By Bongiwe Dlamini

MBABANE:Sikhumbuzo Dlamini,the Minister of Tinkhundla and Administration will,together with other Government officials including Principal Secretary(PS),will share over R2million public funds in traveling allowances.

The Tinkhundla Minister is away touring African countries that include Botswana, seeking to review and strengthen the Tinkhundla system, Housing and Urban Development Minister Apollo Maphalala is also part of the delegation.

It has been disclosed that,the more than ten(10) members of the delegation,will allegedly receive more than two hundred thousand Rands(R200,000.00) each public funds as traveling allowances.

The Tikhundla Minister and his delegation will be away for two(2)weeks enjoying public funds in luxurious hotels while touring the African countries, claiming to be benchmarking the current ruling undemocratic system of governance.

But eSwatini is struggling with a collapsed health system amid shortage of drugs in public hospitals triggered by rampant corruption and/or looting in the public administration and royal extravagant spending, hundreds have died since the crisis erupted.

Government Spokesperson Alpheous Nxumalo had not responded at the time of compiling this report.

An insider within Government told this Swaziland News that,the trip “is an opportunity for the Tinkhundla Minister” to loot public funds in traveling allowances.

“International trips is another way of looting public funds.Unlike other Ministers,the Tinkhundla Minister is hardly away so kwakhiwe le-trip lena kwentelwa kumcomisa, kwafakwa nalabanye kutsi ahambe nabo ngoba besekakhala kakhulu kutsi kani yena wonani ngoba kute lakudlako, lakhe litiko lite ema-international trips ngoba Tinkhundla system atimenywa emihlanganweni yemhlaba ngoba tilakaNgwane kuphela. But do you think it makes sense to travel to other countries ruled through democracy by political parties, saying you are benchmarking Tinkhundla?”. said the senior Government official.

Reached for comments on Tuesday morning,Brian Sangweni,the National Spokesperson of the People’s United Democratic Movement(PUDEMO) said,the process of benchmarking while it seeks to compare standards,it has to be carried out in accordance with certain standards itself. 

“It is usually technical rather than being political.It can only be the technical report upon which a political analysis can be made. For example, in benchmarking systems of government, a lot of aspects for comparison needs to be clearly defined and justified unless you want to asses aspects that will tickle your eyes and ears. We remain ready as PUDEMO to enlighten emaSwati and everyone including the government officials themselves about the benefits of a constitutional multiparty democracy and how it is far better than Tinkhundla.They do not even need to waste state resources by going to other countries,let them open the dialogue where we will speak freely about our political future and share ideas on the mechanisms through which this future can be guaranteed and well lived.In that process they will learn a lot about the constitutional multiparty democracy which is the people’s popular demand”, said the PUDEMO Spokesperson.