Swazi Observer

FULL STORY

PAC BLASTS HEALTH MINISTRY

By PHEPHILE MOTAU | 2024-05-17

The shortage of drugs and other medical supplies in the country is not the only challenge facing the ministry of health, as it seems that they also have an administrative crisis.

This was evident yesterday when the ministry failed to submit four of five responses to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) which held its first sitting yesterday.

It was attended by the officials from the ministry and other PAC partners including the Auditor General’s (AG) officials, police, Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and the Civil Service Commission (CSC).

The ministry, led by the Principal Secretary (PS) Khanya Mabuza was the first to appear before the PAC and only submitted one report, which was riddled with mistakes.

The PAC had to send away the ministry, without even discussing the one report which was submitted, as it was also submitted to the committee yesterday. The ministry has been given seven working days to submit the reports.

The responses were from audit queries made in five reports since 2021. These were the PAC Recommendations for 2021, the PAC Recommendations 2022, Auditor General’s Compliance Report for the Financial year Ended March 31, 2021, Financial Audited Report on the Consolidated Government Accounts of the kingdom of Eswatini for the year Ended March 31, 2022, Audit of Acquisition and Distribution of Medicine to Health Facilities 2023 and the Financial Audited Report on the Consolidated Government Accounts of the Kingdom of Eswatini for the year Ended March 31, 2022.

After introductions were made and the Chairperson of the PAC Madala Mhlanga had made his opening address, the PS was given the chance to talk about the responses.

Mabuza told the PAC that he wrote a letter stating that they did not have all the responses. He said they had tried to compile the report as they had to ask for them from people who had already left the ministry.

Mabuza stated that there was a high turnover rate at the ministry and those who were supposed to give responses for previous years were no longer there.

He further told the PAC that even the Financial Controller, Nelisiwe Vilakati, had only been in office for two months, as she was previously with the DPM’s office.

He said they had tried their best to get the responses and were still knocking on doors trying to get them. Mabuza also asked for more time to submit their responses so they could have time to analyse them.

PAC Chairperson Madala Mhlanga said he did not understand how the ministry did not have the required reports as they were told on time when they would appear before the PAC.

Mhlanga further said he was not aware of the letter written by the ministry as he was the chairman. He also said they could get leniency on the 2023 report, which they had submitted, but not all the others.

Mhlanga said the 2023 report had also just gotten to his table and had mistakes on the cover page. The cover page stated that the report was from the deputy prime minister’s office and was also addressed to the Clerk to parliament, and not the chairperson of the PAC. Mhlanga said he doubted that the report was just not cut and paste.

“If we can allow you to proceed, we would be doing an injustice and we will be accused of rubber stamping,” he said.

Mhlanga said even if he felt sorry for the PS as he was new, there would be no mercy and he had to suffer the consequences.

Nhlambeni MP Manzi Zwane, who is the Vice Chairperson of the PAC said he was failing to understand the lack of responses as he could see some familiar faces from those who were present.

Zwane wondered if this meant those who left the ministry left with all documents.

He said the ministry should state if they needed the PAC to send them to get the responses from those responsible.

The MP said the ministry should be given seven days to return with all the responses, adding that the whole country was aggrieved with the ministry of health.

Matsanjeni South MP Sabelo Ndlangamandla also questioned the authenticity of the 2023 report. Another MP asked the PS to confirm that the signature was even his, which he responded to the affirmative.

Dvokodvweni MP Sifiso Shabalala said they knew that they should bring the reports, but not even one questioned why they would come to the PAC with no report.

Agreed

“Everyone knows the situation the ministry of health is in and we started with it because of that. Are we thinking for Emaswati? When we put this aside, it means we are burying things. Emaswati are anticipating what the ministry is bringing,” he said.

The PAC, after some debate agreed that the ministry should be given seven days, so that they could bring back quality responses.

AG Timothy Matsebula said the ministry should also approach his office to get support.

Meanwhile, the ministry will return today, after the PAC said they would consider the 2023 report and read it overnight for the day’s discussions.

‘Parly business takes priority’

PAC Chairperson Madala Mhlanga has reminded the ministry of health that parliament business takes precedence to all other assignments.

This was after the PS told the PAC that four key members of the team were not present as they had other duties to attend to. These included Director of Health Services Dr Velephi Okello.

“Parliament work takes precedence, even if you are a minister or the prime minister, parliament work takes precedence,” he said. Somntongo MP Sandile Nxumalo said the ministry of health was missing some important parties during the preparation of the budget speech.

Health wasting taxpayer’s money - PAC members

Members of the PAC have described the ministry of health as reckless, embarrassing and wasting taxpayers’ money.

PAC Chairperson Madala Mhlanga said taxpayers’ money was wasted as they would be getting sitting allowances, yet they had not achieved any work.

Ngwempisi MP Bhekibandla Vilakati said the ministry should respect parliament as what the PS said did not make sense. “The PS says he has been knocking on doors and not receiving responses,” he said. Vilakati wondered how they would move forward without the ministry getting responses, and if it would eventually get the responses. He said Emaswati were aggrieved and dying since the ministry was not serious about its work.

The MP asked for the ministry to state the real reason they were finding difficulty in getting the responses. He asked if there was any sabotage in the ministry. He said he worked with Mabuza before, and he was very efficient. “This is embarrassing, very embarrassing,” he said.

Nxumalo said the ministry should also have some self-introspection to find out if they were working together well. Phondo MP said the ministry did not take their work seriously as they knew very well that the country was seeking answers from what would be said by the ministry at the PAC.

PAC chairman hints at introducing oath-taking

People giving evidence before the PAC will now be required to take an oath.

This was said by PAC Chairperson Madala Mhlanga when introducing the first PAC sitting of the first session of the 12th Parliament.

Mhlanga said they would be required to administer an oath going forward before evidence was presented because they had noted that people in the past got scot-free because they were not under oath.

“If we see that there is some element of untruthful evidence, I will require you to come forward and raise your hand and take the oath,” he said.

He added that all the members were capable and had been equipped as they went through orientation.

“We work for the interest of the people. Our job is to fundamentally make sure that the money appropriated reaches the citizens of the country. The value for money is the most important aspect of the job,” Mhlanga said.

He further said they worked with Acts and the Constitution which formed their principles. He said they would expect full cooperation from government officials to make their lives easier. “We should not be known as people trying to make lives of controlling officers difficult,” he said.

Siphofaneni MP asks to be excused from PAC

Siphofaneni MP Nomalungelo Simelane has stepped down from the PAC.

This was confirmed by Chairperson Madala Mhlanga, who said he would not say that she had resigned, but just that she had asked to be excused.

Simelane was not present during the sitting yesterday. Mhlanga said he understood her reasons, which he however, did not disclose. He said he was waiting for her to write a letter stating that she was stepping down so they could move forward. Mhlanga said they would now work on replacing her with another MP, and they would have to appoint another female MP. Simelane said the correct version was that she asked to swap committees than to be excused, which was standard practice that if a member of the house, for some reasons wished to swap committees, they could present reasons to the chair of that committee and if valid enough, could be granted their wish. “I presented my request to swap committees and I was asked to state my reasons which I duly did. My request was granted by the chair. I humbly request that if a need arises you can check with the chair on my reasons, otherwise I thought it was just an internal issue,” she said.

Simelane said as the PAC was directly centred on corruption matters, she strongly believed all the other committees were the right ones to deal with same corruption issues at their scale.

“This then means I will still have all the space to confront corruption even in my other committees. I also have confidence in the member who will swap with me,” she said.

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