MASTER’S OFFICE PROBE LONG OVERDUE - PUBLIC
MBABANE – The proposed probe into the operations of the Master’s Office has sparked national debate, with many emaSwati supporting it.
While Chief Justice (CJ) Bheki Maphalala feels the probe into the operations of the Master’s Office by Parliament is interference in the affairs of the Judiciary, members of the public believe the enquiry is long overdue. Last week, the CJ wrote to the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Pholile Shakantu, requesting her to inform the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Petros Mavimbela, that the resolution taken by the House to select a seven-member committee was unconstitutional. “The Constitution has given the Judiciary the mandate to protect its independence and dignity from any unwarranted interference in its operations,” wrote Maphalala.
Independent
However, some members of the public feel that the Master of the High Court Office is an independent department and should not be controlled by the Judiciary, in particular the Judicial Service Commission. Former Senator, Mbho Shongwe, however, believes that the House of Assembly could have done things differently instead of choosing a committee which would investigate the Master’s Office. “They should have first approached the minister responsible to make her own investigations and produce a report which would be tabled in Parliament,” he said. Shongwe said after the minister had presented the report, then Parliament could take action in the form of an enquiry or probe.
According to the motion, the seven MPs were elected to look into the reported gross maladministration, abuse of power and embezzlement of estate monies at the master of the High Court Office. According to the Judiciary website, the Office of the Master of the High Court is one of the seven divisions of the Judiciary of Eswatini. Its responsibilities are the administration of deceased estates; the protection of interests of creditors and debtors, legatees, minors, children and heirs in the writing up of deceased persons’ estates; winding up of insolvent estates; liquidation of companies and the registration and safe keeping of wills.
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