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MPS IN ABOUT TURN, PASS E51.7M JUSTICE BUDGET

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LOBAMBA – MPs had a sudden change of heart by voting for the ‘unfreezing’ of the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs’ E51.7 million budget yesterday.


Instead of sticking to their guns that the budget should continue to stay in Head 60, where it would not be accessed until Prime Minister (PM) Sibusiso Dlamini had resolved problems within the ministry, they wobbled in the last minute. When Speaker of the House of Assembly Themba Msibi said those MPs who wanted the ministry’s budget allocation to be released from Head 60 should say ‘I’ (yes), a lot of them shouted ‘I’.


When Msibi said those MPs who disagreed with this should say ‘nay’ (no), there was a resounding response. Some felt this was not immediately clear and so MP Njabulo Mabuza requested that there should be a count of votes.


To get to the bottom of this, the Speaker then asked those who wanted the budget to stay in Head 60 to stand up, and only five MPs stood up.
These included MPs Jan Sithole, Phila Buthelezi, Lucky Mabuza, Njabulo Mabuza and Sikiza Mhlungu.


They all looked surprised and dejected as the rest opted to remain seated. That was how the budget was released from Head 60.
Two weeks ago, the House was almost unanimous that the ministry’s budget and that of all departments under it, such as the Correctional Services, which was due to receive E371 million, Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC), E10.9 million, Anti Corruption Commission (ACC), E11.6 million and Judiciary, E50.4 million, should not be released.


They wanted the PM to resolve an existing impasse between Minister Sibusiso Shongwe and Principal Secretary Thembinkosi Mamba.
He was given only seven days to accomplish this. The impasse was believed to have affected the operations in the ministry. The absence of the PM in yesterday’s session was conspicuous, as he is currently away in Ethiopia.

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