MBABANE: David Cruizer Ngcamphalala, the Minister of Tinkhundla Administration and Development allegedly delayed the delivery of a truck worth over R4million to Nhlambeni Avumile Multipurpose Cooperative amid ‘fears’ the project might campaign for Manzi Zwane, the then vocal pro-democracy Member of Parliament(MP).
Documentary evidence in possession of this Swaziland News suggests that, Avumile Multipurpose Cooperative’s business proposal was approved together with other projects at Lobamba Lomdzala-Luyengo, however, the delivery was delayed at political level allegedly, by the Tinkhundla and Development Minister.
According to the documents, the truck was supposed to be delivered on or before May 2023, this comes subsequent to a series of meeting held by the Manzini Regional Development Fund(RDF) Committee that approved other projects within the region.
Reached for comments,Manzi Zwane, the then Nhlambeni MP who is seeking a second term said, he was aware of the government tactics to frustrate development in Constituencies where MPs critical of the regime were elected.
“I am aware of the government tactics to delay development in some Tinkhundla Centres if the MP of that Constituency is critical of the Government. But on this particular issue you are asking me about, kindly contact the Chairman of the Cooperative, he is better positioned to respond to your questions,” said the aspiring Nhlambeni Member of Parliament.
A questionnaire was sent to Tinkhundla Minister David Cruizer Ngcamphalala, however, he had not responded at the time of compiling this report.
Speaking to this publication on Sunday, Allen Dlamini, the Chairperson of Avumile Multipurpose Cooperative confirmed that the delivery of the truck has been delayed, however, he said they suspected that maybe, this was caused by the fact that the money required was huge.
As a result, Dlamini said considering the positive feedback they were receiving from State officials working on the approved RDF proposal, as members of Avumile Multipurpose, they were still hoping that government was still collecting funds to purchase the truck.
“We enquired about the reasons of the delay and we were assured that truck might be delivered soon. For now, we cannot conclude that it’s a sabotage, they told us R4million is a huge amount, we want the big truck from a quality brand to transport coal,” said the Chairperson of Avumile Multi-Purpose Cooperative when speaking to this Swaziland News.
But sources told this publication that the truck might be delivered shortly after the ongoing elections and that, it was delayed to sabotage aspiring MP Manzi Zwane.
“Actually, the truck is ready for delivery, kubukwe kutsi kuyetfula nyalo kutawukhankhasela Zwane kani he was vocal against Government inside Parliament,” said the source.
Other projects approved by the RDF as per the government documents in our possession include Kukhanyeni Thuthuka Mbeka Multipurpose,three hundred thousand Rands(R300,000.00) was allocated to this project whose members seek to venture into the business of renting tents and chairs for events.
Impilo Lendze Multipurpose under Mafutseni Inkhundla was allocated R1million for the procurement of a tractor and other supporting equipment.
One of the government trucks.