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9 NEW FACES IN CABINET

By SIBONGILE SUKATI | 2023-11-14

Nine new faces have been officially announced as Cabinet ministers for the 2023-2028 term.

This was during a late press conference held at the Cabinet offices by the Prime Minister, Russell Mmiso Dlamini at 10pm last night.

The new faces include Siphocosini MP Mduduzi Matsebula who is the new Minister of Health, appointed Senator Savannah Maziya (Minister of Information, Communication and Technology) Nkwene MP Sikhumbuzo Dlamini (Tinkhundla Administration and Development) and Mbabane West MP Jane Mkhonta-Simelane (Minister of Tourism and Environmental Affairs).

Others are Prince Lonkhokhela (Minister of Natural Resources and Energy) Bongani Nzima (Minister of Sports, Culture and Youth Affairs), Apollo Maphalala (Minister of Housing and Urban Development), Mandla Chauke (Minister of Agriculture) and Owen Nxumalo who has been appointed the minister of Education and Training.

Nxumalo served as the minister of public service during the 10th Parliament.

When announcing the Cabinet the prime minister said it had pleased His Majesty King Mswati III to appoint the ministers for the 12th Parliament and mentioned that they were all expected to be in Cabinet today at noon for the swearing-in ceremony.

Returnees to the 2023-2028 cabinet include former minister of housing and urban development, Prince Simelane, who is now the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs.

Appointed

Returning ministers who have been reshuffled are the new Deputy Prime Minister, Thuli Dladla, who was the minister of foreign affairs and international cooperation in the 11th Parliament and Pholile Dlamini, who was the minister of justice and constitutional affairs and has been appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

Pholile becomes the second female Minister of Foreign Affairs after Dladla.

Pholile has been replaced by Prince Simelane as the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs. Ministers who have retained their positions are Matsanjeni North MP Phila Buthelezi and Maphalaleni MP Mabulala Maseko.

They are ministers of labour and social security and minister of public service, respectively.

Minister of Finance Neal Rijkenberg also retained his position in the same portfolio just like Minister of Economic Planning and Development Dr Tambo Gina. Princess Lindiwe has also retained her position as Minister of Home Affairs while Manqoba Nxumalo, who is the Minister of Commerce Industry and Trade, also retained his position.

Emazinyane are not ministers

Senator Princess Temaswati and appointed MP Prince Lindani have not made it into Cabinet.

Speculation was rife that at least one of the two would make it to Cabinet following the appointment of Princess Sikhanyiso last term as minister of information, communication and technology (ICT).

Both the prince and princess were appointed by His Majesty King Mswati III into Parliament in the past few weeks and they were popular after they made brilliant presentations when the parliamentarians paid a courtesy call to the king.

Princess Lindani submitted that the country should construct at least a 50 000 seater stadium where the country could hold the king’s 60th birthday celebrations and also host various sporting codes.

Meanwhile, among other issues that Princess Temaswati addressed was the matter of the gender-based-violence which has of late showed its ugly head.

Finance minister gets chance to ensure cats catch mice

Neal Rijkenberg now has a chance to ensure that the cats get the mice.

During Sibaya, the Minister of Finance, submitted that a lot of money was spent on health; E700 million on medications but the problem was that the medication was not dispensed as it had been bought.

The minister said the problem was that the rats had grown and were now eating boxes and the cats were not helping in catching those rats.

He was responding to concerns raised, amid the health crisis and drugs shortage in the country.

As part of his submissions, the minister also highlighted that the wage bill was too high, as it was 42 per cent of government expenditure when their term started.

He said they had tried strategies, including hiring freeze and it decreased to 34 per cent.

He was against retrenchments as some people have suggested and said this would destroy social structures.

“On overreliance on SACU revenues, we tried to increase our contribution to SACU and our plans were successful. SACU revenue fluctuates a lot, we have established the stabilisation fund, and we can take some if the SACU receipts decrease. We need to grow our economy as for the past 20 years; it is always at two per cent growth. We need 10 per cent growth as this would help a lot. Tinkhundla system is from Eswatini, some say we have no democracy and I always say they must come with me to Parliament, before you can say that. The system gives stability. The unrest was sparked by politics, poverty and unemployment. We need to make plans to fix that crisis,” he submitted.

New ICT minister comes with wealth of experience

The new minister of Information, Communication and Technology (ICT), Savannah Maziya comes with a wealth of experience to the portfolio as she holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the United States of America and an MBA from the United Kingdom.

Maziya is currently the Group CEO of the Bunengi Group based in Johannesburg, South Africa.

The Bunengi Group is a project development, management and investment company that operates all over the African continent in the infrastructure, natural resources and financial services sectors. This company is the only one of its kind that is women owned and run in Africa. Maziya has worked in various other industries such as broadcasting, mining and financial services. She has run various businesses that she started and later sold. She has served on various boards such as Rand Water (the largest water utility in Africa), Immigration, National Gambling and Casino Boards, The Construction Industry Development Board, The New School in New York, and the National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications. She has also served on various listed international mining groups, such as Gold one and Uranium one. After South Africa was declared a democratic country in 1994, Maziya also played the role of special advisor to various government ministers. She is considered one of the most influential women in the continent, whose work also includes being heavily involved in philanthropy with a focus on women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths. Maziya has initiated a programme that collaborates with African First Ladies, Heads of State and industry to advocate for girls in STEM and to raise funds for scholarships. She hosts an Annual Event during the United Nations annual General Assembly in New York every September. She was recognised as one of the top 100 women globally in STEM.

Second female DPM appointed

As if following the calls by Sibaya that the prime minister or at least his deputy be female, His Majesty King Mswati III has appointed MP Thuli Dladla as the Deputy Prime Minister.

Dladla is the second female DPM to be appointed into the position after Constance Simelane was appointed way back in the mid-2000s. Simelane was initially the minister of education, but was appointed into the position at a later stage.

Prince Simelane is Justice Minister

After calling for the recruitment of 42 000 security officers, Prince Simelane has been appointed the new Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs.

The minister, who is a former soldier, is also the ex-minister of housing and urban development.

He will now head one of the departments which he vouched for to be hired. This is His Majesty’s Correctional Services where the minister said at least 10 000 officers should be hired.

This was when the parliamentarians paid a courtesy call to His Majesty King Mswati III last week. Prince Simelane made headlines when he suspended marches in the country’s towns stating that organisations must get permission from the respective town councils.

However, these remained banned, especially the delivery of petitions as the country was going through a civil unrest.

10 elected MPs appointed

Section 67.3 of the Constitution states that at least half of the Cabinet ministers chosen should be elected Members of Parliament.

The section states that at least half of the number of ministers shall be appointed from among the elected members of the House.

The elected ministers who have been appointed into Cabinet are Mkhiweni MP Mandla Chauke (Agriculture), Siphocosini MP Mduduzi Matsebula (Health), Jane Mkhonta (Tourism and Evironmental Affairs) and Lubulini MP Tambo Gina.

The others are Matsanjeni North MP Phila Buthelezi, Maphalaleni MP Mabulala Maseko, Kukhanyeni MP Apollo Maphalala and Nkwene MP Sikhumbuzo Dlamini.

The new minister of Education and Training is also Manzini South MP and the minister of sports is Sandleni MP Bongani Nzima.

Apollo not new to local govt

The new Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Apollo Maphalala, is not new to local government administration as he served as the Chief Executive Officer at the Malkerns Town Board, and also at the Nhlangano Town Council.

Maphalala also once held the same position for the Northern Hhohho small town of Pigg’s Peak. This was a position that he held before nailing the job of the local 2010 World Cup Technical Committee Chief Executive Officer, in the same year.

His last place of employment was at the National Emergency Response Council on HIV/AIDS (NERCHA). Maphalala is a university graduate, having completed his degree studies at the University of Eswatini.

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