Lobamba: Clerk to Parliament and Controlling Officer, Ndvuna Dlamini has threatened to report politicians to His Majesty the King Mswati III for allegedly interfering with his work. The controlling officer alleged that meetings with the parliament presiding officers and the prime minister had bore no fruits hence he would take the matter to the King.
The prime minister is responsible for parliament business.
Yesterday Ndvuna appeared before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on its first sitting, where he was tasked to deliberate on the implementation of the PAC recommendations, in particular the use of vehicles by presiding officers.
The clerk also addressed the issue of international trips where the auditor general found that Parliament had an over expenditure despite fewer legislators travelling abroad.
The clerk stated that he had no control of trips undertaken by the politicians as most of them were awarded by the presiding officers who are Senate President Lindiwe Dlamini and Speaker Petros Mavimbela. He alleged that there was a particular presiding officer who frequently travelled first class to New York in the USA and she was a female. He did not mention her name despite that it became obvious, with the Senate President, Lindiwe Dlamini being the only female presiding officer.
He said the trips to New York had syphoned funds from government due to being expensive. He questioned the meaning of the use of E400 000 to E500 000 by a single officer, while some legislators have not had the opportunity to fly. The clerk called for him to be permitted to craft travelling plans which would not be compromised.
…she gets mad
The clerk to parliament singled out a presiding officer who got mad everytime she did not travel overseas. Said the clerk; “If that officer did not travel then she ignores you and stops talking to you (uyakudvuba)”, adding that, that presiding officer would go on to admonish the clerk when told there was no money.
The clerk said notwithstanding, he had grown strong and would not be swayed by attitudes of presiding officers. “It’s part of the job, being a clerk is not for cry-babies,” he said.
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