By Zweli Martin Dlamini

MBABANE:King Mswati’s huge South Korea-Singapore delegation that include his children, will allegedly share over R65million public funds as traveling allowances,an investigation reveals.

Information gathered by this Swaziland News and based on documents sourced from the Prime Minister’s Office dated 22nd May 2024, with the over one hundred and thirty(130)names of members of the King’s delegation, each member will pocket between over two hundred and fifty thousand Rands(R250,000.00) and five hundred thousand Rands(R500,000.00).

The documents suggest that, SwaziPharm Director Kareem Ashraff who is allegedly implicated in the looting of over R1billion public funds within the Ministry of the Health,was strategically included in the delegation so he can meet the King abroad.

Kareem Ashraff, the powerful and politically connected Indonesian Consular, who is vigorously seeking to prevent an arrest over the drugs shortage scandal,was believed or alleged to be carrying cash to be presented to King Mswati as “setfulo”.

The documents further suggest that, the international trip was facilitated by Foreign Minister Pholile Dlamini-Shakantu as per the Government procedures and approved by Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini, it remains unclear who between Minister Pholile Shakantu and the Prime Minister included Ashraff and  “his significance in the delegation”.

Reached for comments earlier, King’s Spokesperson Percy Simelane told this Swaziland News that his office does not handle allowances and bookings for the King’s delegation and urged this publication to contact the relevant Ministry handling finances.

“We don't handle finances and hotel  bookings,we would not know”, said the King’s Spokesperson.

Government Spokesperson Alpheous Nxumalo had not responded at the time of compiling this report.

It has been disclosed through the documents that, among the over 130 members of the delegation,King Mswati travelled together with twenty(20) close family members including his children,brothers and sisters.

Eswatini is facing a health crisis amid shortage of drugs in public hospitals,schools,the University of Eswatini(UNESWA and other institutions of higher learning are struggling without working equipment.

Reached for comments on Wednesday,Wandile Dludlu,the Deputy President of the People’s United Democratic Movement(PUDEMO) accused emaSwati of allowing the King and those around him to loot public resources with impunity.

“The King and those around him have just realized that emaSwati are not yet ready to challenge the system and they are looting as much as they can without being held accountable.The looting was even documented in the Constitution,just read Section nine(9),there is no where in the world where a Head of State can be empowered by the law to grab any amount from the public coffers without accountability. Lemali lena bayidla ngalokusemtsetfweni futsi basetayidla ngoba loko kwafakwa lapha ku-Constitution kutsi iNkhosi itabonikwa nje imali,noma simo semnotfo singavumi, itsi le-Constitution kumele atsatse nje imali,laba labanye badla egameni lakhe.NemaSwati-ke ayabavumela”, said the PUDEMO Deputy President.