Spinne

... am Abend, erquickend und labend.

 

 

BARELY a year after hiring staff with the hope of reviving the ‘sickly’ local airliner, Swazi Airways will be retrenching its employees as the future looks bleak.

This transpired yesterday in Senate when an uncompromising Senator Mike Temple moved that a budget allocation of E16 million for Swazi Airways be frozen.

This was during a swift and well managed budget debate that lasted only four hours. Strict Acting Senate President Ngoma’yayona Gamedze locked the senators for four hours and ensured they were free after approving the budget.

Mature

The tough-talking Gamedze said the country was waiting for the budget, thus senators must play their mature role and put the nation first.

Indeed, the nation was the winner. What took the House of Assembly close to 10 days to debate, it took senators four hours and Finance Minister Martin Dlamini wore a smile as big as his German made vehicle.

Senator Temple was of the view that the E16 million is frozen until the minister of public works and transport outlined to Senate what was going on at Swazi Airways.

He quoted from a pile of documents the stinky rot taking place at the government company and submitted that it would be immature of senators to release money into the stinky pond.

He said over E20 million had been spent on things that never materialised and lamented the huge wage bill government incurs every month.

Senator Temple decried the fact that almost E20 million had been spent on a plane that the country did not use.

Senator Temple estimated that government spent around E750 000 a month on salaries, paying people who are idle because of the dirt that is going on.

“We seem to waste money on nonviable projects and neglect the viable ones that will benefit Swazis. As we speak, there is a plane that Swazis have paid for that is not being used,” said Senator Temple.

Both Minister Lindiwe and Minister Martin did not dispute what the senator said. They further stated that already, Cabinet has instructed the Minister Lindiwe to ‘shut down the thing’.

In her own words, Minister Lindiwe said it would be wrong for Senate to freeze the money because it would be needed to pay out those employees to be shown the exit door.

“Mr Chairman, I plead that we do not transfer the money to Head 60 because we need it to pay not only salaries for the employees at Swazi Airways but also those we would be laying off because Cabinet has given me instructions to cut down the staff,’’ she said.

She was seconded by ICT Minister Dumsani Ndlangamandla, who pleaded that the money is approved because it would address all the concerns listed.

The finance minister also assured senators that since Cabinet has made a ruling on the matter, things would change. He emphasised the need to release the money to pay out the employees.

There was rise of emotions when a joke by Minister Lindiwe did not sit well with Senator Temple. The minister had insinuated that the senator was playing with fire by calling for the freeze of the money (uyaganga).

Senator Temple blew the roof and called for protection from Gamedze (president). He told the minister that it was not in his nature to keep quiet when state funds are misused. The ever alert Gamedze assured the senator of full protection.

Silly

It turned out it was a silly joke by the minister at the wrong time of the debate. Senator Temple debated the matter from the heart and had no time to entertain jokes.

The matter of the E16 million was put to vote and it seemed most senators felt the retrenchments must go ahead. The money survived.

Like a seasoned politician, Senator Temple took it in his stride but it was clear he will explore the matter further using other avenues. Gamedze praised the senators for the maturity they paraded during the debate, stressing that differing views were important when working for the country.

However, he said it was important that at the end of intense debates, a common ground is found. “I am impressed senators, thank you very much,’’ said Gamedze passionately.

28 Mar 2017  Swazi Observer Storie by Lungelo Nkambule