MBABANE – The Office of the Auditor General (AG) has raised queries regarding the procurement process of the athletes’ bus purchased by the (ESRC) last year.
These concerns were among the issues addressed when the Ministry of Sports, Culture and Youth Affairs appeared before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), led by Madala Mhlanga. The ministry’s appearance yesterday included a three-hour session examining the affairs of the ministry and its three associated parastatals.
Regarding ESRC, the PAC sought clarification on an unresolved issue raised by AG Timothy Matsebula’s office concerning unused funds during the 2023/24 financial year, which were deferred to the following period. Matsebula questioned why the money was held in an operational account rather than being invested to yield benefits for the council.
He noted that the parastatal, led by Chief Executive Office (CEO) Darius Dlomo, said the funds were earmarked for capital expenditure, specifically to purchase vehicles. The council stated that the budget could not be utilised within the allocated year due to a delayed procurement process involving the Eswatini Public Procurement Regulatory Agency (ESPPRA), though they failed to furnish the necessary supporting documentation.
In response, ESRC Chief Executive Officer Darius (CEO) Dlomo apologised for the failure to utilise the funds before the end of the fiscal year. He explained that auditors had informed the council that any unused funds were required to be returned to the Consolidated Fund. “We were not strong in our procurement processes, dating back to our inception in 2015,” Dlomo admitted.
He added that the council had since strengthened these processes to ensure efficiency and prevent a recurrence of these issues. He further promised to furnish all supporting documentation and communications related to the entire process.
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