Swaziland Newsletter No. 831 – 14 June 2024
News
from and about Swaziland, compiled by Global Aktion, Denmark (www.globalaktion.dk) in collaboration with
Swazi Media Commentary (www.swazimedia.blogspot.com), and sent to all with
an interest in Swaziland - free of charge.
NGOS,
churches pushing political agenda to be de-registered
By Sifiso
Dlamini, eSwatini News, 8 June 2024
EZULWINI: NGOs and churches found to be breaking the
law will be de-registered.
This is according to the Ministry of Home Affairs,
which is currently piloting the Non Profit Organisations (NPOs) Bill meant to
put in place legislation to regulate Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) as
well as religious denominations in the country. The ministry has
raised a concern over the mushrooming of NGOs in the country, which are
allegedly involved in money laundering and financing of terrorism. The ministry
says in the absence of legislation in place to ensure accountability for funds
received by NGOs and churches, there is a high possibility of money laundering
and financing of terrorism.
This was during the Ministry of Home Affairs,
Parliament portfolio committee’s workshop organised for both houses of
Parliament. The workshop was held at the Sibane Sami Hotel yesterday. The
statement on de-registration of NGOs and churches breaking the law was made by
the ministry’s Principal Secretary (PS), Nhlanhla Nxumalo in response to
questions posed by Senate president Lindiwe Dlamini.
While making her submissions during the question and
answer session, the senate president noted that currently, there were churches
that were non-aligned and said this should be put in order. “I have noted that
during your presentation, you have stated that there are some churches that are
not aligned to any of the recognised church governing bodies. This should be
put in order, we cannot afford a situation where there are people labafuna
kuphatsa bantfu, kepha bona bangafuni kuphatwa,” she said. The president
went on to state that pertaining to the issue of NGOs, she was of the idea that
they were regulated by the Ministry of Home Affairs, however, she was surprised
that they were registered under the Ministry of Commerce Industry and Trade.
Explaining her concern about then current situation,
the senate president said the role or mandate of NGOs was to drive social
change. “Let us not sugar coat this, it is clear that their mandate is to drive
social change. I agree that it is true they also provide humanitarian aid and
develop communities and advocate for human rights. However, I have to insist
that their core mandate is to advance or drive social change,” she
said. The senate president said the NGOs mandate emanated from their funders
who are mainly other nations and if they were not regulated and were not
accountable, it would cause problems for the country moving forward. “Certain
nations, through NGOs, are pushing a mandate to democratise other countries,”
said the Senate president.
To read more of this report, click here
http://www.times.co.sz/news/145510-ngos-churches-pushing-political-agenda-to-be-de-registered.html
Drinking water: eSwatini and Mozambique launch
a joint €16m project
By Inès Magoum,
Afrik 21, 11 June 2024
The
Eswatinian and Mozambican authorities have just launched work on the Lomahasha /
Namaacha (LoNa) cross-border drinking water supply project. The work will be
carried out thanks to a €16 million [E320 million] funding from the Development
Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA).
More
than 40,000 additional people will be supplied with drinking water in the
border towns of Lomahasha and Namaacha, in Eswatini and Mozambique
respectively. This is the ambition of a new cross-border drinking water supply
project launched on 6 June 2024 by the authorities of the two countries. The
launch was attended by the Managing Director of the Eswatini Water Services
Corporation, Jabulile Mashwama, a representative of the Mozambican Ministry of
Water Supply and Sanitation, Chuene Ramphele and Michael Feiner, Chargé
d’Affaires at the German Embassy in Mozambique, as well as the Executive
Secretary of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Water Fund.
The
water project, which aims to ensure access to drinking water and strengthen
climate resilience through the development of shared infrastructure, will be
financed to the tune of €16 million by the Development Bank of Southern Africa
(DBSA) and integrated into the SADC-Germany regional development cooperation,
itself supported by German cooperation via the German development agency (KfW).
Magnificent waterfall along the
Mbuluzi River in Eswatini ©OHlungwani/Shutterstock
To read more of this report, click here
https://www.afrik21.africa/en/drinking-water-eswatini-and-mozambique-launch-a-joint-e16m-project/
eSwatini owes London’s ‘Pakani’
E18.6 million
Mfanukhona
Nkambule, Times of eSwatini, 9 June 2024
MBABANE:
The Transport for London (TfL), a local government body, has threatened to take
Eswatini and other countries to the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
This is in relation to congestion charges the Eswatini High Commission has incurred from 2003 to December 31, 2023, amounting to E18.66 million, the equivalent of £776 530.00.
In its definition of the congestion charge, the local government body said it
is a fee for driving in central London at certain times of the day. Its
aim is to reduce traffic congestion by making people think twice before using
their cars. It is a E360.45 (£15) daily charge for those who drive within a
specified zone in central London. It applies from 7am until 6pm Monday to
Friday, and between 12pm and 6pm on weekends and holidays.
… TfL published details of diplomatic missions and international
organisations with outstanding fines. In a statement, the Transport for London
said it considered that there were no legal grounds to exempt diplomatic
missions and international organisations from the congestion charges, which is
comparable to a parking fee or toll charge. TfL stated that, under the
Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, envoys have an obligation to respect
the laws and regulations of the receiving State.
… The Eswatini High Commission in London had not responded to our
questionnaire by 7pm yesterday. Newman Ntshangase, the Principal Secretary
in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, said this
matter had not been brought to their attention. The principal secretary said
they would reach out to the high commission in London to establish the merits
of this matter that this newspaper was bringing to their attention. He
said, what they knew as a general rule in international law and practice on
diplomatic privileges and immunities, was that diplomatic missions ‘are exempt
from domestic taxes of this kind’.
To read the full unedited report, click here
http://www.times.co.sz/news/145528-eswatini-owes-london%E2%80%99s-pakani-e18.6-million.html
‘Men
also victims of GBV’
By
Siyabonga Nsibande, eSwatini Observer, 9 June 2024
MISS Eswatini Shanice Mamba has been
chosen as an advocate against Gender-Based Violence (GBV).
She said although gender-based violence was
a well-known problem that is primarily linked with men, it was true that boys
and men were also victims of it.
She is also passionate about helping those
less fortunate across the country.
Mamba has been charitable and has worked with the likes of the Helping Hand
Foundation, Makholweni Care Point and Mental Haven charity organisation. She
did express that she was eager to do more charity work.
“Gender-based violence is a well-known
problem that is primarily committed by men, it is true that boys and men are
also victims.
“It can be decreased by giving women and
girls the tools they need to succeed economically. This is empowering them to
stay in school, applying feminist strategies to address gender inequality even
at home, creating safe spaces for them, having conversations with men,
involving women in leadership roles, and supporting regional organisations that
advocate for women's rights,” she explained.
When speaking on the standards of the
beauty pageant industry in Eswatini, Mamba emphasised that it was important for
local businesses and their clients to take the craft seriously and treat it
professionally.
To read more of this report, click
here
http://new.observer.org.sz/details.php?id=22526
MP
Marwick Khumalo takes on Prime Minister Russell Dlamini for publicly attacking
the Office of the Auditor General (AG)8th June, 2024
Opinion by Marwick Khumalo, Swaziland News, 8 June 2024
It is very regrettable and unfortunate for
His Excellency the Right Honorable Prime Minister Russell Dlamini to have
vented out his frustrations in such a miscalculated manner on a matter that is
before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).
As a Member of the House of Assembly, the
Prime Minister has two choices; either to wait for the report of the PAC which
will be tabled in the House for debate and adoption or liaise with the PAC
Chairman for him to appear before the PAC as an interested party with a view to
offer clarifications or shed some light on the issue at hand,
anything outside these options, is completely Out of Order.
A leader of his stature, is expected to
always approach contentious issues with calm, and disallow himself to be
overwhelmed by emotions.
The Office of the Auditor General is
independent and is supposed to be autonomous of any government department and
is only answerable to parliament, not Cabinet.
Wherever Parliaments exist throughout the
civilised world, the Offices of the Auditor Generals are established so that
they can do their work freely without being bullied or intimidated by members
of the Executive branch.
It was not necessary for the Prime
Minister to denounce the Auditor General merely because he is conflicted and
can ill-afford to use his position to undress the Auditor General in public to
the point of questioning his credentials.
The Prime Minister is duty bound to
protect and defend institutions that are pillars of good governance and good
political standing such as the Office of the Auditor General, largely because
as a country, we are judged by our attitude towards such bodies by the
international partners and funders, potential investors, donor community
etc.
His Excellency the Prime Minister was
appointed by His Majesty and serves as the Chairman of Cabinet and leader of
government business in Parliament, and is no longer the CEO of NDMA.
Therefore, his responsibilities are too
serious for him to be confining himself to entities that are now the business
of other persons.
The Prime Minister not interfere in the
operations of the NDMA, and likewise, he should leave the Auditor General to do
his work as per his constitutional mandate.
I believe the Public Accounts Committee
was making a political statement by suspending its sittings.
It would be setting a wrong precedent if
they were to halt parliamentary business unabated purely on the basis of
misguided sentiments expressed by a member of the House.
Citizens or organizations that make it
into the Auditor General’s report should be treated equally and without
prejudice by the PAC.
Therefore, a special sitting of the House
to deal with this matter can only give credibility to a non-issue.
We have faith in the work of the PAC and
they should continue to execute their political assignment without hindrance or
fear,working jointly with the Auditor General for the good of King and country.
See also
Following PM’s
concern on AG’s office: PAC suspends sittings, Marwick says PM out of order
Govt
in tight financial spot, owes suppliers E1.4Bn
By
Stanley Khumalo, Times of eSwatini, 12 June 2024
MANZINI: Government is in a tight spot, as
arrears have increased while the country expects SACU receipts next month.
It is reported that the State
is facing financial constraints such that its arrears have shot up to about
E1.4 billion. The limited financial resources, according to sources, are born
from the fact that the country receives its Southern African Customs Union
(SACU) receipts quarterly. The sources said because the country was a
month away from receiving the SACU receipts, it was now in a tight spot in
terms of its expenditure. Insiders informed this publication that the limited
resources had repercussions in that a number of the financial obligations were
not being met, including the payment of suppliers and service providers, which
hindered service delivery.
It was claimed that the debt
had accrued from last year June to date, as some suppliers and service
providers were not paid 30 days after filing their invoices, while others had
not been paid, because they were yet to deliver all that was expected of them,
which resulted in the delay in payments. The sources said a larger chunk
of the resources the country had were used in a bid to resuscitate the
collapsed health sector, which had seen public health facilities without
medication for a long period. This is because, in recent months,
government has been settling arrears of the Ministry of Health, to ensure that
suppliers were catered for while also ensuring that there was activity in the
economy.
The sources claimed that the
delay in their payment could lead to long-term challenges. “Inasmuch as
government budgets for each financial year, the revenue inflow is not
consistent with the demand,” the source said. The source explained that
when government set its budget for the year, it projected revenue collections,
which included the SACU receipts, which were received quarterly, tax collection
and other streams of income, like fines.
To read more of this
report, click here
http://www.times.co.sz/news/145589-govt-in-tight-financial-spot-owes-suppliers-e1-4bn.html
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