By Zweli Martin Dlamini

MBABANE:Eswatini Observer Management allegedly defrauded the media company’s employees by deducting loans installments and failing to remit same to the Eswatini Bank.

As a result,the State owned Bank whose Managing Director is Nozizwe Mulela,has instructed lawyers from S. Mabila Attorneys,Robison Bertram and other law-firms to take some employees of the media company including journalists to court for alleged failure to service their loans. 

The employees include journalist Bodvwa Mbingo who according to documents in possession of this Swaziland News allegedly owes the Eswatini Bank over nine thousand Rands(R90,00.00).

Others include; Temcwasho Simelane(R85,097.06),Ayanda Dlamini(R71,797.82)Mahajonkhe Mazuza(R80,721.19) and Prudence Zwane(R90,644.33),the names of the other Observer employees cannot be revealed for now as this publication was still verifying the documents.

The collective amount owed by the employees to the bank amounts to over five hundred thousand Rands(R500,000.00).

It has been disclosed that,the employees found themselves in trouble with the bank after their Management deducted the loan installments without remitting same to the financial institution.

Mbongeni Mbingo,the Managing Editor of the State owned eSwatini Observer had not responded at the time of compiling this report.

Reached for comments on Thursday evening,Lindiwe Shongwe, the Eswatini Bank Executive Manager- Marketing and Communications declined to respond to questions citing customer confidentiality in the matter.

“Good evening Swaziland News.We acknowledge your questionnaire on the above. However, due to customer confidentiality, the Bank is unable to comment on this issue”, said the Eswatini Bank Executive Manager-Marketing and Communications.

Efforts to reach the Media Union representing the Eswatini Observer employees proved unsuccessful at the time of compiling this report.

It has been previously reported by this publication that the newspaper “is facing financial challenges” and struggling to pay salaries for its employees.