A number of public
enterprises in Swaziland (eSwatini) are to have their budgets from government
frozen because they have not submitted financial returns.
Members of the Swazi House
of Assembly adopted a recommendation
from Auditor General Timothy Matsebula.
They said the budget subventions
for the parastatals should be withheld until financial statements were forthcoming.
Up to E890 million in funding could be frozen.
Matsebula had drawn
attention to the shortcoming in his annual report for
2019 published in February 2020. They are obliged by law to make the returns. Some
are believed to have since delivered.
The
public enterprises that were not audited during
the period under review included eSwatini National Trust Commission,
eSwatini
Water and Agricultural Development Enterprise, University of eSwatini ,
eSwatini Medical Christian University, Southern Africa Nazarene
University, eSwatini Television Broadcasting Corporation, Royal Science
and Technology Park
Authority, Royal Swazi Airline, Youth Affairs for Youth Development
Fund,
National Youth Council and eSwatini Sports Council.
In his report the Auditor
General also highlighted that it was now ‘a norm for ministries, departments
and agencies to spend beyond the appropriated budget and/or on activities that
have no budget provision by Parliament, and to incur expenditure without
seeking approval from the relevant authorities’.
He found there was an over expenditure of E1.1 billion
in the recurrent expenditure released budget of E15.2 billion.
He said, ‘It is disquieting to observe such
significant over expenditures, unauthorised expenditure, and unaudited public
funds to public enterprises, while the country is faced with fiscal challenges.’
Swaziland is broke and is unable to pay suppliers. Hospitals have run out of drugs and schools are without teaching tools. Children at school have gone hungry because the government has not paid suppliers for their meals.
Swaziland is broke and is unable to pay suppliers. Hospitals have run out of drugs and schools are without teaching tools. Children at school have gone hungry because the government has not paid suppliers for their meals.
See also
Reporting
of Swaziland Govt finances fails to meet international standards, auditor
general states
IMF
reports Swaziland public debt rising, foreign reserves fallen ‘below adequate
levels’
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