MBABANE: Zinhle Matsebula,the businesswoman whose companies are a subject of an investigation into the shortage of drugs in public hospitals is preparing to shutdown Lifespan Diagnostics(Pty)Ltd as intensive investigations intensify with banks depriving her access to loans on the basis that, "she is a risk".
The decision by the banks to label Matsebula and some of her companies a risk comes after a series of investigative articles published by this Swaziland News, the businesswoman is allegedly implicated in the looting of public funds resulting to the shortage of drugs in public hospitals.
An investigative article published by this publication has been attached to a confidential bank file seen by this Swaziland News where Matsebula was labeled a risk.
Lifespan Diagnostics is one of the companies that was allegedly used to loot public funds within the Ministry of Health,Matsebula subsequently used her alternative company Cerium Scientific to win multimillion government tenders after colluding with Sincedile Matsebula, the Chief Procurement Officer in the Ministry of Health.
Documents in possession of this Swaziland News suggest that, on the 6th October 2023, Zinhle Matsebula wrote letters to some of her employees informing them about the termination of their employment contracts.
“This serves as a formal notice of termination of your employment. This is a result of your position becoming redundant as the employer is reducing operations. This notice is effective 06th October 2023 and your last day at work will be 06th November 2023, depending on leave days claimed”, reads the letter in part, addressed to one of the employees,allegedly signed by the businesswoman.
A questionnaire was sent to the businesswoman, however, she had not responded at the time of compiling this report.
Businesswoman Zinhle Matsebula and other suppliers,stand accused of colluding with Sincedile Dlamini, the Chief Procurement Officer in the Ministry of Health to loot millions of public funds, resulting to the shortage of drugs in public health institutions, hundreds have died since the health crisis erupted in eSwatini.
On another note,Khanya Mabuza, the Principal Secretary(PS) in the Ministry of Health told this Swaziland News earlier that,the report will be released and be analyzed by the relevant law enforcement agencies.
“The report will be released soon and be analyzed to ascertain if further steps could be taken against those implicated.I have been formally informed that, we will soon hold a meeting to discuss the findings together with other stakeholders that include the office of the Attorney General(AG).I would make an example, if the report recommends arrests, that would mean other law enforcement institutions will have to take over”, said the PS in the Ministry of Health.
Businesswoman Zinhle Matsebula.