MBABANE – Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini says government is within its rights to investigate The Luke Commission (TLC) following serious allegations raised by former employees, members of Parliament (MPs) and the public.
In an interview covering several national issues, the prime minister said allegations involving the medical organisation were too serious for government to ignore. The allegations are yet to be investigated.
Dlamini also addressed the legal and financial framework governing non-governmental organisations, ministerial performance reports, the economy and government’s fight against corruption. He insisted government was acting within the law to protect the dignity and health of emaSwati.
On TLC, Dlamini said government’s decision to investigate was not arbitrary, but followed persistent complaints from several quarters.
He said former employees and MPs had approached his office and that the matter had also been raised in Parliament.
The premier asserted that because the allegations levelled against TLC are of a very serious nature, his office had no choice but to look into them. However, he clarified the timeline of government’s response.
According to the prime minister, government did not immediately take action after receiving the initial information. He said it was only when former employees came forward to raise the alarm that the situation escalated. He stated emphatically that government cannot simply sit and fold its arms when such serious allegations are flying back and forth.
The PM insisted on reiterating the gravity of the situation. He pointed out that there are certain practices that must not be allowed to happen in the country. He stated a fundamental principle regarding human dignity, asserting that whether a person has money or not, they have an inherent right to dignity and must be treated fairly.
Delving deeper into the specifics of the allegations, the prime minister stated that if what is being said about TLC is true, it points to practices that contravene the law, which government is duty-bound to investigate.
According to the prime minister, the individuals who brought the complaints provided almost everything needed as prima facie evidence to warrant a full-scale investigation.
The prime minister also addressed the media’s role in the saga. He stated that the media and the public are witnesses to the fact that certain articles and pictures were used at some point to put pressure on the Cabinet.
According to him, the investigators have been mandated to look into allegations that these articles and pictures were deliberately staged for the sole purpose of pressurising government to release funds.
He expanded on this point by stating that the Task Team must investigate whether certain employees were instructed to lie to Members of Parliament about the true situation at TLC.
The PM said this alleged deception was designed to manipulate the actions of MPs and Cabinet. He said the allegations, if proven, could point to organised wrongdoing, although he emphasised that government was still in the investigation phase.
He said what the country had heard in the public domain was too little compared with what had been alleged to be happening on the ground. He said he believed the Task Team set up to investigate the matter would get to the bottom of it.
Shifting to the legal aspects of the investigation, the prime minister was asked about the compliance of the Task Team.
Responding to this, the PM raised serious concerns about medical practitioners operating within TLC. He said it was important for the investigators to check records to ascertain whether doctors working at the facility are certified by the Eswatini Medical and Dentist Council.
The PM stressed that the health sector is exceptionally important because it pertains directly to human life. He asserted that government will not allow the suffering of emaSwati, especially after the country had long attained independence. He reminded the public that TLC is a private entity operating within Eswatini. However, he noted that government supports TLC financially.
He said the team will also investigate the alleged breaches of labour laws.
According to the PM, TLC has a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with government. He stated unequivocally that government money must be used in strict line with the laws of the country. Furthermore, he pointed out that TLC also receives medicine from government through the Central Medical Stores (CMS).
The PM said TLC must comply with regulations like any other non-governmental organisation. He referred to the Public Finance Management Act, which guides how public funds must be utilised.
According to the PM, government will examine claims that TLC received medical drugs from government while charging fees for some services.
Dlamini provided details regarding the composition of the Task Team to investigate TLC. He said it is a well-integrated team comprising experts from various government departments, including labour, health, the police, finance, the Eswatini National Provident Fund (ENPF) and home affairs. He stated that this multidisciplinary approach ensures that TLC will be investigated from a highly expert point of view.
The premier said one of the issues being examined was whether TLC had a proper governance structure. He described the TLC matter fundamentally as a compliance issue. He said the committee would assist government in determining whether a new framework was needed, apart from the existing agreement. The PM also said there were environmental concerns associated with TLC that required investigation.
On the medical side of the investigation, the PM stated government has received serious allegations and is investigating them meticulously.
He said the Task Team will review the prima facie evidence government possesses regarding the quality of medicines.
Before he assumed office as PM in 2023, he said he had learnt that the Ministry of Health was not comfortable with the operations of The Luke Commission. Ultimately, Dlamini said the Task Team would provide a report advising whether it was safe for emaSwati to receive treatment at the facility. He invited anyone who had ever been treated at TLC to make submissions to the Task Team.
Furthermore, the PM outlined specific pharmaceutical concerns. He stated that the Task Team will investigate whether there was any repackaging of medicines, the altering of expiry dates and the overall quality of the medicines provided to patients. The investigators will also look into the quality of the oxygen used during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The prime minister detailed highly specific allegations regarding the treatment of TLC employees.
According to the prime minister, there are allegations that employees were ordered to call their MPs to put pressure on him and the Cabinet to release money to TLC. He stated that this alleged behaviour exposes the vulnerability of MPs, showing how they can potentially be used to force government into doing something illegal.
Perhaps the most startling allegation shared by the prime minister related to the payment of salaries. He said the Task Team will check what happened after workers had received their salaries, which they had been owed for three months.
He explained that the accountant had legitimately paid the workers after realising the arrears. He said it was important to establish facts on whether it is true that the money was reversed.
Finally, the prime minister stated that the Task Team will investigate whether the money deducted from employees’ salaries as a provident fund was actually remitted to the Eswatini National Provident Fund.
PM wants high-profile corruption arrests to set precedent
MBABANE – Turning to the highly sensitive issue of corruption, Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini addressed the challenges facing the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
According to the prime minister, the ACC did not secure warrants of arrest for certain corruption cases. He stated that the ACC must proceed with other cases to see whether they will eventually secure the necessary warrants.
The prime minister was careful to state that government did not want to blame the judiciary for not issuing the warrants.
Instead, he suggested an alternative legal pathway. According to the prime minister, the ACC should take the evidence it had collected and submit it directly to the police. He said the police do not need warrants of arrest in the same way, adding that there was no reason for police not to arrest high-profile individuals alleged to be involved in corruption where there was sufficient evidence.
The prime minister strongly defended his own neutrality, stating that he has never instructed the ACC to arrest specific people and that he does not even know who is being investigated.
However, he issued a stern warning, stating that in the future, it will become clear who is responsible for perpetuating corruption in the country.
According to the prime minister, a lack of justice allows people to walk free, which in turn drives the rate of corruption higher.
Dlamini implored emaSwati to take the fight against corruption seriously. He drew a direct link between corruption and unemployment, saying corruption prevented money from reaching its intended purpose. He urged citizens to record or take pictures of people suspected of engaging in corruption, where it was safe and lawful to do so.
He said if all emaSwati could stand up and fight corruption, no one would be able to engage in it. He specifically asked citizens to show evidence if they are made to pay a bribe for something they deserve, and to take pictures of anyone who demands payment in exchange for a job.
The prime minister said his ultimate wish was to see high-profile individuals alleged to be engaged in corruption arrested where there was sufficient evidence.
He said the arrest of just one or three high-profile individuals will fundamentally change the way the nation perceives and deals with the scourge of corruption.
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