By Zweli Martin Dlamini

Mancoba Khumalo,the Minister of Commerce,Industry and Trade introduced a law allowing alcohol to be sold in the rural areas, he was targeting to boost the business of his alleged friend Lincon Motsa,the Director of Ok Foods where he is allegedly receiving ‘dividends’ directly or indirectly.

Now, the Commerce Minister is beginning to demonstrate that he is out of touch with reality, he wants emaSwati who were found guilty of drinking and driving to pay fifteen thousand Rands(R15,000.00) in a country where about 70% of the population lives below the poverty line.

It was the Commerce Minister who introduced the law that resulted to alcohol being sold in the rural areas, he prioritized his business interests while disregarding the fact that, our homes are situated in the rural areas where we are raising our children and preventing them to be exposed to unacceptable behaviors.

The decision to allow alcohol to be sold in the rural areas, was a business decision but, our values as emaSwati were overlooked by an alleged corrupt Minister who was urgently seeking to boost sales at Ok Foods Liquor, the whole country has been littered with alcohol so that one Minister and his friend Lincon Motsa, the Director of Ok Foods can fill their pockets with money.

In this country, most emaSwati don’t drink alcohol because it tastes nice, this is done out of frustration amid scarcity of jobs, scholarships, business opportunities, marital problems among others.

Indeed most alcohol consumers have never seen R15,000.00 with their naked eyes, in fact even civil servants hardly have that amount in their bank accounts as salaries are low in this country.

Minister Mancoba Khumalo is alleged to be a Pastor in Pastor Shodi Msibi’s church, I like Pastor Shodi Msibi and maybe one day I will call him, seeking his assistance to call Mancoba Khumalo to order.

This Minister who pretends to be a born again Christian, introduced alcohol in the rural areas and now, he acts like he hates drink and driving, it’s a contradiction because, some alcohol consumers cannot reason to that level where you will make them understand how driving under the influence of alcohol place their lives and others in danger.

Actually, these are Mancoba Khumalo’s  customers, they support Ok Foods Liquor where he is alleged to be an indirect beneficiary.

I am not suggesting that, emaSwati must drink and drive but imposing a R15,000.00 fine when in fact, it was the Minister who created this mess, is pure nonsense.

Mancoba Khumalo is power drunk, maybe he has abused his powers and stolen millions such that, he doesn’t understand that, R15,000.00 is a lot of money to an ordinary citizen.

Government has a data of drink and driving cases and this information must be used to correct the problem, the State must find ways to reduce alcohol consumption by ensuring that, a large percentage of the population is busy with serious projects with less time to consume alcohol.

We need to investigate this Commerce Minister to ascertain why he feels R15,000.00 is not a lot of money, this suggests he might have stolen millions such that to him, R15,000.00 is nothing.