NO COMPENSATION FOR UNREST VICTIMS IN RECONSTRUCTION FUND

MBABANE – There will be no compensation for those injured or killed during the recent unrest – at least not under the E500 million Reconstruction Fund.

This was the resolution made by the House of Assembly yesterday, as the Members of Parliament (MPs) resolved that the fund was strictly meant for the reconstruction of small and medium enterprises which had lost their structures, business and their stock. 
This was during the debate of the report of the Finance Portfolio Committee on the Reconstruction Fund, Regulations 2021, which was debated and passed in the House yesterday. The report was motivated by the chairperson, Lobamba Lomdzala MP Marwick Khumalo.

Appreciated

First to question whether those who had been injured or killed would be compensated was Nkilongo MP Timothy Myeni. He said while he appreciated the gesture by government and the King of the fund, he wondered what had caused MP Khumalo and his committee to present a report which made no mention of the compensation for the people who had been injured, shot, amputated and killed during the unrest. “What gave you the guts (sibindzi lesingaka) not to include the victims of those who were injured and how they could be compensated,” asked Myeni. He said he was concerned that already, according to newspaper reports, one of those who was injured were already suing government for an amount of over E4 million. The MP said he would address these issues, especially since he was representing four constituencies who had no one to speak on their behalf. He was, however, called to order by appointed MP Chief Kusa, who said he was concerned that the MP always spoke of constituencies which were not represented yet the House had a full representation. However, the Nkilongo MP said he was talking on behalf of all the 59 constituencies.

Aligning with the Nkilongo MPs submissions was Lomahasha MP Ndumiso Masimula, who said while he appreciated the assistance for business infrastructure, it must be remembered that breadwinners had lost their lives or sources of income during the unrest. “In some homes the people who were breadwinners lost their lives or were injured and lost their limbs, so what happens now,” wondered MP Masimula. He said the Reconstruction Fund should have included some form of compensation for them. He said all of them needed to be compensated. The MPs further said government needed to address the real issue behind the unrest instead of trying to mend already broken fences.

Symptoms

They stated that government needed to address the symptoms instead of trying to mend a problem that was already there. They likened it to diarrhea. MP Masimula said the dialogue needed to be held within the next two months because people would continue to burn more structures or be more violent if the root cause of the unrest was not addressed. Meanwhile, Mtsambama MP Simo Shongwe, who is one of the MPs who called for change, wondered how many of these funds would be set up before government addressed the real issue. “We cannot be taking the child to hospital everyday to treat a fever, why not just address it once and for all,” he suggested. He also called for a national dialogue. Meanwhile, Ndzingeni MP Lutfo Dlamini called for government and Parliament to stop burying their heads in the sand like ostriches and address the issues at hand. He said he was confused how the House was still debating regulations when a minister had already set out the guidelines for it. In response, MP Khumalo informed the House that when the committee met they had discussed the issue of compensation for those who had been injured and lost bread winners. He encouraged government to come up with other means of compensating those who had been shot, injured or killed.

He said perhaps there could be a cheaper way of compensating the affected which was much cheaper than the court route. Khumalo, further added that he was not downplaying the whole process. He was supported by Deputy Speaker Madala Mhlanga, who stated that for now the fund was strictly for reconstruction. It was revealed that the fund would be run by EswatiniBank. The MPs highlighted that the process should not experience bottle neck as experienced under the COVID-19 E45 million relief fund.
On another note, the MPs were of the view that the civil society should be included as part of the committee which observes the allocation of the funds.

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