Swazi Observer

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MPS SUSPEND ACC E13M BUDGET

By Mbono Mdluli | 2018-03-17

Anti-Corruption Corruption Commission (ACC) should not get its budgeted E13 million until a probe has been instituted by Members of Parliament (MPs).

This decision was taken by the legislators yesterday in the House of Assembly when the legislators adopted budget debate reports from the various ministries.

When a report of the ministry of justice and constitutional affairs was to be adopted, MPs had burning concerns regarding the ACC. The ACC is a department under the ministry of justice and constitutional affairs.

Mtfongwaneni MP Mjuluko Dlamini moved that a budget of E13 132 389 should be put to Head 60 until Parliament selected a committee that would institute a probe into the alleged corruption taking place at ACC.

MP Mjuluko during the debate of the performance of the justice ministry, asked the minister for justice and constitutional affairs to explain where ACC Commissioner Thanda Mngwengwe was. He asked this question because he knew that the contract between Mngwengwe and government came to an end yet he was still reported to be in office. He expressed concerns on the cars that were still with Mngwengwe yet his contract with government had elapsed.

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The Mtfongwaneni lawmaker was supported by Nkwene MP Sikhumbuzo Dlamini. He said there was a lot of corruption going on within the ACC. He mentioned that it was one department where they did what they liked with taxpayers’ money. What was disturbing, according to the Mkwene MP, was that Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs Edgar Hillary was watching the corrupt practices allegedly done by Mngwengwe and his alleged partners in crime within the ACC.

He said during the justice ministry debate, which took place during this week, he asked the minister to state if Mngwengwe’s contract was over or not. In his written responses to the House, Hillary responded by saying Mngengwe will continue to offer his services to government through the Memorandum of Agreement signed between the two countries.

The minister indicated that the matter of Mngwengwe’s contract was still under consideration by the relevant authorities.

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The minister also indicated that the country still needs Mngwengwe’s services. MP Sikhumbuzo said Mngwengwe did not respect hierarchy within the ACC. He had deputies, with whom he was supposed to work. But the commissioner did not work with them. He engaged ordinary staff members with whom he committed his alleged corrupt practices. He said Mngwengwe recieved a Mercedes Benz ML worth E1.2 million, but on top of that, he was given a rented car. On top of that, government bought three vw golfs last year, but the cars were no longer in the country. He wondered why the cars bought by government with taxpayers’ money were out of the country, without proper explanation.

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He said what was bad was that on one hand, the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) advertised a post for a commissioner of the ACC and cabinet, on the other hand, wanted Mngwengwe back.

Minister for ICT Dumisani Ndlangamandla stood on a point of order, which called upon MP Sikhumbuzo to prove what he was saying. However, the minister’s efforts could not be successful as Lobamba Lomdzala MP Marwick Khumal also stood to say something.

MP Khumalo said it was a fact that Cabinet had its own position on the issue that was discussed. The select committee has to be appointed within 14 days.

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