MBABANE:Mbonisi Bhembe,the Spokesperson of the Elections and Boundaries Commission(EBC) has confirmed to this Swaziland News that,the Commission “is owing Slomoes Corporation(Pty)Ltd and expressed willingness to engage and discuss payment arrangements” for the outstanding monies.
This comes after this publication sent a questionnaire to EBC Chairman Prince Mhlabuhlangene, enquiring when will the Commission pay Slomoes Corporation outstanding payments in the over R20million elections system tender.
The questionnaire was sent after retrenched employees of the Information Technology(IT) company who lost their jobs as a result of the delay,appealed to this widely read and independent online publication to follow-up and prioritize the matter.
“Lishonile,Nkhosi.EBC Chairman, Prince Mhlabuhlangene usigcobe ngelitje of your enquiry of a matter between EBC and Slomoes Corporation.EBC did engage Slomoes Corporation for the 2018 General Election solution and did make the necessary payment for the service rendered.It has surfaced that there is an outstanding balance of which EBC has advised Slomoes Corporation to furnish the Commission with the breakdown of the balance and further engage in deliberations”, said the Spokesperson of the Elections Commission when responding to this publication.
It has been disclosed that, despite an order of the court, directing the Elections Commission to pay Slomoes Corporation part of the over R20million, the payment process was allegedly frustrated by Khombisile Dlamini, the EBC Head of Secretariat who defied the court order and the Commission’s authorities.
Dlamini is alleged to be linked to a powerful syndicate allegedly seeking to destroy Slomoes Corporation(Pty) Ltd by frustrating the payment with an alleged intention of taking over the company’s tenders within the Information Technology industry.
The names of powerful individuals who are allegedly working with the Elections Commission Head of Secretariat in suffocating the company are known to this publication but, cannot be revealed pending further investigation.
Slomoes Corporation workers urged this publication to prioritize the matter and save their jobs as the payment delay “is destroying the company”, such that, even the Eswatini Revenue Service(ERS) refused to issue a tax clearance pending outstanding taxes accumulated in the said tender.
It is alleged that, Prince Mhlabuhlangene, the EBC Chairman has been demonstrating willingness to pay but the process was allegedly frustrated internally,by the Head of Secretariat.
Companies owned by emaSwati are allegedly being intentionally collapsed by powerful individuals, some who then frustrate the payment process for services rendered to Government and State owned institutions.
EBC Chairman Prince Mhlabuhlangene(pic: Times).