Times Of Swaziland: NDVUNA SPILLS THE BEANS ON PRESIDING OFFICERS

NDVUNA SPILLS THE BEANS ON PRESIDING OFFICERS
================================================================================
BY SIBONGILE SUKATI on 09/04/2019 03:23:00


LOBAMBA – It was an explosive start to the PAC as Clerk to Parliament Ndvuna
Dlamini yesterday sang like a canary as he accused presiding officers of abusing
government vehicles.
Dlamini further said some of the presiding officers did not have any respect for
him as they would tell him point black to not only ‘shut up’, but that he
was not their boss and they were not answerable to him.
Basically, Dlamini claimed that he was being bullied by some of those in charge
of Parliament.
Dlamini made these shocking allegations yesterday morning during the first
annual sitting of the 11th Parliament’s, Public Accounts Committee (PAC),
which is chaired by Matsanjeni North MP Phila Buthelezi.
Comfortable
At one point, Dlamini asked that he would be more comfortable to divulge the
information in a caucus form, but MP Buthelezi said the PAC platform was the
proper platform where Dlamini should speak the truth, without fear or favour.
Although Dlamini did not mention names, it is common knowledge that the previous
presiding officers were former Speaker Themba Msibi, and former Senate President
Gelane Zwane, who, however, did not finish her term and former Deputy President
Ngomuyayona Gamedze acted on her behalf.
However, the clerk also mentioned that he was being faced with similar
challenges with one current presiding officer.
The 11th Parliament Presiding Officers are Senate President Lindiwe Dlamini and
Speaker in the House of Assembly Petros Mavimbela.
Dlamini further stated that one of the presiding officers was also being
wasteful in communication charges or telephone use.
He said already, there was a presiding officer who was abusing some of the
vehicles and therefore he needed the assistance of the PAC to bring that officer
to order.
The matter came to the fore after the auditor general had observed in the report
ended during the Financial Year March 31, 2017 that Parliament had an
overexpenditure of E321 880.25 under the Central Transport Administration (CTA)
vehicle charges. Parliament had initially been given a budget of E1 270 727, but
used a total of E1 592 607.
This, according to the AG, was done without the proper authorisation from
Parliament.
In his initial response, Dlamini said he would have loved to discuss the
concerns in private, because Parliament played the oversight role over the
Executive and it was improper for it to also be cited under the AG’s report.