Times Of Swaziland: THERE IS STILL NO HURRY IN ESWATINI

THERE IS STILL NO HURRY IN ESWATINI
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Editor on 17/12/2024 07:51:00


Sir,
Years ago someone coined the slogan: ‘There is no hurry in Swaziland’ and
apparently there is still no hurry in Eswatini.
The wheels of justice seem to be grinding painfully slow in the face of the
staggering loss of over E100 million invested by emaSwati in the Status Capital
Building Society. It is deeply concerning that despite the Anti-Corruption
Commission (ACC) obtaining 11 warrants of arrest related to this case, the
investigation has been ongoing for months with no visible progress.
Fact
The fact that two of the persons of interest are based locally, while the rest
are believed to be in neighbouring South Africa, should not impede the urgency
with which this matter is addressed. The troubling link between the Status
Capital saga and the Ecsponent debacle, where over 1 000 emaSwati lost E340
million, only serves to amplify the scale of the crisis facing our citizens. The
Parliament Select Committee’s report highlighted the urgent need for an
investigation into Status Capital to establish any connections with the
Ecsponent fiasco, yet it appears that little has been done to expedite this
process.
Confirm
The Royal Eswatini Police Service’s (REPS) reluctance to confirm or deny the
existence of warrants of arrest against individuals allegedly associated with
the missing E335 million Ecsponent investments is equally disconcerting. This
lack of transparency and accountability only serves to erode the public’s
trust in the system. The management of Status Capital’s admission that the
alleged misappropriation of the around E100 million has led to substantial
delays in the disbursement of monthly interest payments to investment account
holders is a devastating blow to the livelihoods of the affected emaSwati, many
of whom are pensioners relying on these funds to survive. It is unacceptable
that the wheels of justice continue to turn at a glacial pace, while the
hard-earned savings of our people are being siphoned away with impunity.
Act
The ACC and REPS must act swiftly and decisively to bring the perpetrators to
justice and ensure that the stolen funds are recovered and returned to their
rightful owners. The people of Eswatini deserve better. They have been let down
by those entrusted with safeguarding their financial well-being, and the lack of
urgency in addressing these issues is a betrayal of their trust. It is time for
the authorities to demonstrate a genuine commitment to fighting corruption and
protecting the interests of the emaSwati, before more lives are irreparably
damaged by these egregious acts of financial malfeasance.
Concerned citizen