Africa-Press – Eswatini. When the PAC followed up on a query about the non-repayment of millions borrowed from the Community Poverty Reduction Fund, little did they know that they will witness an old man break down into tears.
Mkhulu Mateki Zwane (68) could not contain his emotions as he tried to narrate how financial challenges had made him struggle to repay about E98 000, which he borrowed over 10 years ago from the fund. This was during the appearance of the Ministry of Tinkhundla Administration before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) yesterday.
Trouble started when Principal Secretary (PS) Nonhlanhla Dlamini narrated how the ministry had exhausted almost all avenues in its quest to recover the money, but there had been no breakthrough. The PS submitted that the ministry has engaged Zwane over the years and went to an extent of visiting his homestead to ascertain if any of his property could be taken to recover the money.
According to the PS, when they arrived at Zwane’s homestead, they discovered that it was a sorry sight and that he was struggling. Zwane is said to have shown commitment to repay the money and when he realised that it was not possible, he offered to sell his homestead, something which was, however, not accepted by the umphakatsi on the basis that selling on Eswatini Nation Land was not allowed.
Elaborating, the PS shared that Zwane had initially communicated that he wanted the money to purchase a kombi, which he was to use for a business of transporting children to school. After the PS’s narration, Deputy PAC Chairperson and Member of Parliament Manzi Zwane asked to know if Zwane did not have children who could perhaps assist.
Zwane argued that the mandate of the PAC was to recover government funds and that whatever challenges a beneficiary encountered, there could always be other means of repaying. “This fund was blessed by His Majesty King Mswati III to help emaSwati start businesses and improve their lives. Once the monies are not repaid, others are deprived of the chance to start small businesses,” Zwane said.
Chairperson of the PAC Madala Mhlanga enquired if there were proper controls implemented in as far as the fund was concerned and the response he received from the PS was that there were none at the time. “There were no controls. To be honest, the fund was established abruptly such that when we arrived we discovered that a document that was meant to contain its regulations was only made up of one page,” said the PS.
She then informed the PAC that the old man was actually present and could be given a chance to state his case and explain the challenges he encountered. It was then that Mkhulu Mateki was fetched from outside the chambers. As he took his seat and started speaking, one could tell that he was having difficulty. He first made it known that it was not his first appearance before the PAC as he was once hauled before it during the time when its chairperson was Thulisile Dladla who is now the Deputy Prime Minister.
Zwane said the last time he appeared before the PAC was during the era of Matsanjeni North MP Phila Buthelezi who is now the Minister of Labour and Social Security. “I am here to make the same plea and explain that I cannot afford to repay the money. This is because life keeps getting worse for me. I have tried to get a job countless times but no one wants to hire me. I send applications now and again and there is no feedback. Instead, I see other people being hired left right and centre,” the elderly man submitted.
He explained that at some point he was lucky to be hired as a security guard by former MP Mduduzi Magagula as the salary he got made him sacrifice at least E500 to try and repay the debt. As a result, he managed to pay about E1 500. Unfortunately, he said, the job did not last and since then, there had been no luck in as far as getting a job was concerned.
He said at times he makes a living through collecting empty tins from dustbins in town and sells them for a few cents. As he tried to continue, his tone changed and he suddenly faced down and sobbed uncontrollably.
For about two minutes, the session came to a standstill and there was silence inside the chambers. It was then that the PAC chairperson requested the Parliament personnel to usher the old man out so that he could cool off and regain himself.
Following the incident, the PAC members were suddenly divided on what should happen next. Some of the members emphasised that emotions should not deter the PAC from conducting its work as that would set a bad precedent. The debate and division came after the chairperson advised the members that they should show humility and that there were other emaSwati who had looted millions of money.
Other members demanded to know who had authorised that the old man be given the loan and what qualities they had seen in him, which led to a conclusion that he would have the capacity to pay it back. As the debate between the members ensued, the chairperson directed the PAC Clerk, Arthur Mordaunt to share a brief background about the case.
The clerk first explained that indeed, Mkhulu Mateki had appeared before the PAC before and that some time ago he gave a version that he had actually bought a second-hand kombi with the money and struggled to get a permit.
According to the clerk, Mkhulu Zwane had also confided before that he used part of the money to help his son pay lobola for his wife.
However, the clerk said, there was a different version when Mkhulu Mateki appeared later on as there was now a report that he had not bought a kombi. “There was also a report that he had taken a second wife and MPs from the previous parliaments argued that if he afforded taking a second wife then surely he was still energetic enough to work hard and repay the debt,” said the clerk.
He stated that the man was given time to try and raise the money something he said he would do by looking for a job as a security guard and further use part of his elderly grant. Also, the clerk narrated that at some point, there were discussions of having the matter reported to the Losses Committee, something which divided MPs who were in office at the time.
After the clerk had shared the information, some of the PAC members submitted that they should perhaps discuss the matter in another forum or abandon it since it had been dealt with before. However, advice was given that just because it had been deliberated upon previously did not mean that it should be abandoned.
Other members voiced out that they were confused by the advice given by the chairperson that they should practice humility. “I do not understand what the chairperson means when he says we must practice humility here. The most important thing that we need to do is follow the law, even if a person comes here and weeps. The fact that we gave him an opportunity to come here and state his side of the story shows that we still have humility,” submitted Zombodze Emuva MP Ntando Mkhonta.
After his submission, the chairperson asked the PAC members what they expected him to do when he saw an old man break down in tears. The chairperson said he was not ashamed of having ordered that Mkhulu Mateki should not be made to continue as he had been engulfed by emotions. In the end, the members agreed that they would deliberate on the issue on another day.
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