Mbabane– A Nursing Sister at Ndzingeni Nazarene Clinic has filed an urgent application in the Industrial Court seeking to halt her disciplinary hearing after being denied the right to external legal representation.
Angel Nonhlanhla Dlamini is currently facing allegations of fraud and gross dishonesty involving approximately E19,286.00. The legal action follows a ruling by the disciplinary chairperson, Hasso Magagula, who restricted her representation to a fellow employee of her choice, in line with the institution’s internal policies.
Dlamini is asking the court to review and set aside that decision, arguing that the complexity of fraud charges requires the expertise of an attorney. In her founding affidavit, she noted that because both the chairperson and the hearing’s initiator are admitted attorneys, she is at a severe legal disadvantage. She contends that her nursing colleagues lack the training to navigate technical legal analysis or defend her against charges that carry criminal implications.
The court papers reveal that Dlamini believes she is being made a “scapegoat” for systemic financial failures at the Ndzingeni Clinic. She stated that since her promotion to head the clinic in 2016, Eswatini Nazarene Health Institutions (ENHI) has failed to establish a formal bookkeeping or accounting system. She further alleged that there was no induction or handover from her predecessor, leaving her “handicapped” in administrative matters.
Dlamini described a “negligent” process where patient fees were collected by various nurses, placed in a “curative drawer,” and later transported to the Raleigh Fitkin Memorial (RFM) Hospital in “pills bags” or cash form by drivers and payroll officers. She maintains that she always handed over the full amounts counted in the presence of these officers and had no control over the funds once they left the clinic.
“The ENHI Finance Department seemingly embarked on a frolic of their own without my involvement,” Dlamini stated, adding that she was never invited to reconcile the accounts or review the monies transported.
The case has been postponed to May 11, 2026, for arguments. In the interim, the disciplinary hearing has been stayed pending the final determination of the application.
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