By Zweli Martin Dlamini

PIGG’S PEAK:Mzwandile Ndzinisa, the Pigg’s Peak Chief Executive Officer(CEO) has been accused of stealing over three hundred thousand Rands(R300,000.00) and refusing to account to Councillors regarding the use of public funds or ratepayers money.

As a result, the Councillors made moves to suspend the CEO amid serious allegations of corruption within the Municipality.

But documents seen by this Swaziland News suggest that, after Councillors questioned Ndzinisa, demanding accountability regarding the utilization of ratepayers monies, Housing and Urban Development Minister Apollo Maphalala through Principal Secretary(PS) Dr Simon Zwane subsequently wrote to Mayor Sipho Shongwe on Tuesday warning him to stop the process of holding the CEO accountable pending what he described as an inspection.

“This letter serves to advise that the Hon. Minister has constituted and intends to commission an inspection into the affairs of your Local Authority, effective from 3rd of September 2024, in terms of section 105 of the Urban Government Act No.8. of 1969. Consequently, all office-bearers in Council and Staff are expected to be at their normal duty stations to provide the requisite information to inspectors over the entire course of the inspection. Other instruments issued by the Local Authority from the 30th of August 2024 to any office-bearer should he stayed pending finalization of the inspection”, reads the letter directed to Pigg’s Peak Mayor Sipho Shongwe and allegedly signed by Dr Simon Zwane, the Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development.

It has been disclosed that, the Minister through the PS allegedly interfered in the process of disciplining the CEO after the Councillors demanded answers regarding alleged missing public funds, a letter was then written to the Councillors reversing the intended suspension through what appeared to be a disguised inspection.

Responding to this publication when asked to clarify the allegations, Mzwandile Ndzinisa, the Pigg’s Peak Chief Executive Officer(CEO) referred comments to Principal Secretary Dr Simon Zwane.

“Evening Mr. Dlamini.Please note that l\'m unable to respond to the questions raised, kindly engage our Principal Secretary at the Ministry”,said the CEO.

Dr Simon Zwane, the PS in the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development has not responded at the time of compiling this report.

Reached for comments on Thursday,Sipho Shongwe, the Pigg’s Peak Mayor confirmed the matter, he said as the Town Council, they have many questions that need answers from the CEO.

“Apart from the alleged looting you are mentioning, we also discovered that recently employed workers are getting high salaries more than senior staff. The junior staff are those who were employed by him and the workers whom he found already working there are paid low salaries. We also want to know how ratepayers monies are utilized and when we ask him, he refuses to account”, said the Mayor.