By Zweli Martin Dlamini

MBABANE: King Mswati’s multi-million two more jets are expected to arrive this week, insiders within the Royal Eswatini National Airways(RENAC) told this Swaziland News.

The jets were allegedly purchased by King Mswati with public funds without the approval of Parliament,triggering tension from pro-democracy Members of Parliament particularly Marwick Khumalo who demanded answers regarding the circumstances surrounding the purchase.

Eswatini is a tiny Kingdom situated in Southern Africa with about 70% of the population living below the poverty line, taxes are used to sustain King Mswati’s lavish lifestyle who has since become a multi-billionaire and is now expected to own four(4) jets purchased with public funds.

An insider within the Royal Eswatini National Airways(RENAC)sent pictures as a tip-off where senior Government officials and security personnel were part of a team that was preparing a marquee at Sikhuphe where the event for welcoming the jets would be held.

“We are busy preparing the marquee in preparation of the jets expected to arrive tomorrow.I have sent you the pictures of the marquee”,said the insider.

Efforts were made to reach Public Works and Transport Minister Chief Ndlaluhlaza Ndwandwe for a comment, however, he had not responded at the time of compiling this report.

The highly anticipated arrival of the two jets comes after Lobamba Lomdzala Member of Parliament(MP) spoke strongly about the purchase,questioning the Finance Minister Neal Rijikernberg  on how the jets were bought without Parliament's approval.

“We were in a meeting where the Minister of Finance was addressing us on another matter and one of the things that were raised in that meeting was: tell us Minister where the money to buy these jets came from because as Parliament, we didn’t approve any budget for these jets? The Minister responded and said he was also not aware and was eager to know where the money came from”, said the Lobamba Lomdzala MP inside Parliament about two weeks ago.

It has been disclosed that before concluding the purchasing of the jets, Mswati allegedly established a parastatal and named it the Royal Eswatini National Airways Corporation(RENAC), the new royal linked entity will be fully controlled by the absolute Monarch through his Government.

It could not be ascertained if part of the R2.1billion allocated to the Ministry of Public Works and Transport financed the purchasing of Mswati’s jets. 

Reached for comments earlier, Mandla Hlatshwayo,the Chairperson of the Letfu Sonkhe Institute for Strategic Thinking and Development told this Swaziland News that the purchasing of the jets confirmed that Sikhuphe was built for Mswati’s private jets to park.

“We have serious social issues like the health crisis that could have been addressed by the Government instead of purchasing jets. We are eagerly waiting to see where the money for the jets came from”, said the Letfu Sonkhe Chairperson.