By Zweli Martin Dlamini

MBABANE:Themba Khumalo, the Managing Director of the Eswatini Post and Telecommunications Corporation(EPTC) has reported Ngudzeni Member of Parliament(MP) to the police for alleged copper theft.

The story about an MP who has been reported to the police for allegedly stealing copper was first reported by the Times of Eswatini this week but, the newspaper did not mention the name of the Member of Parliament.

Worth-noting, Ndlovu is a former Marketing Manager of the State owned company and, among the MPs who supported a motion that triggered an investigation into the retrenchment of workers within EPTC something that did not good down well with the Managing Director.

“It’s true that Ndlovu has been reported to the police for alleged copper theft. Unebafana bakhe labeba le-copper bese uyayitsengisa”, said a senior Manager within EPTC.

Senior Superintendent Phindile Vilakati, the eSwatini Police Spokesperson, declined to comment.

It has been reported that, EPTC is losing over R300million as a result of copper theft and, the theft is allegedly undermining economic growth and development.

Efforts to reach the Managing Director proved unsuccessful, his phone rang unanswered and he had not responded to our questionnaire at the time of compiling this report.

Reached for comments by this Swaziland News, the Ngudzeni Member of Parliament said, he was surprised how the Managing Director could even think of linking him to copper theft.

“Angebi mine Nkhosi.Uyangisukela umnaketfu. Noma ngisasebenta ka EPTC, I ran a huge campaign yekubamba emasela e-copper. Nanyalo e-Phalamende ngikhankhasela lomtsetfo we-Critical Infrastructure Protection Bill. Hon Minister Savannah and the Attorney General angakutjela kutsi bengibahlupha kanganani kutsi sobanjwe yini lomtsetfo. Ngiyacela angengetfuki wa-Khumalo ngenca yemsebenti wase-Phalamende. The Select Committee report was approved by the House, akusiyo yami. Ngiyawuhlonipha umtsetfo and will be available kuphendvula lapho kudzingeke ngiphendvule khona,” said the Ngudzeni MP.

MP Charles Ndlovu has been vocal in Parliament, he vigorously opposed the retrenchment of workers at the Eswatini Telecoms and this, did not go down well with Managing Director Khumalo who subsequently accused the MP of copper theft.