By Mbono Mdluli | 2018-03-20
Minister for Information, Communications and Technology Dumisani Ndlangamandla is accused of pushing for the reinstatement of former Swazi TV CEO Bongani S’gcoko’ Dlamini.
This transpired yesterday in the House of Assembly when MPs were debating the performance report of the ministry of ICT and its budget estimates for 2018/2019 financial year.
Outspoken Zombodze Emuva MP Titus Thwala submitted that he was informed that the minister instructed the Swazi TV board of directors to re-employ Dlamini last Friday.
Thwala said it was imperative that the E2 million for Swazi TV be suspended so that a probe committee could be appointed by Parliament to find out if procedures were still being followed in the hiring process of the new CEO at Swazi TV.
Another matter they wanted probed was the awarding of a tender of collecting money for TV licences by SVNet. House of Assembly Speaker Themba Msibi initially had a problem with Thwala’s submission. He wondered if MPs were aware that they were not allowed to scrutinise how CEOs of parastatals were employed.
“Let the parastatal employ its CEO and then you will start investigating once you suspect a fraudulent activity,” Msibi said.
MP Thuli Dladla concurred with the speaker. She said MPs were not supposed to be involved in hiring of CEOs of parastatals. She narrated that CEOs were employed by board of directors of companies and the boards reported to the minister responsible for the parastatals. The minister would then forward the shortlisted candidate to SCOPE, which would eventually be forwarded to Cabinet, which would then approve the hiring of the CEO.
Lobamba Lomdzala MP Marwick Khumalo clarified that it was the role of MPs to intervene in any government organisation because taxpayers’ funds were involved.
He said MPs were clear about set procedures that were supposed to be followed when CEOs were employed by parastatals. What the MPs wanted to find out was whether that procedure was still followed at Swazi TV or not.
What the MPs are alleged to have been told was that the name of the shortlisted new CEO was already available, but the process of hiring the CEO was stalled because Ndlangamandla wants the former CEO (S’gcoko) to be brought back to the TV station.
Dlamini’s contract ended in December and he had indicated that he had no desire to have it renewed. However, he turned around and expressed willingness to bounce back.
MP last week stated in no uncertain terms that Dlamini should not be considered this time around as a CEO because an audit report declared him unfit for the job of running the station.
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