E40M FLASHY CARS FOR MINISTERS, EMABANDLA

MBABANE – The country’s Cabinet ministers will drive around in new fancy vehicles, which have since been delivered on behalf of government.

The cars are the latest Toyota Land Cruiser Prado LC Prado 3.0D VX (25X). Each costs about E1 475 525. The vehicles have been purchased through one of the country’s car dealership companies. Also to receive the cars are the four regional administrators (RAs), chairpersons of the three main King’s Advisory councils (emabandla). The chairpersons of emabandla who stand to benefit from this facility are from Liqoqo and Ludzidzini Royal Council. The Civil Service Commission and the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) are also classified as emabandla.

The Attorney General (AG), Sifiso Mashampu Khumalo, Speaker Jabulani Mabuza and Senate President Pastor Lindiwe Dlamini will not be left out, as they will also get the new cars.
For the Cabinet fleet, it has been learnt that about 18 ministers will receive the cars. In total, 27 vehicles will be given to the politicians.  Based on the aforementioned figure, it means that the cars cost approximately E39 839 175. However, as has been the case in previous years, it is believed that government has received a discount from the dealership company. Currently, the ministers are being driven in 4x4 Isuzu D-Max Double Cab vehicles which were purchased early last year. At the time, government said that it had purchased 31 cars valued at E20 million to cater for ministers’ transport needs in the interim.

Purchased

This, government said, was meant to cut costs associated with renting vehicles for government use. The Times SUNDAY has gathered that the new fleet is yet to be registered and presented to Cabinet.Confirming the delivery of the new fleet was Thulani Mkhaliphi, the Principal Secretary (PS) in the Ministry of Public Works and Transport. The PS said his office has not yet received the cars, but confirmed receiving a notification from the dealership, NTT Motors, regarding the vehicles.  He mentioned that the dealership informed him that the cars were delivered in part, as not all of those ordered had arrived. The PS further explained that the next step would be to register the cars under the politicians’ names.  “We will inform Cabinet about the delivery of the first batch, and they will advise us on who should receive a vehicle first,” he said.

Receive

He added that his ministry would wait for the delivery of the remaining cars and assured ministers that they would receive their vehicles in due course. The PS also said once the vehicles were delivered to the politicians, the Isuzu Sports Utility vehicles, which are currently being used will be repossessed and returned to the ministry’s fleet to be used by ministries.  This is not the first time that a new fleet of vehicles under the current government’s name has been purchased. In September last year, delivery of a newly-acquired fleet of 68, all equipped with advanced tracking systems was witnessed.

At the time, government said the vehicles were to be allocated across various ministries. They formed part of a larger acquisition of 741 vehicles, purchased through Standard Bank Eswatini, at a total cost of E500 million. It was mentioned that the ministries were to receive the vehicles in stages, after completing all necessary registrations.  The vehicles included Nissan Navara single cabs, Isuzu D-Max single cabs and Kia Picantos, among others.  Minister Chief Ndlaluhlaza Ndwandwe said the procurement of the vehicles was to help reduce rentals within government.  He said they partnered, for the first time, with the private sector to purchase the vehicles.

Eliminated

The minister said hiring vehicles is very costly for government and should be minimised or eliminated, hence the decision to buy the vehicles.  He said they will partner with the bank for five years in taking care of the cars and, after that, government will take full ownership of the vehicles. He explained that during Sibaya the previous year, the biggest concern was service delivery, which was due to the shortage of vehicles. Before this delivery, concerns had been raised by the Auditor General (AG) Timothy Matsebula, in the Financial Audit Report on the Consolidated Government Accounts of the Kingdom of Eswatini for the financial year ended on March 31, 2023.

Incurred

Matsebula had pointed out that exorbitant expenditure in respect of vehicle (car) rentals amounting to E30 317 461.98 was incurred by the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, instead of buying the vehicles, under the Central Transport Administration (CTA). In 2021, the ministry incurred exorbitant expenditure in respect of vehicles (cars) rentals amounting to E18 919 074.10, while in 2022, they recorded around E8 342 237.64.

Minimised

Matsebula said hiring vehicles is very costly for government and should be minimised or eliminated, hence the decision to buy the vehicles. In recent years, it has been reported that government has a fleet of around 3 500 vehicles, half of which has already exceeded its lifespan. In an effort to stop abuse of vehicles and the high expenses in managing the fleet, government embarked on pursuing a new model of procuring vehicles in large quantities. The argument has been that replacing the whole fleet at a go would have cost the taxpayer over E1 billion.

The responsibilities, which shall now be outsourced, have been under the Central Transport Administration (CTA), which has been a drain to government in terms of resources. The department, which had its trading account suspended in 2020, has been marred by corruption-related scandals, which included the theft of fuel valued at over E10 million, stealing of automobile parts and failure to fix the government fleet. Despite that its core functions include purchasing, maintaining and disposing of government vehicles and other related equipment; as well as to provide fuel for government vehicles, it was failing to provide these services.  It also rented vehicles for government ministries and departments.

This department has five workshop facilities spread across the country and they are located in Mbabane, Matsapha, Nhlangano, Pigg’s Peak and Siteki.  For the efficiency of the government machinery through provision of transport, the CTA has been responsible for a fleet ranging from motor cycles, sedans, LDVs, trucks, tractors, to heavy specialised construction motorised equipment.

Financing

The Ministry of Public Works and Transport, through the Eswatini Government Tender Board, issued an advert calling companies to express interest for government fleet leasing and financing, The provision of cars for politicians is provided for in Finance Circular No.2 of 2023, which details the terms and conditions of service for parliamentarians, designated office bearers and the AG for the 12th. The document states that it was developed at a time when the country faced a combination of domestic, regional and global challenges.

However, the circular states, due care was taken to ensure that the remuneration framework, as developed, recognises that it is important to appoint into political office competent nationals so that the country can benefit from their expertise in pursuit of its development and growth agenda.  It is mentioned that the framework recognises that a career in politics is a calling and a privilege, therefore, while it is important to pay competitive salaries in recognition of their skills and competencies, it is equally important to balance this against what the country can afford.  

The circular provides that the politicians are to receive a range of benefits and allowances.  The benefits are not uniform, but have been developed considering the role, status, duties, functions and responsibilities.

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