By Zweli Martin Dlamini

While Cabinet was holding meetings,establishing a Select Committe to address the health crisis, SwaziPharm Wholesalers(Pty)Ltd Director Kareem Ashraff was also plotting and developing strategies how to loot more millions from public coffers.

Fortunately,Mbuso Simelane,the Assistant Attorney General(AG) stopped him from stealing R52million taxpayers money,Ashraff wanted to manipulate the courts after claiming that,Government was owing him.

A former Principal Secretary(PS) told me that,over fifteen(15)years ago,Ashraff once claimed during a meeting that the State was owing him R34million.

The former senior government official said he wondered how can the State owed a company such a huge amount of money and the company continues to survive without facing financial challenges,it was possible that,like the recent R52million,the claim came from the ‘air’.

Ashraff decided to withdraw the R52million claim against Government after the Office of the Attorney General(AG) demanded proof but later reinstated the summons after realizing that,withdrawing it attracted public interest or the media amid reasonable suspicion suggesting that,it was fraudulent.It should be noted that,by reinstating summons, Kareem Ashraff is just managing public perception because withdrawing same created suspicions that,the claim was fraudulent.

The SwaziPharm Director decided to withdraw the case from the courts without understanding that,the 'court of public opinion' is now seized with health crisis matter.

Ashraff is an alleged corrupt thief and all institutions of the State must collaborate to stop him,we need drugs in public hospitals and he must pay back the money he has been stealing from public coffers.

Even if he can bribe Judges and win this highly questionable claim against Government,the payment must be put on hold pending an appeal or the ongoing investigation into the looting of public funds that triggered the shortage of drugs in public hospitals. 

Ashraff is a corrupt and arrogant bully and it’s time he understands that,the health crisis is a personal matter to the struggling poor emaSwati who visit public hospitals with empty pockets, only to be told to buy medication at the Pharmacies.

We applaud the Office of the AG Sifiso Khumalo for opposing this alleged fraudulent claim, Mbuso Simelane couldn't have done this without the support of his boss Mashampu Khumalo.

Unlike Kareem Ashraff,we don’t have an alternative country to go and if we allow this corrupt alleged thief to collapse our country and loot everything,even our grandchildren will suffer.

Regardless of our political differences or beliefs,we must work collectively and address the health crisis because after all,our common interest is the country.