MBABANE – Suspended Home Affairs official Nonhlanhla Malambe has been slapped with four disciplinary charges linked to the controversial Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala identity document saga.
Malambe, an Assistant Regional Civil Registrar in the Ministry of Home Affairs, appeared before the Civil Service Commission (CSC) last week together with her attorney after she was formally served with a charge sheet. She is represented by Sivesonkhe Ngwenya of Sivesonkhe Ngwenya and Associates.
Information gathered by this publication is that the disciplinary hearing has been allocated three days in June before a commission led by CSC Chairman, lawyer Simanga Mamba.
According to documents seen by this publication, the principal secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs recommended disciplinary action against Malambe following internal investigations into the matter.
The charge sheet states that Malambe is accused of dishonesty in contravention of Section 49(g) of the Public Service Act, 2018. It is alleged that on or about February 12, 2024, with intent to mislead, she wrongfully registered and issued an Eswatini birth certificate to a foreign national identified as Vusimuzi Dlamini without the requisite documents.The ministry further alleges that Malambe falsely captured Thembi Christinah Zulu as the mother of Vusimuzi Dlamini despite this allegedly not being the case.
In the second count, Malambe is accused of wrongfully issuing an Eswatini national identity card to the same individual on February 20, 2024, allegedly without the required source documents. Alternatively, the ministry alleges that Malambe falsified official records by allegedly making misleading entries into the National Population Register relating to the issuance of the birth certificate and national identity document. Malambe, who is currently out on bail in the related criminal matter, will now have the disciplinary proceedings running parallel her criminal case.
The matter stems from investigations into the alleged fraudulent acquisition of Eswatini documents by South African businessman Matlala, who allegedly obtained local documents under the name Vusimuzi Dlamini.The issue attracted attention after reports emerged in South Africa alleging that Matlala possessed an Eswatini identity document. South African authorities reportedly raised concerns that the documents could assist him evade justice in that country. The Ministry of Home Affairs subsequently launched internal investigations while police also opened a criminal probe into the matter.
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Lawyer Sivesonkhe Ngwenya of Sivesonkhe Ngwenya and Associates, who is representing Malambe in the criminal case and disciplinary proceedings. (R) The controversial Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala. (Pic: Kwanele Dlamini)