Times Of Swaziland:  Minister Lindiwe a  disgrace to Senate'

Minister Lindiwe a  disgrace to Senate'
================================================================================
 BANELE DLAMINI on 14/06/2011 00:00:00


LOBAMBA- Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Lindiwe Dlamini, has been
labelled a disgrace to Senate.
The minister is also a senator.
Senators yesterday said the minister owes them an explanation concerning the
latest revelations that she approved a project worth E5 million without
following tendering procedures.
Senators expressed concern about the latest developments viewed as bringing
Senate into disrepute.
They said as far as they are concerned they thought that the minister would be
on her best behaviour following the ‘scandals’ in which she has been
involved in recently.
One particular issue of controversy in which she was involved is the allocation
of government land to six Cabinet ministers including the prime minister.
Senator Thulile Msane said, "The Minister of Housing who is also a senator must
come and tell us what is happening in the ‘towns’. As Senate these news
reports are tainting our image. I do not want to believe this (Industrial Sites
E5 million bridge issue). She must come and explain to us."
Senate President who is also Kontshingila acting Chief, Gelane Zwane, shared
similar sentiments.
"Pity the minister is not here but the reports are disturbing and shocking to us
all," said Zwane.
"Indeed," she said, "the minister owes the chamber an explanation."
Jokingly the president wondered if it could be that the media has found a weak
link in the senators.
"We will ask her to explain what happened. She will have to explain to us as
senators as she is also a senator," she said.
Dlamini is said to have awarded an E5 million job to Inyatsi Construction
without putting it to tender.
The company is presently constructing a bridge that will link Extension Three
with the Mbabane Industrial Sites.
‘Go and thank King for resolving land saga’
LOBAMBA- Senators have moved that President, Gelane Zwane, go and thank the King
for resolving the government land standoff.
They said after His Majesty King Mswati III’s mediation it is proper that they
extend their appreciation of resolving the standoff between the three arms of
government.
Senator Themba Msibi said sleep now comes easy as the King has put the matter to
rest. He even suggested that the president go bearing gifts.
Msibi said the King’s intervention should not be taken for granted.
He was seconded by Senator, Prince Fipha who said His Majesty led by example by
mediating peace between the three arms of government.
Senate then wished the King long life.
Gelane to be tough on latecomers
LOBAMBA- Senate President, Gelane Zwane, has threatened to ‘lock’ out late-
comers.
Zwane yesterday said she has had enough of latecomers and is not going to
tolerate it anymore.
She said senators must arrive on time, 2:30pm. The president said she would no
longer allow senators to walk into the chamber when business has commenced. She
said she would station police at the two entrances to keep out tardy senators.
"From now on, when I enter I will assign police to stand guard at the doors so
that when we start working no senator will walk in," she said. Zwane added,
"2:30 pm must be 2:30 pm."
"You are making a mockery of the King’s House. There are no senators here. Do
we even form the quorum? The police will be at both doors to stop senators who
are late from disturbing us," she said. There was laugher when at least three
senators walked in just after her statement.
Senators murmured that they should be ‘chucked’ out.
Furthermore, Zwane made it known that she was disappointed in senators during
the government land caucus because they left before it ended.
She lambasted them for leaving before they could finish what she termed critical
work.
Zwane said senators must show commitment as more critical matters are yet to
follow.
Questions raised on SADC licences
LOBAMBA- Senators want answers from Minister of Public Works and Transport,
Ntuthuko Dlamini, on the SADC licences.
Among other things they want the minister to explain what will happen to the
current drivers’ licences once the roll-out of the SADC licences starts.
Furthermore, they want to know if the conversion is compulsory and if re-testing
was done in other countries. Senator Themba Msibi moved a motion to this effect
and said the minister must submit a report after seven days of adoption.
He moved that, "Minister of Public Works and Transport submits a comprehensive
report on the purported introduction of new drivers’ licences. The report
should include, but not be limited to; the process of ‘regionalisation’ of
drivers’ licences, the fate of existing drivers’ licences after the
introduction of the new licences, whether conversion to new drivers’ licences
is compulsory, whether re-testing is a pre-requisite before attaining the new
drivers’ licence, and whether re-testing was a pre-requisite in other SADC
countries."
Deputy President, Ngomu-yayona Gamedze, said their intention was to protect the
minister from being assaulted but was called upon to withdraw this.