CANGO Executive Director Says Red Cross R12Million Project Corruption Allegations must be Investigated by the Police and other Law Enforcement Agencies,Undermines Donor Confidence on Eswatini Civil Society

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CANGO Executive Director Says Red Cross R12Million Project Corruption Allegations must be Investigated by the Police and other Law Enforcement Agencies,Undermines Donor Confidence on Eswatini Civil Society
CANGO Executive Director Says Red Cross R12Million Project Corruption Allegations must be Investigated by the Police and other Law Enforcement Agencies,Undermines Donor Confidence on Eswatini Civil Society

Africa-Press – Eswatini. Thembinkhosi Dlamini, the Executive Director of the Coordinating Assembly of Non-Governmental Organizations(CANGO) has called for an investigation into the allegations of fraud and corruption within the Eswatini Red Cross.

Reacting to an investigative article published, the Executive Director said, such allegations undermines donor confidence on the work done by the civil society in eSwatini.

Eswatini Red Cross Director Danger Nhlabatsi stands accused of colluding with junior officers to approve seven hundred and forty-five thousand Rands(R745,000.00) for Living Waters(Pty) Ltd for the maintenance of boreholes, the payment was made on the 30th September 2024 despite the fact that, the company had not rendered services.

It has been confirmed that, Wakhile Dlamini(National Disaster Coordinator) and Sizwe Sibeko, the Red Cross Procurement Officer subsequently received sixty-three thousand Rands(R63,000.00) as a bribe from Living Waters.

“Allegations of fraud and malfeasance on the the part of Red Cross have wide reaching implications not only for Red Cross administration,volunteers and beneficiaries, but the not-for-profit sector as a whole because the ability to raise further resources for the good work we do relies on the proper stewardship of the resources already in our care. There are two issues raised by the incidence, one is an issue of last minute payment to meet contractual cut off dates, which could be better managed in future with a robust grants management system, more reasonable and flexible timelines from the back donor. The issue of third party payments by the supplier can better be handled by law enforcement if it’s true, there are those elements of bribery and money laundering,” said the Executive Director.

On another note, the Red Cross Director denied the allegations but earlier this, he allegedly summoned all employees into a meeting where he opened about the matter.

During the meeting, Nhlabatsi addressed the implicated employees and urged them to remain strong without worrying about the scandal as the matter will ‘die down’ before Friday(17th January 2025) and will be focusing on other new stories.

“Don’t worry about the article publishedas the matter will ‘die down’ before Friday, they will be focusing on other stories,” said the Red Cross Director when addressing the implicated employees who allegedly received R63,000.00 bribe from Living Waters.

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