Times Of Swaziland: CHARGES WITHDRAWN AGAINST SENIOR OFFICER

CHARGES WITHDRAWN AGAINST SENIOR OFFICER
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Kwanele Dlamini on 07/10/2024 08:52:00


MBABANE – Charges have been withdrawn against a senior procurement officer,
who was accused of causing government wasteful expenditure in excess of E83
million.
Thabani Dlamini was among the senior personnel who were charged at the Central
Medical Stores (CMS) for a number of alleged misdemeanours.In the first count,
Dlamini was charged with negligence. It was alleged that on February 8, 2023, he
failed or neglected to report Yoliswa Zwane to his supervisor, about the
purported collusion between herself and AMB Medicals to accept surgical blades,
which had a seven-month shelf life, contrary to the established 18 months
protocol for accepting drugs and medicines.
In count two, Dlamini was charged also with negligence. It was claimed that on
February 8, 2023, he failed or neglected to report to his supervisor about an
alleged collusion between Pholile Maphalala and ASD Medical, to accept the drugs
and medicines, which had a 12, 14 and 15-month shelf life, contrary to the
established 18 months protocol of accepting drugs and medicines. In the third
count, Dlamini was accused of gross negligence. It was purported that in various
occasions, between the years 2020 -2022, as the senior procurement officer, he
failed, without proper cause, to perform care required in that he allowed or
facilitated orders and deliveries of drugs and medicines with short shelf-life
in complete disregard of the established 18 months protocol for accepting drugs
and medicines.“This negligent conduct of accepting drugs and medicines with
short shelf-life caused government to incur fruitless and wasteful expenditure,
which amounted to E83 082 520.66,” reads in part the charge. Dlamini had the
charges withdrawn against him on October 1, 2024. This was confirmed by his
legal representative, Senior Counsel Ben J Simelane.