Times Of Swaziland: Food meant for the  needy left to rot

Food meant for the  needy left to rot
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SIBONGILE SUKATI on 07/05/2013 00:00:00


LOBAMBA – Beans and cooking oil meant for distribution to starving people in
the country have been allowed to rot.
As a result there is a very bad stench at the government warehouse in Matsapha
where the food is kept. This was revealed by Hlane Member of Parliament Mduduzi
Magagula in the House of Assembly yesterday.
Food distributions have not been done by government for almost a year now, in
particular the Deputy Prime Minister’s office which is responsible for food
distribution. Magagula said the beans which were in 50kg bags were rotting
adding that the expiry dates also on the cooking oil was very close by.
“Government will now have to burn or bury the rotten beans or throw them into
the Lusushwana River,” said Magagula.
He said there was a bit of mealie meal which could expire, too.
Mayiwane MP Eric Matsebula also concurred with Magagula’s claims, stating that
he had paid a visit to the warehouse where he had found the rotting food.
Matsebula said, if anything, government could have also sold the food like it
elected to do with the maize donation from Japan which was sold for E24 million.
The money made from the said sale is still being kept at the Central Bank of
Swaziland. “I went to the warehouse and the food is rotting and even
fertiliser has been spoilt,” said MP Doward Sihlongonyane. He said his chief
also wrote a letter and he took it to the head office and they went to assess
the level of need in the area.
“They responded and said we should be given food but the next day I was told
that the Principal Secretary had said nothing of the sort would happen,” said
Sihlongonyane.
Matsanjeni MP Qedusizi Ndlovu said it was not the first time that he had been
told that the food had expired at the warehouse. “I called an officer who told
me that the reason that the food was not being distributed was because there was
no director who had since been transferred,” he said.
Ludzeludze MP Nonhlanhla Dlamini said the whole issue was starting to make her
angry.
“They are busy fighting and strangling us MPs because they say we talk too
much, but it does not have to come to this stage where food is being allowed to
rot,” said Dlamini.
Tikhuba MP Nkululeko Mbhamali also confirmed that food was rotting at the
warehouse.
MPs blame DPM’s Principal Secretary
LOBAMBA — Members of Parliament yesterday blamed the Principal Secretary in
the Deputy Prime Minister’s Office Khangeziwe Mabuza for allegedly stalling
the food distribution.
Matsanjeni MP Qedusizi Ndlovu said the people at the disaster office had
informed him that it was the PS who had stalled the food distribution. Nkwene MP
Aaron Dladla came under attack when he suggested that the next Disaster Director
be a woman as women were very sympathetic.
“Have you ever seen that PS, she just puts you in a corner and forgets that
you even exist,” Motshane MP Robert Magongo alleged. “You can say women are
sympathetic, but not this PS,” alleged Magongo.
Manzini South MP Thandi Nxumalo said it was a pity that the food was bought
using taxpayers’ money. “How many chiefs have received this food, because
the food was taken away from us,” she said.
MPs to deliberate Elections Bills
LOBAMBA — Members of Parliament are still going to deliberate the six
elections Bills further.
This was said by Speaker Prince Guduza who said they would have Portfolio
Committee debates tomorrow, Friday and Monday.
The MPs have already had a two-day workshop which was held last week at
Esibayeni Lodge.
The MPs complained that such Bills were very important and that they were
supposed to have been taken to all the constituencies for debate.
“Its true that the Bills did not get 30 days which is the time to circulate
them because they came with a certificate of urgency, but we will see how all
stakeholders are engaged,” the Speaker said.
DPM expresses disappointment
LOBAMBA — Deputy Prime Minister Themba Masuku yesterday expressed his
disappointment that no MP had bothered to tell him that food was rotting at the
government warehouse.
The DPM said he was not aware of the matter and said he was not impressed that
the MPs had ambushed him with such information. “The MPs are lucky that they
go there, but I am not privy to what has been going on down there,” he said.
He said instead of using Standing Order No 58 the MPs should just have informed
him privately.
“I was in hospital for the past two months and I was on drips so I do not
understand why you are creating problems between you and me,” he said.  Masuku
said he also had no control of the hiring or promotion of officers.
He said the Civil Service Commission (CSC) had promoted the Director of the
Disaster office to Regional Secretary.  “I cannot direct anyone to move food
until the office is occupied as this would be me breaking government rules,”
he said.