The Swaziland (eSwatini) Government’s plan to feed the
hungry during the coronavirus lockdown is falling apart.
Russell Dlamini, chief executive of The National
Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) which is organising the relief, said people who cheated
and registered for the E700 cash available but were still in employment faced
arrest.
The fund was set up to give money to about 300,000 who
faced hunger and possible starvation when they lost
their jobs because of the COVID-19 lockdown that started on 27 March 2020.
Many businesses were forced to close.
Dlamini said the cheats should immediately pay back
the money.
There have been so many reports across the kingdom
that the registration was flawed that in some places the whole process is to start
again.
Over recent weeks there have been numerous reports
that organisations tasked by NDMA had failed to identify people genuinely in
need. In turn those organisations blamed NDMA saying the process
they were asked to follow was flawed.
Media reported that
money was going to civil servants, landlords and some law
enforcement officers who had registered under questionable circumstances.
The Swazi Government’s feeding scheme was a failure
from the start. Prime Minister Ambrose Dlamini had announced it to feed more
than 300,000 people by 6 May. By a month after that date only 113,273
people had received aid. On 5 June he promise everyone would get their
payment within a week.
The feeding plan was originally rejected
by members of the House of Assembly who preferred that food, rather than
cash, be distributed. They feared money would not be spent on food.
See also
Only
four in ten receive food aid in Swaziland Govt coronavirus scheme, a month
after deadline
People
face ‘imminent death from hunger’ in Swaziland as coronavirus lockdown hits
poorest
Swaziland
Govt. pledges to feed 300,000 facing hunger in next two weeks as coronavirus
intensifies
Chaos
as Swaziland Govt. misses target to start food aid for destitute in coronavirus
lockdown
Swaziland
Govt. confirms it will not feed the starving in towns and cities during
coronavirus lockdown
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