MBABANE – From Cape Town to Badplaas!
A visit by the Minister for Education and Training, Owen Nxumalo, to a farm in Badplaas, South Africa, linked to the Eswatini Medical Christian University (EMCU) Founder Pastor Chong Yang Kim, has been marred by controversy.
The minister is said to have visited the farm, which houses a leisure resort, last week. While there, he allegedly got wind that some Members of Parliament (MPs), who form part of the ministry’s portfolio committee were on their way to the same place.
Interestingly, the MPs had just returned from a trip to Cape Town, which attracted criticism from various quarters, as some of them are part of a Parliament Select Committee elected to probe the same institution.
The minister allegedly became furious as he did not take kindly to the ‘surprise’ turn of events, and called the Speaker, Jabulani Mabuza, asking how the MPs could travel to Badplaas on a trip that he was not aware of.
“The MPs had just crossed the border gate on their way to Badplaas when the minister received the news. He became furious, as he was not aware of their trip, which is why he reported to the Speaker,” a source said.
The minister is said to have then left the farm and returned to the country.
The incident has raised eyebrows in several quarters, including Parliament, as some MPs have questioned the minister’s visit to the pastor’s farm. This is because it occurred at the height of controversy surrounding a directive he allegedly issued, instructing that a former senior member of the institution be re-employed – a directive reportedly rejected by both the Board and the Principal Secretary (PS), Nanikie Mnisi.
Efforts to understand exactly why the MPs travelled to Cape Town have not yielded clarity. Instead, different versions of the saga have emerged, with some claiming that the MPs were travelling to Badplaas as part of the Cape Town trip.
However, the place was not mentioned in the official letter and instrument that approved the Cape Town trip and its budget.
Another source, who spoke to this publication, said there are two places in Badplaas with which the pastor has links: One is a theology college and the other is the resort. The source said both places are in the same community and that the MPs might have gone there only as members of the portfolio committee. “Coincidentally, some of the MPs are members of both committees. This could be blown out of proportion, but the truth is that the trip has come at a time when the institution is being probed, and this has raised eyebrows. Right now, it is like the minister is in bed with the founder of EMCU and the MPs wanted to prove that,” he alleged.
This publication sought clarity from Speaker Mabuza on whether his office was aware of the trip and he said he would check if the letter that sought approval for the Cape Town trip had included Badplaas.
“All I can say is that my office received a letter of invitation which requested the Ministry of Education and Training Portfolio Committee to go to Cape Town. That is all that I know,” he said.
Meanwhile, Pastor Kim was also contacted. He first asked to know what the issue was regarding the minister’s visit.
He then spoke briefly, saying they have a Bible college in Badplaas and a resort with mountains, after which the call was cut. This reporter was unable to contact him again despite three further attempts.
Meanwhile, Parliament has passed a motion to appoint a special seven-member investigative committee to probe claims of financial and governance irregularities, alongside growing allegations of corruption and abuse of authority at EMCU.
*…
… no comment – Minister Owen
MBABANE – Following his reported visit to a resort that has links with the Founder of Eswatini Christian Medical University (EMCU) last week, Minister Owen Nxumalo has asked not to say much on the issue.
Contacted by this publication on Friday, the ministry simply said: “With all due respect, no comment, but I can just ask yourself as a human being, do you go to enjoy your own leisure? That is why I will rather not comment. All that I can confirm is that I did not use funds that belong to the university.”
Meanwhile, Chairperson of the Select Committee, Kubuta MP Masiphula Mamba was also asked about the Badplass trip and whether it will not affect the investigation that they have been tasked by Parliament to conduct.
Mamba said he had not been made fully aware of a trip to Badplass and that as chairperson, he was not made aware of it.
“I got to know about the trip through social media. As a result, I am not involving myself much, because I take it that it is an exercise that falls under the ministry’s portfolio committee and not the select committee,” he said.
Mamba explained that he was of the belief that the portfolio committee did due diligence and followed the procedure of reporting about the trip to the Speaker.
“Whenever there is a request for a trip of this nature, it has to be communicated by the ministry to the Speaker who has to approve. It is outside my jurisdiction since it touched on the portfolio,” he said.
*Full article in our publication
Leave a comment