Times Of Swaziland: GOVT E30M SAVING ON FUEL VS PEOPLE’S LIVES

GOVT E30M SAVING ON FUEL VS PEOPLE’S LIVES
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BY SIBUSISO ZWANE  on 28/09/2020 00:34:00


MANZINI – Has the financially unstable government chosen to prioritise saving
money at the expense of the lives of emaSwati?
This is one of the possible questions that could cross one’s mind after
learning how civil society organisations, including trade union movements, have
taken a swipe at government following the announcement of about E30 million
savings on fuel.
Early last week, the Minister of Finance, Neal Rijkenberg, made a submission
that government had realised about E30 million worth of savings on fuel in the
past three months. The minister made this submission before the Finance
Sessional Committee, through a report that was tabled by the Chairperson, Thandi
Nxumalo, who is a Member of Parliament (MP) for Manzini South Constituency.
shocking
In their reaction to the minister’s submissions, the civil society
organisations said it was shocking that government could declare savings in
terms of fuel yet lives had been lost because of poor service delivery by the
administration due to shortage of fuel.
Their argument was that many peoples’ lives were at risk because of the
shortage of fuel, amid the ongoing disagreements between government and the
Central Transport Administration (CTA) over the organisation’s Trading
Account.  In fact, they argued that the about E30 million savings was announced
at a time when government departments, including those that were responsible to
deliver essential services to the nation, were grounded because of shortage of
fuel.
In that regard, the Coordinating Assembly of Non-Governmental Organisations
(CANGO) Communications Officer, Nkosingiphile Myeni, said they noted that
government had financial challenges which were worsened by the COVID-19
pandemic.
drained
He said they also noted mismanagement of fuel which had drained taxpayers over
the years.
“We also noted the action taken by the Ministry of Public Works and Transport
to decisively deal with the mismanagement of fuel at CTA. However, we are
concerned that government has mentioned that it was able to make a particular
saving on fuel, because we feel it was done at the expense of citizens,” the
communications officer said.
He said while there were issues of mismanagement of fuel among other things at
CTA, government should make it a priority that critical government services such
as police, healthcare and all basic human rights, were properly taken into
consideration.
declaration
In that regard, he said the minister of Finance could not therefore make a
declaration to have made savings as the cost to human lives in accessing health
service suffered and lives of patients were placed at risk.
He said a recent relevant case was that of a bus accident which took place at
Hhelehhele, along the Manzini – Mafutseni Public Road, MR3 Highway. He said
there were no ambulances to attend to the accident and as a result, injured
passengers were rushed to hospital by good Samaritans, who used their private
cars.
It is worth noting that a police officer, who was one of the injured passengers,
died while being treated in hospital.
“The importance of ambulances in accidents is that the patients can get a
proper first aid treatment at the scene and along the way to hospital. This
situation is worrisome and cannot be ignored,” Myeni said.
Therefore, Myeni said they urged the government to propose a national plan on
the refuelling of cars and strengthening any loopholes to misuse of tax payers
monies. He said the public deserved to know how government planned to implement
positive control measures.
serious
On the same note, the Swaziland Democratic Nurses Union (SWADNU) President,
Bheki Mamba, said it was confusing and damaging that government was facing
serious challenges of fuel shortages, yet it had announced about E30 million
savings on same.
He said the ongoing shortage of fuel was directly affecting the delivery of
health services.
“As a result, patients are dying because ambulances are grounded and there is
a lack of drugs as they cannot be delivered to facilities,” the nurses’
union leader said.
He claimed that in some facilities, managers were using their little earned cash
to fuel ambulances in hospitals to try to save the situation as patients’
lives were at risk.
“The announced savings were acheived at the expense of people’s lives. We
condemn this in the strongest possible terms,” Mamba said.
He also added that they believed that the much talked about post COVID-19
economic recovery plan would be of no use if a human face was not put on it.