While the Swaziland
Government is content to have only 12 public ambulances available for the whole
kingdom because many are off the road waiting for repair, it has been reported
that Government ministers have been given hire cars to use while their
government cars are also in the workshop.
The Times
Sunday an independent
newspaper in Swaziland / Eswatini reported (17 June 2018) ‘their luxurious BMW
X5 Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs)’ had developed mechanical faults and were in
three garages in Manzini, Matsapha and at the Mbabane Central Transport
Administration (CTA) depot.
The rented cars are Isuzu
and Ford 4x4 bakkies and BMW 340i sedans.
‘Government has been left
to bear the expense of fixing the ministers’ vehicles because their service
plans have reportedly been exhausted,’ the Times
reported.
The newspaper added, ‘Some
of the ministers using rented cars include ICT’s Dumisani Ndlangamandla,
Education and Training’s Phineas Magagula, Economic Planning and Development’s
Prince Hlangusemphi, Public Works and Transport’s Lindiwe Dlamini, Housing and
Urban Development’s Phiwayinkhosi Mabuza, Tinkhundla Administration and
Development’s Mduduzi Dlamini, and Agriculture’s Moses Vilakati.
Public Works and Transport
Minister Lindiwe Dlamini confirmed the situation. The Times said the minister acknowledged that government was faced with
financial challenges.
Last
week it was reported there were only 12 public ambulances available in
Swaziland to serve a population of 1.1 million. There were reported to be 20
broken-down ambulances in garages that were not being repaired.
Also last week Finance
Minister Martin Dlamini told the Swazi House of Assembly that Swaziland
was broke and the kingdom was running out of cash. Government
suppliers go unpaid and arrears stand at E3.28 billion (US$240 million), he
said.
Despite the financial
meltdown the Government
paid US$30 million to buy Swaziland’s absolute monarch King Mswati
III his second private jet plane. It was delivered days ahead of his 50th
birthday on 19 April. On that day at a party he wore a watch
worth US$1.6 million and a suit weighing
6 kg studded with diamonds.
On 4 June 2018 the
government presented the King with a birthday gift described
by the Swazi Observer as a ‘luxurious lounge suite
trimmed with gold’. In addition, the Queen Mother gave him a dining
room suite made of gold.
He also received cheques from companies and organisations in his kingdom worth
at least E15 million.
See also
ONLY 12 GOVT AMBULANCES IN KINGDOM
https://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2018/06/only-12-govt-ambulances-in-kingdom.html
No comments:
Post a Comment