LOBAMBA – Frustrated by deteriorating roads and broken promises, MPs have called for a freeze on the Ministry of Public Works and Transport’s budget.
Mhlambanyatsi Member of Parliament, Dr Bonginkosi Dlamini, called on Parliament to consider freezing the budget of the Ministry of Public Works and Transport to compel them to work diligently.
Dr Dlamini made these remarks during the House of Assembly’s debate on the performance report. Dlamini stated that the minister is leading lions and shepherds. He asserted that he would not mislead Parliament by claiming the ministry is functional, pointing out that the true measure of their progress lies in visible improvements within communities, roads and public buildings.
He noted that it is deeply painful for taxpayers to see no return on their money, while the ministry continues to receive its allocated budget. Consequently, he appealed to fellow MPs to unite and withhold the ministry’s budget.
“We need to do that to set an example to the ministry, so they recognise the power of Parliament,” he said.
Dr Dlamini also highlighted unfulfilled commitments, stating that while they were promised four bridges in Mhlambanyatsi, none have been constructed. Whenever follow-ups are made, they are met with excuses about a lack of funds.
“We do not want excuses; we want them to do the work they are being paid for. Is that too hard? If they are failing to do their work, why can they not go home so that other people can be hired to do it?” he asked.
He argued that withholding the budget would serve as an eye-opener and ultimately motivate the ministry to work harder once the funds are released, benefitting all emaSwati and pleasing His Majesty.
Dr Dlamini pointed out that all roads across the six chiefdoms in his constituency are in a deplorable condition.
He revealed that he and the Ntontozi MP recently used their own money to repair a ministry service plant to try to address the road crisis, but after fixing it, now they do not even know the location of the machinery they funded.
He added that he is currently receiving assistance on road maintenance from the Ministry of Agriculture, while the Ministry of Public Works remains idle.
“What are they being paid for at Works?. We need to restore the powers of Parliament and withhold the budget of the Ministry of Works,” he said, warning that MPs have currently become a laughing stock.
Ntontozi MP Peter Ngwenya also expressed concern that the ministry delivers materials and then never comes back to start their work. He mentioned that at his constituency, they are culverts that were meant for the construction of a bridge that were delivered by the ministry in 2014 and still today those culverts are lying idle to an extent that now they could not even be used.
Meanwhile, Gege MP Magesi Dlamini remarked that many of the ministry’s projects start well but take far too long to complete. He noted that the ministry is generally only active during the dry winter season.
“Is it still viable for the government to distribute funds to them in quarterly allocations?” he asked.
He explained that quarterly budgets often expire before seasonal work can be completed. Consequently, when appearing before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), the ministry is questioned for under-utilising its budget. He suggested that the government review its funding model for the ministry and implement stricter project deadline evaluations.
Ntfonjeni MP Raymond Dlamini emphasised the vital importance of roads, suggesting that the Speaker, the Finance Committee and MPs collaborate to restrict the budget. He proposed that the ministry’s funding be strategically released ahead of winter to ensure maximum efficiency.
Mafutseni MP Sabelo Mtetwa urged the ministry to purchase graders before the end of the second quarter, suggesting they tap into alternative funds while awaiting government allocations, as many community roads currently remain ungraded.
In response, the Minister for Public Works and Transport, Chief Ndlaluhlaza Ndwandwe, acknowledged the widespread complaints, noting that even his own community is affected.
He expressed understanding of the MPs’ frustrations but cautioned that withholding the budget could be misinterpreted yet the members of parliament are suggesting that due to the frustration they have. He attributed the execution delays to several underlying challenges, promising that the procurement of new yellow plant machinery would resolve many of these issues.
He promised to give back more written responses next week.
