By Zweli Martin Dlamini

MBABANE:Simanga Mamba,the Chairman of the Civil Service Commission(CSC) was allegedly a subject of discussion in a recent secret meeting between Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini and SwaziPharm Director Kareem Ashraff.

It is alleged that,the PM and Ashraff want to reshuffle Principal Secretaries including that of the Ministry of Health Khanya Mabuza who are perceived as stumbling blocks to their business interests.

The PM and Ashraff allegedly want the transformation of the Central Medical Stores(CMS) to be under the National Emergency Response Council on HIV/AIDS(NERCHA) and, the reinstatement of recently removed Chief Executive Officer(CEO) of the Royal Science and Technology Park(RSTP) Vumile Dlamini.

A senior Cabinet source told this publication that, the PM also want to reshuffle Principal Secretary(PS) in the Ministry of Information, Communication and Technology(ICT) Phesheya Dube amid the struggle to reinstate CEO Vumile Dlamini who was removed by Information Minister Savannah Maziya.

But the CSC Chairman has been identified as the person who is holding a powerful position and the PM cannot reshuffle Principal Secretaries without his approval, the power struggle is intensifying within the corridors power.

“Both the Prime Minister,Ashraff and Vumile are lobbying BatfwabeNkhosi to support the removal of the CSC Chairman, removing Simanga Mamba will result to the PM and Ashraff strengthening their power through the reshuffling of Principal Secretaries including the appointment of new ones to strategic Ministries to advance their business interests.They have instructed the Anti Corruption to investigate Mamba, alternatively, they opted to at least obtain a search warrant so they can have something to convince the King to remove him”,said the source who is strategically well-positioned in Cabinet to monitor the Prime Minister.

Efforts to seek a comment from lawyer Simanga Mamba, the Chairman of the Civil Service Commission(CSC) proved unsuccessful at the time of compiling this report.

But Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini, when responding to this Swaziland News earlier, denied controlling the Anti Corruption Commission(ACC), he then failed to respond to a subsequent questionnaire regarding a secret meeting with Kareem Ashraff allegedly held at the Cabinet Offices on Monday afternoon.

This comes amid allegations suggesting that,the PM was approving questionable allowances for ACC officers to be used in arresting or persecuting his political enemies.

“The officers of the ACC are salaried and duly vetted to be part of the ACC who work without any direction or control of anyone”, said the Prime Minister when responding through Acting Government Spokesperson Thabile Mdluli.

Jabu Phakathi,the Anti Corruption Commission(ACC) Spokesperson declined to comment about the matter.

On another note,a power struggle has erupted within the corridors of power, Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini, SwaziPharm Director Kareem Ashraff are plotting against those who are threatening or disturbing their multibillion business interests within Government.

The tension between the CSC Chairman and the Prime Minister allegedly escalated after Mamba openly defended Auditor General(AG) Timothy Matsebula who accused the PM,in his various audit reports, of failing to account for about R210million while working as the Chief Executive Officer(CEO) of the National Disaster Management Agency(NDMA).

The Civil Service Commission(CSC) Chairman allegedly refused to suspended and/or facilitate the removal of the Auditor General who “is a perceived ‘political enemy’ for Kareem Ashraff and the Prime Minister for exposing alleged corruption within Government through auditing.

But the AG recently launched a forensic audit within the Ministry of Health that exposed Kareem Ashraff’s companies in an alleged multibillion looting that resulted to the shortage of drugs in various public hospitals.

The Auditor General was then saved by the CSC Chairman, and others within the corridors of power after the PM and Ashraff intensified moves to remove him, amid the power struggle,the Prime Minister then urged the public not to trust reports of the Auditor General.