MBABANE:Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini has pleaded with Members of Parliament(MPs) who are part of the Portfolio Committee under his Office, to defend him as the Parliament Public Accounts Committee(PAC) demands answers on missing R210million as per the reports of the Auditor General(AG) Timothy Matsebula.
The missing donated and public funds that were meant to benefit members of the public as grants during the COVID-19 pandemic, and further purchase working equipment for health workers, went missing within the National Disaster Management Agency(NDMA) and at the time, the Prime Minister was the Chief Executive Officer(CEO).
On Wednesday,the Prime Minister met MPs who are members of the PM’s Office Portfolio Committee at Sibane Hotel and during lunch, he was heard lobbying the MPs and/or pleading with them to assist him eradicate the stigma amid accusations suggesting that,he allegedly looted over R210million at the Disaster Management Agency.
“We must forget about the past and change our mindset.Lentfo lena ifana nekunikwa two-thousand(R2000.00) kutsiwe hamba uyotsenga imoto,bese-ke wena usebentisa R1500.00 kutsenga lemoto, wakhe umgwaco ngalo-R500.00 ngoba lemoto vele itawudzinga lomgwaco(meaning: This is like being allocated R2000.00 and told to buy a car.Then you decide to use R1500.00 to buy the car and use the R500.00 to build a road because the car cannot move without the road)”, said the Prime Minister when lobbying the MPs.
The lobbying by the PM was done behind the media’s back that was covering the event, however, this Swaziland News managed to get the information.
Sigwe MP David Cruizer Ngcamphalala and Mntfongwaneni MP Nathie Mdokies Hlophe then pledged to support the PM in cleaning himself of the accusations.
The matter of the missing public funds is currently before the Parliament Public Accounts Committee(PAC).
”Sizokusekela Ndunankulu”, said Sigwe MP Cruizer Ngcamphalala.
Prime Minister Russell Dlamini with members of his Office Portfolio Committee.