MBABANE – The CSC has directed the suspended Home Affairs official, accused of aiding Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala in obtaining an Eswatini ID, to produce an affidavit from the umphakatsi she relied upon to produce the documents.
The latest directive is contained in a letter the Civil Service Commission (CSC) wrote to the official, calling upon her to show cause why disciplinary action should not be taken against her.
The affidavit, the CSC said, would assist in determining whether proper procedures were followed when Matlala obtained a birth certificate and a national identity card.
According to the letter, the commission wants to establish whether the affidavit purportedly issued by the Umphakatsi of Motshane was authentic and whether it was lawfully used as supporting documentation for Matlala’s registration.
The umphakatsi’s affidavit is a standard requirement in some late birth registration cases, particularly when the child’s birth was not recorded at hospital and the informant is a relative of the mother. The traditional authority’s endorsement serves to confirm the child’s right to registration and verify family ties within the community.
The commission has also confirmed that the officer, Nonhlanhla Malambe, has been suspended for a period of three months with full pay.
This means the Ministry of Home Affairs is expected to have concluded its internal investigation by the end of that period.
A source close to the matter said the commission viewed the affidavit as a critical piece of evidence to establish the legitimacy of Matlala’s Eswatini documents.
“The commission wants to see the actual document she relied on when she assisted Matlala. This will help determine if the process was done in accordance with the law,” said the source.
As previously reported by this publication, Malambe was suspended under Section 58 of the Public Service Act of 2018, which allows for a public officer to be suspended, pending the outcome of investigations.
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