MBABANE:The Eswatini Med Governing Board has released a press statement clarifying that, Chief Executive Officer(CEO) Peter ‘Samora’ Simelane remains suspended and that, the Annual General Meeting(AGM) held this week in complete defiance of a court order was unlawful and therefore, null and void.
Principal Officer Peter Simelane who stands accused of looting millions of public funds, resulting to some emaSwati struggling to access medical-care despite paying for Medical Aid, allegedly colluded with removed Board Chairman Sammy Dlamini to defy a court order by hosting the AGM.
The court order stopping the AGM was issued by Judge Ticheme Dlamini subsequent to an urgent application filed by Business Eswatini and this, was after the Principal Officer demonstrated gross insubordination towards the authority of the Governing Board while evading accountability of the public funds.
“We, the Board of Eswatini Medical Aid Fund (Eswatini Med), wish to formally inform all stakeholders, members, and the public that the Annual General Meeting (AGM) held on 26 March 2025 was unlawful and is hereby declared null and void. This AGM was not duly sanctioned by the Board in accordance with the provisions set forth in Clause 8.1 of the Fund's Memorandum and Articles of Association, rendering any decisions made at the meeting invalid and of no legal effect.Additionally, the AGM was conducted in direct violation of an interim Court Interdict that specifically prohibited the holding of the AGM. This order was issued pursuant to an application by Business Eswatini, underscoring the unlawfulness of the event.We would also like to reiterate the resolution passed by the Board on 18 March 2025, which was communicated during our Press Conference on 20 March 2025”, reads the press statement in part.
On another note, the Board stated categorically that, in accordance with the resolution that was communicated during the Press Conference, Sammy Dlamini was removed as Chairman of the Board of Eswatini Medical Aid Fund and therefore, has no authority to represent the Fund in the capacity of Chairman.
”Any actions or representations by Mr. Dlamini in such a capacity are not recognized by the Board and have no legal standing”, reads the SwaziMed Board press statement in part.
The SwaziMed Board of Directors further clarified that, Principal Officer Peter ‘Samora’ Simelane was suspended by the Governing Board as communicated on 20th March 2025.
“His actions in continuing to present himself as the Principal Officer of the Fund are in direct violation of the conditions of his suspension. We wish to make it abundantly clear that the Board has appointed Ms. Nokuthula Dlamini as the Acting Principal Officer until the completion of an ongoing investigation into allegations of misconduct by Mr. Simelane. Ms. Dlamini is fully authorized to oversee the operations of Eswatini Medical Aid Fund during this period. We also wish to correct a false report propagated by Mr. Sammy Dlamini and Mr. Peter Simelane, which falsely claims that the Board met and made resolutions on 20 March 2025. In reality,that meeting was abandoned as the six independent members of the Board objected to Mr. Sammy Dlamini presiding over the meeting, given that he had already been removed as Chairman.We assure all stakeholders that the Board is committed to restoring proper governance and accountability within the Fund, and we are fully engaged in ensuring that all legal and governance processes are followed. Our actions are guided by the principles of good governance, and we remain steadfast in our fiduciary responsibilities to safeguard the Fund’s integrity.We call upon all stakeholders to support the Board's efforts in upholding the principles of good governance and in protecting the Fund,” the Board said through the press statement sent to this Swaziland News on Thursday.
Removed Eswatini Med Board Chairman Sammy Dlamini(pic: supplied).