Times Of Swaziland: PAC SITTINGS SUSPENDED INDEFINITELY

PAC SITTINGS SUSPENDED INDEFINITELY
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BY SIBONGILE SUKATI on 23/05/2019 08:43:00


LOBAMBA – The ongoing sittings of the PAC came to an unceremonious end
yesterday when the Chairperson, MP Phila Buthelezi, said they were suspended
indefinitely.
PAC is the Public Accounts Committee.
MP Buthelezi did not forward the reason(s) for the sudden stopping of the
sessions, and left all those present wondering what had happened.
The burning issue that was to be discussed yesterday was the
Nhlangano-Gege-Sicunusa Road, where the auditor general uncovered that about
E500 000 of taxpayers’ money went down the drain for the road which was not
completed. The announcement of the halting of all PAC sittings was made after
the committee had held a caucus which was about an hour long.
Witnesses
Seven witnesses had been called to appear before the committee and these were
former Ministers of Public Works and Transport Lindiwe Dlamini and Ntuthuko
Dlamini.
However, Lindiwe who is now Senate President, was not present in the House of
Assembly while Ntuthuko was
Others who had been invited as witnesses were former Principal Secretary in the
ministry Cyril Kunene, retired Chief Roads Engineer Trevor Tshabalala and Albert
Dlamini.
Peter Ngwenya from Kukhanya Construction was also invited by the PAC, however,
he was not present and instead three other representatives of Kukhanya, who was
the contractor for the project, were present.
Sandile Makhubu from ZMCK Consulting (the project consultants) was also present.
It was after all the introductions were done, including that of the current PS
in the ministry Makhosini Mndawe, that MP Buthelezi dropped the bombshell.
He first apologised to the gathering for the delay in holding the sitting.
He said as a committee, there were consultations which they were doing
concerning the matter.
“We know that this has been an inconvenience, but unfortunately we will not be
continuing with it for some reasons,” said MP Buthelezi.
He said the group was excused.
However, this did not sit well with Ntuthuko, who said he was invited to be a
witness in Parliament officially.
He said the dignity of Parliament was being compromised if the PAC would let
them go without a proper explanation of what had made them reach the drastic
decision.
MP Buthelezi interjected and said he greatly respected Ntuthuko, but he did not
want to engage in a dialogue with him, because this was a matter they were
working on and trying to fix.
MP Buthelezi further asked PS Mndawe to delegate someone who would pray.
However, Ntuthuko did not back down and said they had used their own money and
resources to travel to Parliament and therefore there should be some form of
compensation, especially since they were being dismissed without a proper
explanation of what had happened.  The chairperson apologised to Ntuthuko again
and assured him that it was not only this matter which was affected, but all
future sittings of the PAC.