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SIKHUPHE PROBE: 8 MPS QUESTIONED ON COMPENSATION

By Sifiso Dlamini | 2022-06-23

Lobamba- The House of Assembly eight member select committee elected to investigate the controversial Sikhuphe quarry mine compensations has been accused of wrong doing in the matter.

Lobamba MP Allen Stewart has questioned how the second compensation exercise was carried out without the committee tabling a report on their investigation in Parliament.
The select committee was elected in December 2021 following a motion moved by Dvokodvweni MP Mduduzi Magagula.

The issue has been raised a number of times during the recent Public Accounts Committee (PAC) public hearings where members of the committee questioned whether there was any political pressure exerted on the ministry by the select committee.

The bone of contention was that the Minister of Economic Planning and Development Dr. Tambo Gina assured the House of Assembly that government had honoured its part with regards to the E56 million expected compensation for the affected residents recommended following a survey.

The minister stated that government paid out the expected E7 million and the rest was to be settled by the contractor.

During yesterday’s sitting, MP Stewart moved a motion on a point of clarity on the compensation of the residents affected by the ongoing mining.

He requested for assistance in clearing the air following continued reports by the print media.
He also said more information had been gathered through the grapevine that there were issues with regards to the compensation exercise.

“The concerning thing about this issue is that it involves members of this House and there needs to be vindication because the House’s integrity and that of the involved MPs is at stake,” he said.

He said the sooner the issue was clarified, the better because Parliament was now being involved.

He further questioned how and why the ministry continued with the exercise while there was no report that was tabled by the respective committee for debate and adoption.

“Now there are reports that the committee may have their hands in the cookie jar and I think the matter should be resolved once and for all,” he submitted. Speaker Petros Mavimbela, who is also a member of the committee, urged the MP to relax and assured that the report compiled by the committee was available and he would request the committee members to table the report in the House.

Select Committee members:

Speaker Petros Mavimbela – ex-officio member
MP Marwick Khumalo
MP Lutfo Dlamini
MP Thandi Nxumalo
MP Mduduzi Magagula
MP Mduduzi Matsebula
MP Strydom Mpanza
MP Kenneth Fakudze

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