KING EXTENDS TERM OF OFFICE FOR EMABANDLA

MBABANE – His Majesty King Mswati III has extended the term of office of councils, commissions, Boards and other bodies, until further notice.

They include King’s Advisory Council known as Liqoqo, Ludzidzini Council, Regional Administrators, Land Management Board, Border Restoration Committee, Civil Service Commission, Human Rights Commission and Royal Trustees.

This is contained in a gazette that was issued yesterday, and signed by the Attorney General Sifiso Mashampu Khumalo.  The latter further confirmed the gazette through a telephone interview yesterday. He said the term of office for these bodies was effective from April 12 until further notice, as contained in the gazette.

Extended

“The term of office for the councils, Boards and commissions had to be extended because it elapsed on April 12 and they would continue to work until further notice,” he said. The term of office for these bodies is normally five years and the King, exercising the powers invested in him by the Constitution, appoints them. Section 13 of the Constitution depicts that there shall be the King’s Advisory Council composed and constituted as Liqoqo under Section 231.

Membership

The Liqoqo is an advisory council, whose members are appointed by the Ingwenyama from the membership of bantfwabenkhosi (Emalangeni), tikhulu (chiefs) and persons who have distinguished themselves in the service of the nation. Section 231 (2) stipulates that where necessary, the members of Liqoqo may be appointed by the Indlovukazi as Queen Regent.

Liqoqo traditionally advises iNgwenyama on disputes in connection with the selection of tikhulu (chiefs) boundaries of chiefdoms and any other matter Ingwenyama may assign for their advice in confidence. The council is chaired by former Deputy Prime Minister Paul Dlamini and it has 23 members. In a telephone interview yesterday, Dlamini said he had not seen the gazette and it was news to him that the term of office had been extended.

“I haven’t seen the gazette and I can only share a comment once I have seen it, I’m sorry,” Dlamini  said. The Ludzidzini Council acts as the highest traditional court in the country and its members are also appointed by the King.

Chief Mdlaka Gamedze is the Chairman of the council and its members include former Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Moses Mathendele Dlamini.Members of the council include former Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) Chairman Ncumbi Maziya and former Minister of Sports, Culture and Youth Affairs Hlobsile Ndlovu.

Appointed

Also extended is the term of regional administrators (RA) who are also appointed by the head of State. Section 83 of the Constitution entails that each region is headed by an administrative official called the regional administrator. The latter is appointed by the King on the advice of the Minister responsible for tinkhundla.

The regional administrator shall convene and preside over meetings of the Regional Council and perform such other functions as may be prescribed. “A regional administrator has the status of a deputy minister and has such other benefits and privileges as may be prescribed,” reads a provision of the Constitution.

Princess Tsandzile is the Regional Administrator for the Hhohho Region, Chief Gija is at Manzini, and former Speaker in the House of Assembly Themba Msibi is at Lubombo while Peter Mamba is at Shiselweni. Msibi shared that he had seen the gazette circulating in social media and he wanted to confirm it first with the Office of the Attorney General before he could share his comments.

Section 212 of the Constitution depicts that there shall be established a Land Management Board and it shall consist of a chairman and not more than four members appointed by Ingwenyama. The Chairman of the Board is Prince Mguciso. Subsection (2) stipulates that the members of the Board shall be appointed for a period of not more than five years and shall be eligible for re-appointment.

“The Board is responsible for the overall management and for the regulation of any right or interest in land, whether urban or rural or vesting in Ingwenyama in trust for the Eswatini nation. In performing its functions the Board shall be accountable to Ingwenyama,” reads the provision in the Constitution.

The Border Restoration Committee Border Determination has been pushing its two-decade-old agenda to acquire large sections of land in Mpumalanga and Kwazulu-Natal in South Africa, a claim that has met resistance from the government of that country. The land was taken from Eswatini by the Boers some decades ago. It is under the Chairmanship of Prince David, former University of Eswatini Council Chairman.

The Civil Service Commission, which is chaired by former Teaching Service Commission Chairman Simanga Mamba may, among other things - initiate or cause to be initiated appropriate procedures or processes leading to the selection or short listing of candidates for appointment to public office as catered for in Section 186 of the Constitution.

It may also enquire or cause to be enquired into any grievance or complaint whether or not leading to disciplinary action; exercise appellate functions, with power to vary, in respect of certain decisions by persons or authorities exercising delegated powers.

Delegate

It may also do or cause to be done any act or thing reasonably necessary for the due and prompt execution of any function prescribed in this Constitution or any other law; and delegate upon the chairperson or any of its members any of its functions. Mamba could not be drawn for comment on the extension of the term of office for emabandla as his phone rang unanswered yesterday.

This publication recently revealed that it would cost the taxpayer over E4.7 million a month as payment for members of the different advisory council’s salaries and this excludes the various allowances paid to  each office bearer, which could raise the figure to E5 million a month. This was contained in a legal notice titled The Prescription of Statutory and Allowances of Emabandla, Commissions and Boards Notice, 2024, which was issued by Minister of Finance Neal Rijkenberg.

Calculations based on the basic salaries alone, revealed that each month, for the next five years, the taxpayer will fork out E4 791 007 in payment of emabandla salaries. The notice unpacked that the salaries of Liqoqo alone, which has 23 members including its chairman, will cost the taxpayer E1 196 686 on basic salary, excluding allowances.

Salaries

Ludzidzini Council, which has 17 members including the chairperson, will cost the taxpayer E890 062 monthly on salaries and the payment of salaries for the Border Restoration Committee, which has 14 members, will cost the taxpayer E728 233 monthly. The Royal Board of Trustees, which has around seven members will be paid E357 728 a month according to the notice.

The list of emabandla whose term of office has been extended by the King:

• King’s Advisory Council, Liqoqo
• Ludzidzini Council
• Regional Administrators
• Land Management Board
• Border Restoration Committee
• Civil Service Commission     Human Rights Commission
• Royal Trustees.

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