By Zweli Martin Dlamini

MBABANE:Mabulala Maseko, the Minister of Public Service allegedly colluded with dismissed Principal Secretary(PS) Sipho Nelson Tsabedze to promote his wife Thabsile Maseko through alleged corrupt means.

This disclosure comes a few days after the Minister went public and defended the PS who was dismissed by the Civil Service Commission(CSC) for allegedly forging a birth certificate to avoid retirement.

An independent investigation conducted by this Swaziland News shortly after receiving a tip-off from senior Government officials uncovered that, the Public Service Minister’s wife was an ordinary teacher earning a salary under C3.

But shortly after Mabulala Maseko was appointed by the King as the Minister of Public Service, a Ministry responsible for promoting civil servants, the wife was subsequently promoted to the position of Agricultural Officer.

The new position is responsible for Roots and Tuber Crops within the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives and now, earning over thirty thousand Rands(R30,000.00) monthly salary under E3 Category.

Government Spokesperson Alpheous Nxumalo declined to comment about the matter.

When asked by this publication how she was promoted,the Public Service Minister’s wife said, she was in hospital and therefore, cannot speak about this matter.

“I’m currently in hospital Nkhosi and can’t comment”, she said.

Reached for comments on Monday morning by this Swaziland News, Mduduzi Gina, the Secretary General of the Trade Union Congress of Swaziland(TUCOSWA)called for an investigation into the promotion of the Public Service Minister’s wife.

“It is clear that, there was corruption in this promotion and we have seen the Civil Service Commission(CSC) investigating the PS who allegedly forged a birth certificate and maybe, this matter also warrants an investigation.We are not saying civil servants who qualify to hold certain positions must not be promoted just because they are related to those in power but, it’s suspicious to be quickly promoted from being an ordinary teacher to such a senior Government position when your husband is the Minister responsible for promotions”, said the TUCOSWA Secretary General.