MBABANE: Sibongile Ndlela-Simelane, the former Minister of Health allegedly lost in the race to Senate after she allegedly bribed some Members of Parliament(MPs) with thirty-five thousand Rands(R35,000.00) each yet the MPs were already aware that her South African funder gave her over five hundred thousand Rands(R500,000.00) that was to be distributed among the new Legislators.
The circumstances surrounding the Senate elections are subject of a high level investigation by the Anti Corruption Commission(ACC) and the police.
New information has emerged suggesting that, the South African businessman with links to the new Senator Fezeka Dlamini was also funding Ndlela and each MP was supposed to receive at least fifty thousand Rands(R50,000.00) for one(1) vote.
But the money, it has been disclosed,was subsequently supplemented by the South African businessman to accommodate more MPs and target the required twelve(12) votes.
The name of the businessman cannot be revealed for now as efforts were being made to seek his comment regarding the allegations.
It has been disclosed that, Ndlela allegedly deducted fifteen thousand Rands(R15,000.00) from each MP for herself and bribed them with thirty-five thousand Rands(R35,000.00).
But the MPs who were already aware where the money was coming from became angry and a result, she lost the elections.
Ndlela was allegedly lobbying the MPs together with Senator Fezeka Dlamini and each MP was lobbied to vote for both as first and second choice, however, Dlamini won after paying the whole amount to the new MPs.
Reached for comments,Senator Fezeka Dlamini asked this journalist to give her some few minutes so she can respond.
“Please give me some few minutes, sengbeke nangu umntfwana, then I will respond”, said the new Senator who subsequently disappeared without answering the questions on the subject matter.
On another note, Ndlela is alleged to have also communicated with Clerk to Parliament Benedict Xaba to lobby the MPs on her behalf, both Ndlela and Xaba are former Health Ministers and have worked together in the Non Governmental Organizations(NGOs) within the health sector.
But Xaba,the Clerk to Parliament told journalists during a press conference recently that, the Senate elections were conducted in accordance with the law, he urged anyone who suspected corrupt practices to approach the relevant law enforcement agencies.
“The Senate elections were conducted in accordance with the law, we urge anyone who suspects that there was corruption to approach the courts”, said the Clerk to Parliament.
Reached for comments, Sibongile Ndlela Simelane, the former Minister of Health who lost in the race to Senate, wondered where the money came from.
“Uyahlanya.Ngitsatsaphi lemali lengaka”, said the former Minister.
Efforts to reach Jabu Phakathi, the Spokesperson of the Anti Corruption Commission(ACC) proved unsuccessful at the time of compiling this report.
On another note, Emmanuel Ndlangamandla, the former Executive Director of the Coordinating Assembly of Non Government Organizations(CANGO) told this publication that, the Senate elections were undermined by the bribery allegations.
“It’s a pity that the Anti Corruption Commission(ACC) is not functional and nothing will happen to those implicated”, said the former CANGO Director who now serves as the Treasurer General(TG) of the MultiStakeholder Forum(MSF).
Former Minister Sibongile Ndlela-Simelane.