Africa-Press – Eswatini. Following an outcry from Members of Parliament (MPs) on the three security forces clubs’ unfair advantage in utilising state resources, Minister of Sports, Culture and Youth Affairs Harries ‘Madze’ Bulunga responded that the issue can best be decided by the ministries housing these government departments.
Royal Leopard is a team within the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) under the prime minister’s office, Young Buffaloes, an army team in the Umbutfo Eswatini Defence Force (UEDF) under the ministry of defence and Green Mamba under His Majesty’s Correctional Services in the ministry of justice and constitutional affairs.
debate
During the ministry of sports, culture and youth affairs portfolio committee report and debate of the ministry’s annual performance report for the financial year 2021/2022 and the budget estimates for the financial year 2022/2023, MPs pleaded with minister Bulunga to look into the abuse of State resources by the security forces’ teams in sporting events.
“It is important to highlight that government allocates a budget and facilities to each and every ministry and department for their operations. It is the duty of each line ministry and or department to ensure that government funds as well as property are well managed and used for the intended purposes,” Bulunga said.
The department of police was allocated E1 006 266 with the ministry of defence getting E1 216 494 while Correctional got a budget of E504 161 914 for the 2022/2023 financial year.
However, as outlined in the budget estimates presented by Minister of Finance Neal Rijkenberg, the money has detailed channels on how it will be utilised from special services, wages to transport and drugs, among other things.
The estimates do not specifically cater or show how these security forces’ clubs utilise the resources at their departments’ disposal.
Raising the issue was Lomahasha MP Ndumiso Masimula and Nhlambeni’s Manzi Zwane.
The matter of the three security forces’ teams was previously investigated by the Premier League of Eswatini (PLE) with a special committee set up and no decision was taken.
The ministry of sports, culture and youth affairs report was duly adopted by parliament and Minister Bulunga’s responses were deemed satisfactory by the portfolio committee headed by Nkwene MP Vulimpompi Nhleko. The ministry was allocated a budget of E51 394 229 for the 2022/2023 financial year.
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