The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has concluded that there was financial misconduct in the E45.4 million national events tender awarded to African Drums Events Management for His Majesty King Mswati III’s 56th birthday celebration and garden party.
The conclusion was reached during today’s PAC sitting where officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs appeared before the committee to answer questions arising from the Auditor General’s report.
PAC Chairperson and Mhlangatane Member of Parliament Madala Mhlanga told the committee that consultations had been held with the Attorney General and Ministry of Finance regarding the controversial procurement process.
“I have made consultations. I think we are all aware that the matter has attracted public interest and that is why I took the initiative to consult with the learned Attorney General to do verifications with the Ministry of Finance pertaining to the letter he wrote and finding a way forward on what happened because this is a query dating back to 2024,” said Mhlanga.
He said government authorities had assured the committee that the procurement processes for national events in the 2025 and 2026 financial years would be monitored more closely.
“So the conclusion that I am bringing to the House today before the PAC is that yes, there was financial misconduct on this one and we know the recommendations that we will have to make when the time for recommendations come against this transgression. I think it is a straightforward one. That is the position we will take,” he said.
The matter stems from findings by Auditor General Timothy Matsebula, who cited the Ministry of Home Affairs for engaging African Drums Events Management as a sole provider without following prescribed tender procedures.
According to the AG’s report for the financial year ending March 31, 2025, the company was awarded a contract worth E45 417 680 after allegedly being nominated by the minister during a meeting held on February 5, 2024.
The report stated there was no evidence that a normal tendering process had been followed, including invitation of bids, prequalification evaluation or shortlisting of service providers.
Khubuta MP Masiphula Mamba also raised concerns over the recurring use of emergency procurement processes for national events.
Mamba said ministries often knew well in advance when such events would take place and therefore had sufficient time to conduct open tender processes.
He said the continued use of emergency procurement disadvantaged emaSwati businesses that could otherwise compete fairly for government tenders.
“The Ministry of Home Affairs knows long before these events occur and on which dates they will happen,” said Mamba. “This habit of emergency tenders is also prevalent in other ministries.”
He added that tenders for national events should be opened to all qualifying emaSwati businesses instead of repeatedly resorting to emergency procurement.
“People must have a chance to bid for these tenders, not this emergency thing that is being done,” he said.
Assistant Auditor General Samkele Motsa told the committee that the audit had also established that the contract was not vetted by the Attorney General as required by regulations.
He stated that all government contracts were supposed to be vetted before signing.
“The contract was not vetted by the Attorney General as per the regulations. Every contract should be vetted by the Attorney General,” said Motsa.
However, Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs Nhlanhla Nxumalo defended the ministry’s actions, saying the procurement had been conducted under emergency single-source procurement provisions.
Nxumalo maintained that the contract had in fact been vetted by the Attorney General, contrary to the AG’s findings.
He explained that some documents, including the award letter, had initially been misplaced but were later found.
“The contract was vetted by the Attorney General,” Nxumalo told the committee. “We might have had some differences with the AG but that was sorted out and we even received advice from the AG on how to do things going forward.”
The AG’s report had previously noted that although the Ministry of Finance later condoned the procurement through a letter dated April 16, 2025, the practice was contrary to public procurement principles under the Public Procurement Act.
The report warned that restricting procurement for national events to one supplier undermined competition and equal opportunity.
The Auditor General further cited Section 100(1) of the Public Procurement Regulations, which states that single-source procurement should only be used where it is in the overall interest of the procuring entity while ensuring economy, efficiency and equal opportunity wherever possible.
The report further warned that repeatedly awarding contracts to the same company without competitive bidding exposed government to risks such as poor service delivery, collusion and failure to achieve value for money.
The Ministry of Home Affairs had previously argued that confirmation of the King’s birthday celebration was verbally communicated in February 2024, prompting an emergency procurement request and an application for single-source approval from the Tender Board.
However, the Auditor General stated that no documentary evidence proving Tender Board approval was provided during the audit process.
The PAC is expected to make formal recommendations to Parliament once it finalises its report on the matter.
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