INTERRUPTIONS, BOOS AS ATTENDEES TAKE CHARGE OF SIBAYA

LUDZIDZINI – The nation yesterday took charge of Sibaya.

Attendees inside the cattle byre yesterday ensured that speakers presented themselves appropriately by stating their names, chiefs, stuck to the topic at hand, spoke siSwati and also shouted bayethe at the end of their submissions. Those who strayed from this protocol were brought to order, as the attendees would shout that they should introduce themselves by asking who they were. If this was not adhered to, the members of the People’s Parliament ensured that the speakers did not proceed with their submissions. On the receiving end of this were some members of the royal family and various speakers, who were afforded the opportunity to express themselves.

Among the members of the royal family, former Member of Parliament (MP) in the 11th Parliament, Princess Phumelele, lost most of her submission time because the public questioned who she was, after she had started making her submission before introducing herself. The princess was then informed by the Chairperson of Sibaya, Acting Ludzidzini Governor Sifiso Mafelenkhosini Khumalo, that she had to introduce herself. As she did that, the public questioned who her chief was and she responded to that question as well. While responding to the question, Princess Phumelele was further questioning the Ludzidzini acting governor if she could proceed. At some point, the former legislator was heard saying the booing was confusing her as it had disrupted her line of thought. Also, the same was experienced by former MP of the 10th Parliament Princess Ncengencenge. She was asked to introduce herself and state her chief. This was when the princess was posing a question to Mbabane East MP Welcome Dlamini. She abided to the call by the members of the People’s Parliament.

Impatient

The nation was also impatient with presenters and or speakers who used English when articulating themselves during the submissions at Sibaya. Even the chairperson of Sibaya was not spared, because when he introduced the second segment of the discussions at the Sibaya, the public shouted that he should state in SiSwati what panellists were. However, the acting Ludzidzini governor did not heed to the call, as he continued with the business of the day. On the other hand, the Principal Secretary (PS) in the Ministry of Tinkhundla Administration and Development, Nonhlanhla Dlamini, had the members of the People’s Parliament shouting in unison, disputing her assertion that there was no money which returned from constituencies under the Regional Development Fund (RDF). The PS was elaborating on how the RDF operated and how it stood to benefit the nation.

Reverend Johannes Mazibuko of the Mbabane Alliance Church, also had the public interrupting him while he started making his presentation. This was after Mazibuko had neglected introducing himself. Thereon, he adhered to the call, which was made by the attendees. Also, another presenter who posed a question to Prince Guduza was booed for informing the attendees that she had introduced herself on Tuesday as make Mkhontfo. Another presenter who spoke of sex had the members of the People’s Parliament calling for her removal from the ‘podium’. The presenter had introduced herself as Zakhona, after speaking briefly for a few seconds and repeating, sex twice while addressing the nation, the attendees had none of it.
Some were heard shouting that she should sit down, while others called for the microphone to be muted. In fact, even the acting Ludzidzini governor made the same call. The public continued emphasising that she had to sit down until her time lapsed. Thereon, she walked out of the cattle byre.  

Dudu Dlamini from Nhlambeni also irked the members of the People’s Parliament when she said the incoming prime minister (PM) should uproot the act of dependency with the nation. She said this should be done through inculcating into the nation the culture of being self-reliant and also catering for the elderly. Some attendees in response shouted, asking  where money for such would come from as a majority of the citizenry was unemployed. Despite being booed minutes earlier, Dudu had a round of applause for submitting that His Majesty King Mswati III should also look at women for the next PM. Also, Sikhekhe Shabangu from Mbelebeleni had a round of applause for submitting that the elderly grants should be reviewed upwards, as they were not sufficient for the elderly, who did not only cater for their needs, but also had dependents such as grandchildren. Rhetorically, he asked: “What can you do with E500?”

Education

Another speaker appreciated for a well articulated submission was Mongi Shabangu, who said government should lead by example and pay grants for free primary education (FPE) and also the orphaned and vulnerable children (OVCs) on time. Shabangu said this was necessary because parents would mimic the administration’s act, which then compromised the standard of education as head teachers were left with minimal resources to manage the schools. Furthermore, he advised that school fees should be paid at the Treasury Department’s Revenue offices, as this would ensure that schools had adequate funds. “Farming costs about E5 700 as that is what government wants us to have for farm inputs, which means that the impoverished can’t farm. May you look into this Your Majesty,” said Shabangu.

He also appealed that government should issue money due to students, workers and the elderly on time, as failure to do so resulted in constant protest actions by those affected. The next to protest, he said, would be the elderly if this was not addressed. On the other hand, despite having been booed earlier, Princess Phumelele also received a round of applause for her submission on the lack of action on those who were found to have committed corrupt acts. The former legislator said the failure by the Anti- Corruption Commission to take to task those who were found to be defrauding the State, watered down the efforts of the country to combat corruption. Also, Zanele Dlamini from Nkhaba, was accorded a round of applause for advising the King to appoint a premier who would ensure that there were few circulars improving the welfare of politicians while the citizenry languished in poverty.  “The politicians have left us and will return with bananas and oranges when they seek to be re-elected towards the end of their term, without doing anything because a person who has food in his or her mouth can’t speak much,” she said.

Furthermore, she submitted that chiefs should respect each other and extend that to their subjects while also appealing to the monarch to address the issue of chiefdom boundaries, as it was causing disharmony. Former Mtsambama Constituency MP Mlamuli Dlamini had the public applauding his submission as he appealed to the monarch not to confine himself to people with the Dlamini surname when choosing a PM. Mlamuli said if a person with the right qualities had a different clan name from Dlamini, he or she should be chosen so that they could use their skills to propel the country forward. Also, in the last lap of yesterday’s business at Sibaya, Prince Guduza’s presentation on the social economic development within the context of Tinkhundla was appreciated. He submitted on how the national budget should start within chiefdoms so that the needs of the people at grassroots level would be catered for.

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