Mbabane: Ex Minister of Public Works and Transport, Ntuthuko Dlamini, has taken a swipe at the NDMA for what he termed ineffectiveness at the distribution of food parcels to affected communities across the country.
Dlamini posted on his Facebook page that the NDMA and the Covid-19 Emergency Task Team erred in facilitating the registering of people that had a job and maintaining a decent livelihood in the place of the poverty stricken and jobless masses. He added that he was particularly bothered that parliament was not vibrant in its debates on the distribution process.
Dlamini said he wished to engage the Agency one-on-one and told especially the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Russell Dlamini, how that he was off line. The CEO could not be found when sought for comment, as his mobile phone rand endlessly.
“Angabe ngubani umholi walapha ka NDMA. Kuyadlalwa ngalabaswele lapha. Nephalamende ithulile kulomhlolo lowetiwa lapha. Kubhaliswa bantfu labasebentakahle kutsi labaphofu mbamba bashiywe. Ngubani lonenombolo yabo bekunene angisite ngisafuna kubatjela 9/9. Ngindziniwe nguletfo labayetako,” (Sic) posted Dlamini in vernacular on his page.
Dlamini said what the NDMA was doing was painful seeing the great need as a result of the pandemic, adding that they were comfortable and untouched as evidenced by the big cars they drove. The ex-minister went to say God would take to task anyone taking advantage of the pandemic and looting what belonged to the hard hit. He said the emergency task team and the NDMA knows clearly what corrupt practices have arisen as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic and yet there comes a time where they will have to give an account on how they have managed the public relief initiative.
The ex-minister turned businessman said to prevent the alleged NDMA’s corrupt practices community members should have registered a different chiefdoms instead of going to their respective ones.
Dlamini invited a host of comments from other Facebookers with one, Phepsile Thwala, who said her mother was old and yet was side-lined, with the excuse that she lived in a decent house by comparison.
Drawn for comment NDMA Communications Manager, Wandile Mavuso said it wouldn’t make sense for community members to register for the parcels at far off chiefdoms. Mavuso said on the contrary needy community members should register at their local chiefdoms where they are well known. He said the NDMA has come under heavy criticism since the food distribution initiative, and he was not surprised at attacks such as the ex-minister’s.
The communications officer said he would not rely on hearsay but evidence of the wrong people lining up for the distribution. He dismissed what the ex-minister said as assumption and could not be taken seriously. “Let Dlamini provide us with practical evidence or a list of the fraudsters so that they can be prosecuted,” said the communications officer. Mavuso said they did not have an investigative team within their agency which would guard against cheats but relied on the non-governmental organisations with whom they were working. He said they trusted these organisations and did not question their competence. “There are a whole lot of people from diverse sectors whose common goal is the effective delivery of the food,” said Mavuso.
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