MBABANE: King Mswati’s decision not to replace deceased Natural Resources Minister Peter Bhembe resulted to over R1million savings from the public coffers.
The late Minister was buried around 28th February 2022, since Agriculture Minister Jabulani Mabuza has been Acting Natural Resources Minister.
Cabinet Ministers in the Kingdom of eSwatini receive over seventy thousand Rands(R70,000.00) per-month including allowances, the monies that could have been paid to the late Natural Resources Minister, when calculated for the past fourteen(14) months, amount to over R1million.
Reached for comments, King’s Spokesperson Percy Simelane said it would be difficult to know if the intention was to save monies, as the King’s decision was not shared or formally communicated.
But Simelane clarified that any savings whether intended or not,were welcomed as a step towards sustainable economic growth and stability.
“The decision not to replace the late Peter Bhembe as Minister for Natural Resources was not shared.It would be very difficult therefore to know if the alleged savings,amounting to over 1million Emalangeni were the intended target.We however are awake to the fact that any savings intended or not are welcome as a step forward in the quest for sustainable economic stability in Eswatinini,” said the King’s Spokesperson.
The late Natural Resources Minister Peter Bhembe.