The club started with 20 cents contributions

MBABANE – Former His Majesty’s Correctional Services commissioners played a role in the establishment of the Staff Canteen.
Sigweva Nxumalo in 1972 felt the need of starting a facility that was going to bring facilities like pubs closer to officers in different parts of the country.

A retired officer at the HMCS said the canteen was a very sensitive issue because officers do not understand how it operates and who benefits from it.
Officers contributed only 20 cents in the initial stages of starting the canteen. Current HMCS chief Mzuthini Ntshangase said the canteen was not all about bringing booze closer to officers but it was also meant at encouraging officers to take part in the different sporting disciplines.

He said at the moment there were a lot of sporting codes being financed by the staff canteen. Late last month it purchased a marquee worth E1.3 million which the facility will lease out to people interested in renting it for their functions. The canteens when started made around E300 every financial year and that was dependent on whether there were any payments made towards comforting a bereaved family. 
Two former chiefs of His Maje-sty’s Correctional Services facility declined to comment when approached on how the canteens were operated during their time.

Edgar Hillary, former Commissioner of His Majesty’s Correctional Services (HMCS) said he would not like to comment about the issue of the canteen because he was no longer part of the service.
“Talk to the present leadership of the service because they are the ones at liberty to discuss issues surrounding the canteen,” said Hillary.
Hillary was one of the people that officers allegedly liked because he made sure that members were always updated about progress made by their club. He declined to state the reasons that made him a darling to officers.

He used to call frequent meetings where he tabled quarterly reports for the canteen. Officers felt part and parcel of the canteen because they were kept informed about the developments within their organiation.

Another former commissioner Mnguni Simelane said he was not in a position to talk about the canteen because as a former officer he was bound by a code they entered into when they took oath of office that they will not discuss any classified information pertaining to their organisation.

One of the pioneers of the canteen former deputy Commissioner for His Majesty’s Correctional Services (HMCS) Jabulani Dlamini said he can only speak once the current leadership of the staff canteen granted him permission to speak. Dlamini retired more than three years ago.

He confirmed that he was still there when the staff canteen was started. JJ as he was popularly known within HMCS services said he knew a lot about canteen but he would not say a word unless the present commissioner Mzuthini sanctions him to talk about the issue. 
This was after he was approached for comment on how was the canteen started and how the funds were utilised during the initial stages of the canteen.

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