By Bongiwe Dlamini

MBABANE:Mancoba Khumalo,the Minister of Commerce, Industry and Trade who doubles as the Chairman of the Cabinet Select Committee tasked with addressing the ongoing health crisis says,it’s not true that Government suppliers are looting public funds within the Ministry of Health.

Speaking during “Letisematseni” news program on Thursday evening when interviewed by the Eswatini Broadcasting and Information Services(EBIS),the Minister said, upon touring the Central Medical Stores(CMS) they discovered that, drugs were delivered but subsequently stolen.

Even though the Minister did not mention the suppliers, this publication gathered that,he was defending Kareem Ashraff and other suppliers who have been exposed for allegedly manipulating the tendering process to loot public funds.

As per documentary evidence in our possession, Kareem Ashraff,through his alternative companies, allegedly looted over R500million in the Ministry of Health within three(3) years.

The radio presenter asked the Minister to explain how will government prevent the alleged looting of public funds whereby suppliers are paid without delivering the drugs.

“It is not true that,suppliers are looting monies within the Ministry of Health and we have seen and aware of such allegations from other platforms.But what we discovered as the Cabinet Select Committee is that,drugs are supplied and then stolen at the Central Medical Stores. We are trying to improve the minoring system because it would be pointless to deliver the drugs without monitoring systems”, said the Commerce Minister who doubles as the Chairman of the Cabinet Select Committee tasked with addressing the ongoing health crisis.

On another note,the Minister was recently exposed by this Swaziland News after he tried to sabotage an investigation into the health crisis,the investigation was launched by Government through the Ministry of Finance under the Office of the Auditor General(AG).

It is alleged that, the Commerce, Industry and Trade Minister suggested during a Cabinet meeting that, the investigation by Funduzi Forensic Services must be stopped alleging that, it had lost credibility.

This was after Charles Kwereza, one of the investigators contracted by Funduzi Forensic Services was accused of demanding a bribe from Sincedile Dlamini, the Chief Procurement Officer in the Ministry of Health.

But Zakhele Dlamini, the Managing Director at Funduzi Forensic Services successfully convinced Cabinet that the investigation must continue as the investigator who was accused of demanding a bribe was fired.

Reached for comments,Mayibongwe Masangwane, the Secretary General of the Swaziland Democratic Nurses Union(SWADNU) said,it was very unfortunate to note that, the findings of each of the different investigations change from time to time.

”Firstly, we were told that, the health crisis was caused by Government delay or failure to pay suppliers.But now, the Minister is suggesting that, drugs are stolen and if that is true, we want to see those stealing the drugs behind bars.Furthermore, let’s have the investigation concluded and the findings must be made public,” said the Secretary General of the Swaziland Democratic Nurses Union(SWADNU).