LOBAMBA: Mduduzi 'Magawugawu' Simelane, the Siphofaneni Member of Parliament(MP) who moved a motion in Parliament that seeks to force Finance Minister Neal Rijikernberg to reverse the ban on import cars(Dubais) has secured a historic victory for Emaswati after MPs collectively influenced the lifting of the ban.

This comes after the Finance Minister tabled a report on Monday afternoon in Parliament reversing the ban, and this means car dealers are now free to import vehicles from overseas without restrictions that comes with the "Used Motor Vehicle Permit Specification Notice 2020" that was banning the importation of cars older than seven(7) years.

On or around 1st September 2020, the Siphofaneni MP addressed a press conference, saying he will definitely oppose the regulations by government adding that it was clear that someone was at war with the citizens preventing them from owing cars.

"It seems there's war against the citizens, someone don't want them to own cars" said the Siphofaneni MP.

The matter subsequently triggered a hot debate in Parliament after almost all the Members of Parliament supported the motion and adopted a resolution to reverse the ban, however, the Finance Minister tried to defy Parliament by delaying to implement the resolution. This saw Manzini North MP Macford Sibandze suggesting that something must be done to force the Minister to respect the Parliament resolution, the matter later attracted the interest of trade unions, after the Swaziland National Association of Teachers(SNAT) wrote to the Minister demanding that the ban be lifted.

In terms of the Parliament report in possession of this Swaziland News that was adopted by Parliament, with effect from the 01 December 2020, car dealers will be allowed to import cars not older than 11 years for a period of two years ending 30th November 2022, thereafter it would be ten(10) years until November 2023. It further states that from 1st December 2023 to 30th November 2024, motor vehicles requiring permits shall not be older than nine(9) years.

The report comes after Parliament selected a five(5) member Commitee that was tasked with engaging the Finance Minister to find solution to the Dubais ban.