MBABANE: Zinhle Matsebula,the Managing Director of Lifespan Pharmaceuticals and Cerium Scientific has been allegedly labelled by banks as a risk and therefore,some of her loan requests have been rejected by the financial institutions.
The prominent businesswoman together with SwaziPharm Director Kareem Ashraff are subjects of a high level investigation for allegedly looting millions of public funds, resulting to the ongoing health crisis.
Matsebula is alleged to have secured multi-million tenders in the Ministry of Health by allegedly bribing suspended Chief Procument Officer Sincedile Dlamini, she was recently exposed by this publication through leaked emails after one of her companies invited Dlamini, where the bribery was discussed at length.
A confidential bank loan application file seen by this Swaziland News suggests that, bank officials attached the investigative story published by this publication and declared Matsebula as a risk, the justification was that, her tenders with government are subject of an investigation and might be terminated anytime.
A questionnaire was sent to the businesswoman on Tuesday afternoon,however,she had not responded at the time of compiling this report.
On another note, this week Sincedile Dlamini, the suspended Chief Procurement Officer in the Ministry of Heath ran to court, she is seeking an order lifting her suspension.
Dlamini, together with Director Pharmaceutical Fortunate Bhembe alleged that,the investigation was established with a pre-determined agenda to dismiss them.
“I was taken aback by a letter inviting us to a pre-suspension hearing as it seemed incompatible with fair procedure”, alleged Dlamini and Bhembe in the court papers.
On another note, newly Mbabane East Member of Parliament(MP) Welcome Dlamini suggested during Sibaya that, all those implicated in the disappearance of drugs in public hospitals must be arrested.
Businesswoman Zinhle Matsebula.