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PSB NOT SWORN IN AS BOTH SPEAKER, PRESIDENT ABSENT

06/02/2016 09:14:00 BY BONISILE MAKHUBU

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LOBAMBA – What was supposed to be a swearing ceremony for the new Parliamentary Services Board (PSB) did not happen as the Speaker and Senate President were a no show.

The event was scheduled for 11am at the Parliament boardroom, but it had to be postponed indefinitely because the presiding officers did not attend.
It took the board one and a half hours to decide in a caucus whether or not to go ahead with the ceremony.

The board comprises Senate President Gelane Zwane, Speaker Themba Msibi, Senator Chief Kusa Dlamini, MP Mjuluko Dlamini, former MP Trusty Gina and Clerk to Parliament Ndvuna Dlamini who is secretary and ex officio member. Only four members were present in the meeting yesterday and they were joined by Deputy Speaker Esther Dlamini and Deputy Senate President Ngomunyayona Gamedze.
Ndvuna Dlamini, the Clerk to Parliament, said if they carried on with the swearing in ceremony in the absence of the two, it would mean they would not qualify to contest for the chairmanship as the next move after swearing in was to conduct the elections. The election of the new board was announced through a government gazette, Legal Notice NO. 7 of 2016.

When called about her absenteeism, Senate President Gelane Zwane said there was a lot of discussion that needed to be done regarding the matter.
“I can only talk about it at length after the deliberations that I hope would take place when Parliament operations resume,” she said. Zwane said things would fall into place once the deliberations start and added that as of now, things were better left the way they are,” she said. “Kukhona lokungahambi kahle (something is not right) and it will be sorted when business resumes,” she said. Speaker Themba Msibi could not be reached for comment as his phone rang unanswered. When he was called shortly after the postponement, he promised to return the reporter’s call, saying he was at the bank and could not carry on with the interview from there.

The board was elected after the Parliament Services Act was enacted in November 2015.
The Act states in Section Four (2) that “The Members of the Board shall be appointed, suspended and removed by the Presiding Officers on the advice of the Joint House Committee.” (3) “The Joint House Committee shall, before giving advice under this section, consult the King through the Minister on the appointment or removal of any member.” (7) “The Minister shall publish in the Gazette the names of the Board and a member of the Board shall not assume office unless the member has taken or subscribed the oath or affirmation of allegiance and due execution of office.”