Africa-Press – Eswatini. The biggest threat to our political stability, peace and prosperity is inaction and lack of service delivery.
There is much that needs to be done and only tangible evidence can demonstrate the commitment and political will to get them done.There is no escaping the long list of expectations from the recent Sibaya where directives were issued and promises made to adopt the people’s submissions as policy guidelines for the national development agenda. Our eyes are all pinned on the day-to-day activities of the Prime Minister Russell Dlamini and his cabinet team to ascertain if their actions are linked to the wishes of the masses. Let us take a cursory glance at what the men and women up at Hospital Hill have been up to the past few weeks.
Response
The people asked for jobs and the Commerce Industry and Trade Minister Manqoba Khumalo has come out to announce 10 new companies and about 5 000 jobs in the next 12 months. This is the response people expect when they call upon the government to address their plight. It is now up to all the relevant stakeholders to play their part in ensuring these investments are up and running as soon as possible.
The people asked to be given an opportunity to make an input in the national budget formulation and the Ministry of Finance has opened the door to the public to make submissions. This is a stopgap measure due to the lack of time to conduct the national consultation exercise requested by Sibaya, according to the minister. Not all will be included but what is most significant is the initiation of a process that will see a people driven or pro-poor budget that is more relevant to the needs of the various sectors, regions and communities in the near future.
The people asked government to stop wasting taxpayers’ money on renting cars and buy them instead. The public works ministry has come out to do just that this time around, starting with the minister’s cars while waiting delivery of their vehicles for the new term.
Track
What’s more, we are told, is a new digital system being put in place to track the movement of government cars as an anti-abuse measure because vehicle abuse is the biggest cost to the taxpayer when it comes to issues around the government fleet. Let’s see it work. A toll-free line for the public to report abuse with the number written on each car, should follow. So should the publishing of the weekly list of abusers. The public expressed their concerns about the ministry of education’s lack of preparedness and called for a solution. They urged for the timely availability and distribution of funds for Free Primary Education and school feeding programmes before the start of the school year. The Acting Principal Secretary Naniki Mnisi has provided reassurance that food will be delivered promptly during the first week of schools opening.
This proactive measure aims to prevent any potential theft of deliveries while schools are closed. In addition, she mentioned that the FPE funds would be available soon as they were in the final stages of processing. Mnisi reiterated that the delivery of stationery would be expedited once head teachers furnished a detailed list of this year’s students. We expect Mnisi to stand by her words, as the era of political gamesmanship is a thing of the past.
The people demanded government intervention in schools where parents are compelled to buy their children’s uniforms from designated suppliers chosen by the school. This practice was confirmed through an investigation carried out by the Eswatini Competition Commission (ESCC). The ministry subsequently compiled the school uniform guidelines in collaboration with the ESCC and it has warned of disciplinary action to be taken against head teachers who persist in this practice.
Overcome
The people called for an immediate resolution to the drug shortages in our health facilities. The ministry of health has not yet overcome this challenge, but there are visible efforts being made. Payments to suppliers have been expedited and emergency procurement measures have been implemented to ensure direct sourcing from manufacturers which highlights the importance of human lives, while tracking devices on drug delivery vehicles have been reconnected. Unfortunately, there are individuals who prioritise financial gain over human lives, perceiving this initiative as a business threat rather than a potential resolution to the drug epidemic. The big task remaining is to have those responsible for the drug theft behind bars.
The people requested performance contracts for Cabinet ministers and principal secretaries.
The Prime Minister Russell Dlamini seems enthusiastic about implementing this recommendation. He has already held a meeting with the PS’s regarding this matter and we are currently awaiting feedback on its feasibility in the short term. The performance of the PS is crucial to the success of the minister’s goals. We eagerly await the announcement of the minister’s performance targets. Not bad for a start at giving focus to the Sibaya submissions but it is the results of these good intentions that will count.
Source: TIMES
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