC Governing Board that conducted the ‘kangaroo’ investigation include Velaphi Dlamini(Board Chairman), Prince Khetsimphilo ‘Fegufegu’ Dlamini, Armstrong Dlamini, Dumezweni Dlamini, Justice Dlamini, Mfanaleni Kunene, Thabsile Nkosi and Pius Gumbi who was allegedly influential in the whole process of investigating the CEO.

Acting Government Spokesperson Thabile Mdluli declined to comment about the matter. 

Reached for comments by this publication earlier, lawyer Sibusiso Nhlabatsi said it was highly irregular for the Board to investigate the CEO instead of sanctioning or commissioning an independent and fair investigation.

“The Board cannot investigate and then take a decision based on a report compiled by the very same Board, this is highly irregular. Procedurally, the Board can only act based on a report subsequent to an investigation conducted by an independent entity, you cannot investigate and then take a decision based on your own findings. Even though the CEO’s contract has expired, he can challenge the report and set it aside on basis of procedural irregularity because as the report in its current form, might affect his future employment,” said the lawyer.

Efforts to reach ex-ENPC Chief Executive Officer Nhlanhla Dlamini proved unsuccessful at the time of compiling this report while Ambassador Jeremy Liang referred comments to the Government.

Eswatini is currently facing growing interference in the country’s domestic affairs by the Chinese Province-Taiwan, Ambassador Liang was recently exposed by this publication for attempting to influence the removal of Ntfonjeni Chief Prince Magudvulela merely for visiting China.