The Swaziland Government has bought a fleet of luxury
BMW cars worth US$7.5 million ahead of the King’s 50/50 celebrations.
The cost of the cars alone bust the US$1.7 million budget the
government allowed itself for the festivities to mark King Mswati III’s 50th
birthday and the 50th anniversary of Swaziland’s independence from
Great Britain. The Taiwanese Government has donated an extra US$1.3 million but
that still leaves Swaziland US$4.5 million short on the cost of the cars alone.
The Times
Sunday, an independent newspaper in Swaziland where King Mswati rules as
sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch, reported (11 March 2018) the cars
would be used by the Close Protection Unit which is responsible for protecting
dignitaries.
The newspaper did not say how many vehicles were
purchased. It said the Ministry of Public Works and Transport announced the E89
million purchase in a report tabled in parliament last week. It said Lindiwe
Dlamini, Minister of Public Works and Transport, had not responded to questions
it sent to her regarding the purchase.
The cars were bought through the government’s Central Transport
Administration (CTA) which was severely criticised in the Auditor General’s
most recent report for illegally
spending millions of emalangeni and not keeping proper
financial records.
The purchase raises questions about the lack of
financial control around the 50/50 celebrations. In 2008 the budget for the
40/40 celebrations overran by
E32.6 million (about US$5 million at the then exchange rate). E17 million was
budgeted but it ended up costing at least E50.2 million. The exact figure is
still uncertain. The total cost of the entire 40/40
celebrations was E39 million less than the cost of the BMW vehicles this year.
In 2010 the Auditor General reported that E1,839,934
was spent illegally because capital release warrants had not been made. Salary
overtime claims from civil servants amounted to E5 million. The Weekend Observer newspaper in Swaziland
reported (18 December 2010), ‘Civil servants who had access to claim overtime
pay in their various workstations took advantage of the lax arrangements at the
celebrations committee to drain money.’
More than E1 million was spent on providing 14
portable toilets (E71,428 each) for the three-day event. The Weekend Observer (30 August 2008)
reported other sanitary expenses,
‘E173,000 is needed for hiring 10 of 10,000 litre water tanks over the
same period. E94,500 is required for 100 bales of toilet paper, whilst E5,500
is needed for 10 of 25 litre liquid soap. For five boxes of sunlight soap
E7,100 is sought, while E7,900 is required for detergents, amongst other
things.’ It estimated more than E2 million was spent in total on sanitary
arrangements.
A search by Swazi Media Commentary at the time
revealed that that portable toilets could be hired from neighbouring South
Africa at a cost starting at about E500 (US$70 at the then exchange rate) a
day.
See also
GOVT
MINISTRIES BROKE LAW ON SPENDING
POLICE FORCED TO PAY FOR 50/50 JUBILEE
CALL FOR CASH TO FUND 50/50 CELEBRATIONS
50/50: LEARN LESSON OF PAST DISASTER
https://swazimedia.blogspot.co.uk/2018/02/5050-learn-lesson-of-past-disaster.html
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